We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Clinical / Counselling Psychologist who has a strong interest in Early Intervention in Psychosis, and the ability to work effectively as part of the multidisciplinary team.

This is a 2 day a week post and is open as a band 7 or 8a role depending on experience. This role is also available as a permanent position or secondment opportunity. Please specify which band you are applying for and whether you wish for this to be a secondment in your application.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for providing specialist psychological assessment, individual therapy (including CBTp), family interventions and group work. There are also opportunities to provide consultation and supervision, and engage in service development, research and teaching. You will be joining a psychological therapies team of two Senior Clinical Psychologists, a Band 7 Clinical Psychologist, an Assistant Psychologist, two Family Intervention Therapists, Trainee Clinical Psychologists and MSc students.

As a team member, you will work alongside multidisciplinary colleagues including Consultant Psychiatrists, Vocational and STaR workers, and Care Coordinators, to offer a specialist psychological service to Lewisham Early Intervention Service (LEIS) service users and their families. Psychological input is valued in the team, and considered an integral part of the services on offer to our service users and their families.

LEIS has good links with other Lewisham adult mental health services and the other three SLAM Early Intervention teams, therefore there are regular opportunities to link with clinical psychologists within and beyond other psychosis-related teams. You will be encouraged and supported to access CPD opportunities within the Trust.

About us

About the team:

The Lewisham Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (LEIS) is a specialist multidisciplinary community mental health team who work with people aged 18-65 who are experiencing a first episode of psychosis. The team uses well-researched Early Intervention strategies and works intensively with service users and carers for up to three years, to promote engagement with the team and offers a range of interventions to facilitate social inclusion and recovery.

About the location:

LEIS is based at a community site in Hither Green, Lewisham, is well connected to the other community and acute services the borough provides. The site also has good transport links with London and surrounds, Hither Green rail station is nearby, the building has dedicated parking.

Job description Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

• To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients in the Lewisham Early Intervention Service, including cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis and family interventions.
• To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
• To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
• To ensure that the views of service users and carers are sought and incorporated into all care delivered.

KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning

• To contribute to the effective working of the team or service and to a psychologically informed framework for the service.
• To contribute to the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
• To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally-competent services.
• To advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.
• To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.
• To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
• Contribute to/liaise with wider Lewisham Adult Mental Health Psychology & Psychotherapy colleagues.

KR 3 Policy and service development

• To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.
• To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.
• To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.

KR 4 Care or management of resources

• To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources.
• To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.

KR 5 Management and supervision

• To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist if required, with support from a more senior psychologist.
• To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant training courses supervision training.
• To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate.

KR 6 Teaching and Training

• To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
• To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the Lewisham Early Intervention Service by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology and Early Intervention in Psychosis and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.
• To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance

• To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
• To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.

KR 8 Research and development

• To initiate, undertake, support and supervise regular complex service evaluation and audits.

KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development

• To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines.
• To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC Standards for Continuing Professional Development.
• To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
• To comply with the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency, and ensure professional development in line with these.
• To adhere to the BPSs Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.

KR10 General

• To travel to home visits, community placements, psychology meetings as appropriate and across the Trust when required.
• To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management.
• To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations and to support others involved in such situations.
• To work flexibly, which may include offering some regular commitment to late clinics within the overall Job Plan.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration (or expect to complete training within the next 3 months)
• Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC

Experience Essential

• Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs
• Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature, including clients with psychosis and people who have experienced trauma
• Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience
• Experience of developing and carrying out research, audit or service evaluation projects

Desirable

• Experience of working in an Early Intervention in Psychosis service

Knowledge Essential

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of first episode psychosis
• Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics for psychosis
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities
• Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care

Skills Essential

• To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences
• To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources
• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information
• To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials
• Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data

Abilities Essential

• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate
• Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these
• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour
• Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

334-LEW-5093497