You will offer evidence-based psychological therapy to clients aged 14-65 years, who have had a first episode of psychosis (including family intervention - training provided). You will work closely with the MDT to shape and fulfil the needs identified in the care plan and to meet the standards of care for the service. You will offer consultation and indirect work to support care coordinators and support staff to deliver effective care. You will work together with psychologists and psychological therapists across the Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire EI services to improve care by contributing to projects and supporting research. You will supervise junior staff.

Main duties of the job

Specialist/Highly Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist Preceptorship

Buckinghamshire Early Intervention Service

The Early Intervention in Psychosis service in Oxford Health is a well-established, high quality service providing multidisciplinary team working for all those experiencing a first episode of psychosis in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. We are a clinical academic service, working alongside researchers from the University of Oxford and with several joint clinical-academic posts within our service. We are at the forefront of undertaking research in the area of early psychosis to better understand the causes of psychosis and the most effective treatments and are then able to directly implement these findings into practice, for the benefit of patients.

Applications are invited for a permanent full-time psychologist post in the Early Intervention in Psychosis Service in Buckinghamshire (part-time, job share, flexible hours will be also be considered). If you are a psychologist who already has the ability to offer CBT for psychosis (see criteria in 8a person spec) and would be able to fulfill the band 8a post requirements we will consider you for the 8a role immediately.

About us

Hope is an important value in Early Intervention. We are optimistic about client's recovery and have good outcomes with the majority of people being discharged to their GP after their course of treatment. We work with clients and their networks for up to three years, offering a range of evidence-based interventions. We are a close knit, experienced MDT. Psychology is fully integrated into the team and we work flexibly to meet the needs of the clients and our colleagues. There are good training and development opportunities and we welcome a fresh perspective and new ideas.

Benefits of working for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust include:

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, with an increase to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Staff accommodation
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• New starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.

Job description Job responsibilities

The purpose of the post is to provide a highly specialist psychology service to the clients of the Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, across a variety of settings. In particular, the post-holder will deliver NICE-recommended individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBTp) to clients with psychosis, and family intervention (FI) to clients with psychosis and their carers.

The post-holder will be expected to see psychologically complex clients, for example, with multiple psychotic symptoms, or psychosis and other co-morbid problems. The treatment requires post-graduate training in cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis and we are looking to support the post holder to develop the skills necessary to deliver these interventions. While undertaking the training the post holder will be employed as a band 7, Specialist Psychologist, and upon successful completion of the training will transition into a band 8, Highly Specialist, role. You must be available to attend the training which takes place weekly on Thursdays for one year.

The post-holder will also provide clinical supervision, consultation and training, initially to the psychology assistants and care coordinators, but upon attaining the band 8a skills will supervise psychological therapists working in the team. The post holder will be expected to utilise research skills for audit, service development and clinically-relevant research. The post-holder will work as part of an MDT and contribute to the wider team functions.

The post will be managed through the Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, with line management and clinical and professional supervision provided by the principal counselling psychologist. The successful candidate will have a doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology and will be HCPC registered and BABCP accreditable. Interest and experience in working with clients with psychosis and their carers using a CBT framework is highly desirable.

This will be an exciting opportunity to develop further experience and skills in early intervention for psychosis in both community and inpatient settings. Excellent supervision, support and CPD opportunities are available.

The service operates 9-5 Monday to Friday with some flexible working outside of these hours, such providing interventions to individuals and families who are working. This is a full-time post but would also work well as a job share. For applicants that would be completing the postgraduate CBT training, a commitment of three days a week would be necessary to allow for attending teaching, course clients and study. We welcome applicants who have personal experience of mental health as a client or carer and can discuss any reasonable adjustments. The post holder will need to travel between sites across Bucks and to see clients in the community, therefore a full driving licence and access to a car is essential (please specify this in your application).

Person Specification Knowledge Essential

• oKnowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies with clients with severe and complex mental health problems
• oDoctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology and psychotherapy

Desirable

• oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health

Qualifications Essential

• oDoctoral level training in clinical/ counselling psychology including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology or Masters/Diploma in CBT with a core qualification in a field of mental health, including psychiatric nursing, social work or occupational therapy
• oRegistration with HCPC or equivalent

Desirable

• oPre-qualification training and qualifications or experience in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology

Skills Essential

• oSkills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
• oWell-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
• oSkills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
• oEvidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant professional body
• oGood organisational and time management skills, ability to plan and prioritise own workload
• oAbility to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings

Desirable

• oWillingness to work towards accreditation with accrediting body such as BABCP, SfDBT or ACAT.

Experience Essential

• oExperience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, day services and inpatient settings
• oExperience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and threat of physical abuse

Desirable

• oExperience of working within a multicultural framework
• oExperience of running/co-running groups

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

267-BM5040194