We are offering a band 7 development post. The successful candidate will receive appropriate training and support in order to attain 8a competencies within a specified time frame (up to 2 years).

Ribblemere Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) is a purpose built, eight bedded unit which provides care for women experiencing severe and complex mental health problems or those vulnerable to becoming

mentally unwell from 32 weeks gestation to 1 year postnatal. This includes very serious conditions such as post-partum psychosis. Ribblemere enables treatment and recovery for mothers whilst allowing their relationships with their babies to develop.

The MBU Clinical Psychologist works closely with all members of the multidisciplinary team, alongside colleagues from the Perinatal CMHT, general adult services, maternity services, maternal mental health services, primary care and social services.

The service works intensively and rapidly, conscious of the mother and infant's need for timely recovery from the effects of significant mental health difficulties. The average length of stay is 6-8 weeks but we work with each individual's needs in mind. An equal focus on the parent-infant relationship and supporting the development of this is paramount.

Main duties of the job

Developmental post band 7 to band 8a

We aim to provide an excellent comprehensive Perinatal Mental Health Service for the women of Lancashire and Cumbria. We do this by effective multidisciplinary integrated team working and ensuring effective prevention by:

• Intervening earlier from 32 weeks pregnancy and up to 2 years postnatal (1 year on MBU)
• On-going training and supervision of professionals from multiple disciplines
• Improving pathways and processes for mothers, their families and professionals
• Delivering a multi-disciplinary specialist perinatal mental health service

We can offer you lots of opportunities for training and the ongoing development of clinical and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. We would support you to attain the competencies required to transition from Band 7 to the 8a role, within a specified timeframe.

We would welcome applicants who have a special interest in this vulnerable client group and who have the ability to adapt and change to meet the needs of the service and the service users. We are also keen to hear from current trainees due to qualify in 2023 and candidates who may not have worked previously in perinatal, but who feel they have the transferable skills to enable them to succeed in this role.

About us

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT

Job description Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical psychology or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and Neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS.

Knowledge Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.

Experience Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of patients across a range of care settings
• Experience of working with a wide variety of patient 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 the threat of physical abuse.

Other (Skills) Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

351-SPS686-AT-A