Mental Health Hospital Liaison Team, Milton Keynes Mental Health Service

0.5 wte (hours can be discussed/negotiated)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and highly skilled psychologist to join the Mental Health Hospital Liaison Team in Milton Keynes. Applicants will preferably have experience of working in both physical and mental health services, and be motivated to develop strong working relationships and liaise effectively with staff in the general hospital (Milton Keynes University Hospital), primary and secondary care services and other agencies. An interest in working with older people and an understanding of issues pertinent to older people, who make up a significant proportion of the patients admitted to the general hospital, would be beneficial.

The team is a well-functioning, psychologically minded group of individuals who strive to offer the best support for patients who present to A&E in mental health crisis; or who are on the wards in the hospital. The post holder will play an active role in discussions/meetings associated with complex discharge planning with hospital staff. We are looking for someone who is dynamic and motivated, who can work autonomously, and who values working as part of multi-disciplinary team to continue to provide and develop the existing service.

Main duties of the job

The role is varied and exciting, including service development, Quality Improvement projects teaching, training and consultancy, as well as direct clinical work and supervision. Depending on your clinical interests, there are opportunities to develop areas of specialism in older adult work, working with physical health conditions and using different models of therapy.

About us

Milton Keynes Mental Health services are exploring ways to make posts more attractive to applicants. We know Psychologists have many and varied interests and if you would like to pair a role in Hospital Liaison with work elsewhere in the service then please do get in touch. We would be happy to discuss your interests, experience and future career plans.

CNWL are committed to progressing and supporting their staff with career development and training, and ensuring staff health and wellbeing, and job satisfaction.The postholder will receive regular supervision from the Principal Clinical Psychologist also based in the Liaison Team.

Other opportunities include:

• Support to develop skills in supervision and teaching through joint supervision for Clinical Psychology Trainees at the University of Oxford
• Links and participation in the National Liaison Psychologist special interest group
• Bimonthly Psychology meetings including wider service updates, CPD sessions, and the opportunity to be part of a wider Psychology Service and build relationships with other psychologists in the local area.

Please note: The job description for this post is based on Band 8a competencies. However, newly qualified applicants will also be considered at Band 7 with 2 years preceptorship period.

We look forward to hearing from you. For an informal chat, please contact Dr Meera Shah, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Hospital Liaison Team, 01908 725435/07849 308433, meera.shah10@nhs.net

Job description Job responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Work

• To provide specialist psychological assessments of patients referred to the MHHLT using interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources. This will include the use of routine psychometric assessments and measures, observations and interviews where appropriate.
• To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the formulation and implementation of plans for the formal psychological treatment and/ or management of a patients problems based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of those problems in the context of the family and wider system.
• To be responsible for implementing a range of brief psychological interventions, focused on stabilising the patients mental health and promoting recovery, adjusting and refining the formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.
• To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
• To develop strong links with other services in Milton Keynes, including mental health services, community physical health services and 3rd sector provision for substance misuse, mental illness and physical health problems in order to effectively and appropriately signpost patients on for further support or therapeutic work.
• To provide regular, formalised and specialist psychological consultation both to professionals working within the MHHLT as well as with the wider partnership agencies and professional staff across a variety of external agencies.
• To act as a senior clinician within the team and to work with the more complex cases referred for specialist treatment.
• To undertake risk assessment and risk management for all patients in attendance within the service, including the protective and risk factors present in the network of significant relationships.
• To liaise with other professionals and agencies, and work jointly with those involved with individuals and provide updates as appropriate.
• To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of patients under their care
• To attend review meetings, and discharge planning meetings as appropriate on the hospital wards.
• To maintain adequate clinical notes of all work undertaken including current electronic systems and to ensure appropriate written communication is maintained with GPs, and other referrers.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical or counseling psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuro-psychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS
• To be registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC)
• Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Desirable

• BABCP Accreditation or working towards Accreditation

Experience Essential

• Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment with complex cases.
• Experience of assessing and treating clients across the full range of care settings.

Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessment and intervention for people with co-morbid mental and physical health problems

Desirable

• Knowledge of legislation and NICE guidance in relation to the client group and mental health.

Other Desirable

• Valid driver's licence and the ability to drive to different bases.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

333-D-MK-MH-0969