An amazing oportuntiy has arisen for an enthusiastic psychologist to join the Luton Sexual Health Service. This 1.0wte permanent Principal Psychologists post will have the opportunity to work with the Clinical Director and Head of Clinical Health Psychology Services (CHPS) to develop the strategic vision and implementation of psychology services in to the Luton Sexual Health Services. Alongside the core HIV prevention, sexual health and support work, there has been recent new investment for specialist psychology services to support the complexities experienced by LGBT+ clients. We are seeking an experienced Clinical/Counselling Psychologist who is creative and compassionate, and who lives and breathes our values of care, respect and inclusivity.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as a senior member of the HIV MDT. Primarily the post holder will support the mental health and complex lives of people living with HIV, to reduce risk of harm and reliance on other services that do not specialise in HIV and LGBT and the complex nature of work. The post holder can expect to use the full range of skills, including assessment, 1:1 and group interventions, particularly to improve quality of life and wellbeing of transgender people and people living with HIV. Teaching, training, supervision, consultation and, research opportunities are supported with our strong links to the Clinical Doctorate training programme. The post holder will also provide clinical supervision to support specific professionals working with under 12s with harmful sexual behaviours. The post-holder will join a broader thriving and diverse Clinical Health Psychology Department within ELFT Beds and Luton Community Health Services, who meet regularly to maintain our professional identity and to support the well-being of our psychological workforce. ELFT is committed to providing CPD opportunities to maintain and develop your interests and specialist expertise, such as EMDR training, and Quality Improvement Leadership Programme. If this post has peaked your interest then please call for an informal chat to learn more, 07733123334, Dr Sara Rassool (Consultant Clinical Psychologists).

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Job description Job responsibilities

The post holder will ensure the systematic provision of a high-quality comprehensive specialist psychological service to the service users of Luton Sexual Health. The post holder will directly provide highly specialist psychological assessments, formulations and therapies, specialist risk assessments and advice on risk management. As a senior member of the HIV MDT, the post holder will provide specialist consultation, guidance, and advice to the HIV, Sexual Health & LGBT+ professional team concerning the complex nature of the work. The post holder will also supervise and support other qualified/unqualified psychological therapists in their area, with governance responsibility for agreeing case and workload levels, and systems of monitoring quality of practice and evaluation. The post holder will have the opportunity to work creatively and collaboratively, both strategically and clinically, with a variety of professionals to enhance pathways of care across organisational boundaries. The post holder will utilise research skills for audit, policy, research and quality improvement, and contribute strongly to strategic service development in the sub specialism and the wider Clinical Health Psychology Department, Bedford and Luton as a senior psychologist. The post holder will be expected to actively contribute to the CPD and reflective discussion forum within the Clinical Health Psychology Department. The posts holder will be supported and meet regularly with the HIV and Sexual Health Clinical Director and Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist/ Head of Services.

Please kindly refer to the job description and person specification attached to this vacancy for more information.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology or equivalence and able to demonstrate eligibility for BPS CPsychol (Chartered Psychologist)
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.

Experience Essential

• Well-developed experience of assessment, formulation and treatment with people (and families/carers) with complex & chronic physical and/or mental health problems.
• Substantial experience of working as a qualified Psychologist including substantial post-qualification experience working in a Clinical Health Psychology Service.
• Experience in working within at least two therapy modalities (CBT and one other).
• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts, including working with interpreters.
• Research and audit experience.
• Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care.
• Experience of developing and delivering specialist training programmes.
• Experience of supervising professional and clinical practice of qualified and unqualified staff
• Experience of liaison and joint work with other statutory agencies, including crisis management.
• Identification of need and development of services to meet client need.

Knowledge & Skills Essential

• Advanced knowledge of complex methods of psychological assessment and clinical neuropsychological assessment.
• Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies with adult clients with complex physical and/or mental health needs, which should include CBT and one other.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult-to-treat groups (e.g. those with complex co-morbidities, persons with additional disabilities etc).
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to people with mental health and physical health conditions and it's implications for clinical practice in the HIV/SH/LGBT+ service.
• Able to provide & receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information in a highly emotive and sometimes hostile atmosphere, in a range of relationships and settings. Able to use highly specialist skills of empathy to overcome barriers to understanding and acceptance.
• Able to draw upon a broad theoretical knowledge base in the analysis of highly complex facts or situations to arrive at appropriate formulations. Able to compare and select from a range of treatment options, based on formulation.
• Able to plan, organise and prioritise own workload.
• Ability to work creatively, co-operatively, reliably and consistently as an independent practitioner, as a mentor and supervisor, and in multi-disciplinary and team settings.
• Competence in advanced IT packages including keyboard skills.
• Able to record and report on as required clinical information.
• Competent in use of basic IT packages - word processing, excel, e-mail and internet.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis.
• Up to date knowledge of psychological research and national guidance relevant to patient group
• Knowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice with this client group.
• Ability to provide a culturally-competent, n-n-judgmental and non-stigmatising service including an awareness of the potential impact of discrimination and disadvantage.
• Able to be flexible and adapt approach according to need. Able to innovate on the basis of theoretical knowledge
• Competent use of other IT packages e.g. PowerPoint, Excel and Access.

Personal Essential

• Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena, and an interest in models of service delivery.
• Able to contain and work with organisational stress and able to hold the stress of others.
• Able to sit in constrained positions for a substantial proportion of working time.
• Able to concentrate intensely for a substantial proportion of working time, during client contact, teaching/supervision sessions, team meetings, preparing written work etc.
• Able to manage effectively frequent exposure to highly distressing/highly emotional circumstances and exposure to traumatic circumstances.
• Able to manage effectively verbal aggression from service users, families, etc and the risk of physical aggression.
• Respectful approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals. Willing to negotiate and can handle confrontation effectively and professionally.
• Able to articulate the value added by psychological interventions within the context of multi-disciplinary mental health services

Other Essential

• Able to work to professional guidelines. Must be capable of accountability for own work, of autonomous clinical practice, of being guided by precedent and of working towards defined results.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

363-CHB12379