Hywel Dda University Health Board welcomes applications for the post of Band 8a Principal Clinical Psychologist to work within our Forensic Mental Health Specialty.

The main focus of the work will be within our 18-bed, Low Secure Service at Cwm Seren, Carmarthen, as a key member of the inpatient team, providing assessment, formulation and treatment to clients who are in transition to community placements.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post.

Main duties of the job

The evaluation and management of offending behaviour and risk form an important aspect of the role, alongside individual and group therapeutic work for general and complex mental health concerns. The postholder will also play a major role in providing consultative support, supervision and training to the multidisciplinary care team, enskilling other professionals in psychological interventions and ensuring that shared psychological understanding underpins all domains of care throughout the client's pathway to recovery. In addition, the postholder will be involved in the day-to-day management and supervision of the Psychology Service within Cwm Seren PICU, directing interventions and providing support to the care team.

There will be scope, in particular, to develop the service's trauma-informed care approach to meet client's psychological needs and support the building of engagement and development of resilience, salient to their process of recovery. Although inpatient focused, the post enjoys good working relationships with the Forensic Mental Health Team and with other agencies involved in client care. The post also benefits from excellent professional networking and support for CPD, including specific links to Swansea and Cardiff Universities.

About us

Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 11,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services for around 384,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:o Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest;o Seven community hospitals: Amman Valley and Llandovery in Carmarthenshire; Tregaron, Aberaeron and Cardigan in Ceredigion; and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire;o 48 general practices (four of which are managed practices), 47 dental practices (including three orthodontic), 99 community pharmacies, 44 general ophthalmic practices (43 providing Eye Health Examination Wales and 34 low vision services) and 17 domiciliary only providers and 11 health centres;o Numerous locations providing mental health and learning disabilities services;o Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales

Job description Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.

The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Person Specification Qualifications & Knowledge Essential

• Doctoral level qualifications in Clinical Psychology including training specifically in models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan development psychology
• Doctoral level knowledge or research methodology research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
• HCPC registration and current practicing certificate
• BPS chartered status or eligibility

Desirable

• Post-qualification training in one or more specialist areas
• Pre-qualification training / qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
• Training and/or qualifications relating to work within Forensic Mental Health
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialized psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g., personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
• High level of knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialized psychological therapies
• Knowledge and skills in Resource Based Therapy (e.g., solution focused, motivational, positive interventions)
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and risk management methodology

Experience Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across various care settings, such as outpatient, community and primary care and inpatient settings
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course, with 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 the threat of physical abuse
• Experience of delivering structured psychological interventions to clients with severe and enduring mental health problems, including the application of cognitive behavioural approaches

Desirable

• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision in clinical psychology
• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts
• Experience of multi-agency / partnership working
• Experience of working with clients who present with violent, sexual and general offending risks
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care and treatment plan
• Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
• Experience of personal therapy.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

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