Practitioner Psychologist, Psychotherapist & Psychological Therapist

We have an exciting opportunity for a full-time permanent Principal Psychologist based in the Lewisham Intensive Support Team (0.6 wte) and MHLD Team (0.4wte).

The successful candidate will develop and lead a small multi-professional pathway as part of the Lewisham Intensive Support Team, with some time to work across MHLD as well.

The IST works in conjunction with the wider borough MHLD team sharing decision making about stepping up and stepping down care so that people get the right support at the right time.

As the Lead Psychologist you will have the opportunity to develop this service, manage and clinically supervise a small MDT (comprising Behaviour Support Practitioner, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapy and Trainee Clinical Psychologist).

You will also have an important role working with the Borough Lead Psychologist, commissioners and stakeholders to help shape service design and delivery for local adults with learning disabilities and complex behaviour at high risk of placement breakdown.

Main duties of the job

• To develop, co-ordinate and oversee the provision of a MDT service at the Intensive Support Team (IST) and provide highly specialist clinical input in terms of psychological and behavioural support.
• To contribute to enabling staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
• To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist in working with adults with learning disabilities who require an intensive support provision.
• To ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of other psychological practitioners within the IST.
• To promote service evaluation, audit, research and policy development.

Responsibilities

• Clinical and Client Care: To develop, co-ordinate and ensure the systematic provision of a highly specialist MDT service.
• To provide and lead a highly specialist psychological and behavioural support service to the Intensive Support Team in the Mental Health in Learning Disability Service.
• To provide highly specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for adults with learning disabilities at levels expected of a psychological practitioner who has achieved the equivalent of a PG Diploma-worth of post-qualification specialist development.
• Responsibilities for team or service clinical functioning: To co-ordinate (and chair) meetings for IST to ensure effective functioning and review, when appropriate.
• Policy and service development: To implement policies and procedures in own area of work.
• Care or management of resources: To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources.
• Management and supervision: To provide clinical leadership to more junior psychological practitioners and other professionals, as appropriate.
• Teaching and Training: To undertake occasional teaching and training of pre and post-qualification psychological practitioners and specialised training to other professions as appropriate.
• Record-keeping and Information Governance: To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.

Person Specification

• Qualifications: To have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy OR to have equivalent relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field in the NHS.
• Experience: Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in learning disabilities. Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in learning disabilities.
• Knowledge: Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of mental health difficulties and behaviour that challenges for adults with learning disabilities.
• Skills: 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.