JOB DESCRIPTION 1. JOB IDENTIFICATION Job Title: Clinical Psychologist Department(s): Borders Addictions Services (BAS) Job Holder Reference: MHS499 No of Job Holders: 1 = 15 hours 2. JOB PURPOSE Provision of highly specialist clinical psychological assessment, formulation and treatment within Borders Addiction Services and Mental Health Services for Drug and Alcohol Dependent People, including specialist neuropsychological assessment for people with suspected Alcohol Related Brain Damage. Liaison, joint working, consultation, expert advice and supervision of other professionals in statutory and independent care settings. Day to day clinical supervision of less experienced psychologists, counsellors, assistant psychologists, community psychiatric nurses, support workers and postgraduate trainee clinical psychologists. 3. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION Head of Psychological Services: Professional Advisor Consultant Clinical Psychologist in Addictions: Line Manager Post sits within Addictions Psychological Therapies Team 4. SCOPE AND RANGE 1. Accountable for own professional actions, adhering to local policies and professional guidelines. 2. Use of highly specialist clinical skills within Addiction Psychological Therapies Team. 3. Direct clinical work involving, assessment, treatment and management of a wide range of psychological problems cormorbid with substance misuse problems. Providing neuropsychological assessments. 4. Liaison with GP s, community mental health team members and other clinicians regarding the care and management of clinical cases including identifying unmet need and
opportunities for service development. 5. Provision of expert advice and knowledge in consultation, clinical supervision and training other professionals. 6. Involvement in research activity to ensure audit, evaluation of service and its outcomes. 7. Specific allocation of time and duties as decided by the Addictions Consultant Clinical Psychologist OUR VALUES IN ACTION Care and Compassion Quality and Teamwork Dignity and Respect Openness, honesty and responsibility 5. MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES Provision of highly specialist clinical psychological knowledge and skills to adults referred to the service. 1. Provide highly specialist assessment, formulation and treatment. 2. Assessment of risk to patients, relatives, staff and members of the public, implementing agreed policies where appropriate. 3. Decisions regarding suitability of treatment, appropriateness and priority of referrals. 4. Determining the aims and duration of treatment 5. Interpretation of specialist psychometric tests. 6. Making recommendations regarding treatment for collaborative interventions and for those cases not accepted for therapy 7. Provide advice, consultancy and training to colleagues within Health, Social Work and the Voluntary Sector 8. Receive regular individual clinical supervision and contribute to peer supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines. 9. Prepare complex clinical reports 10. Maintaining accurate records of patient contact and activity. 11. To evaluate and assess, where indicated, the capacity of the patient to make informed decisions and choices. To participate in case conferences regarding capacity and protection of vulnerable adults. 12. To manage a personal caseload of highly complex cases. Direct clinical supervision of specialist clinical psychologists, assistant psychologists and postgraduate trainee clinical psychologists on placement as well as other community mental health team members as appropriate. Planning, organising and delivering staff training in the practice of clinical supervision, psychological therapies and applying psychology to mental health. 6. SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT A range of specialist psychometric tests measuring: Intellectual and cognitive capacity and deficits Mood and emotional state Specific behaviours Routine recording and monitoring of: Clinical work and outcomes Patient contacts
7. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS Clinical judgements involving highly complex facts and situations, which require the analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of response options. Determining the type and length of clinical interventions individual patients will receive. 8. COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS 1. Communicates complex sensitive condition related information to clients, relatives referrers and other professions. 2. Duties require empathy, understanding and the ability to deal with barriers to understanding, including hostile, antagonistic patients and a highly emotive atmosphere. 3. Clients may be at risk of suicide or self harm or are recently bereaved, seriously mentally ill and / or cognitively impaired. 4. Motivating staff and patients, some of whom may be reluctant to consider change. 5. Collaborative working relationships with all relevant agencies including; General Practitioners, Psychiatrists, primary and secondary team members and other referring professionals. 6. Presentations and training workshops to other groups, contribution to training clinical psychologists 9. PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB 1. Driving for up to an hour at a time, at least once during most working days. 2. Remaining seated for periods of up to 2 hours when with patients. 3. Administering practical tests of ability following very precise procedures with a specific requirement for accuracy 10. MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB Requirement for highly developed analytical skills Emotional demands of the job exposure to psychological distress of others. Keeping abreast of the knowledge base and applying this to routine clinical practice. Working with individuals with substance misuse and dependence co-existing with other psychological disorders where verbal and/or physical aggression can be highly challenging. 11. KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB (summary see full person spec) Undergraduate honours degree in Psychology 2:1 or above Postgraduate Doctoral degree Clinical Psychology Clinical supervisory knowledge and skills Advanced post-qualification clinical training in relevant areas Relevant qualified supervised experience working with adults with psychological problems Experience of multidisciplinary team working Experience of local health and social care systems, agencies and professions.
PERSON SPECIFICATION - Addictions Essential Desirable How Tested 1 Qualifications 2 Experience Undergraduate degree in Psychology min 2:1 Postgraduate Doctoral degree Clinical Psychology Registered with HCPC as a Clinical Psychologist Relevant post qualification, supervised experience working with adults with psychological problems. Experience of multidisciplinary team working at primary and secondary care levels. Experience of providing teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision for psychologists and other professions. Experience of local health and social care systems, agencies and professions. Further accredited training in evidence based psychological therapies (e.g. IPT, CBT, CAT, EMDR etc.) completed or ongoing. NES accredited training in Supervision of psychological therapies/clinical psychology trainees. Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and also within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan. Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and also within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan. Application form Interview/application 3 Skills Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, formulation, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. Skills in selecting and administering neuropsychological tests, and interpreting the findings from these tests. A high level ability to communicate effectively at both a written and oral level complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS. Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups. Knowledge of legislation and Experience of working as a clinical psychologist in addictions. Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities and severely challenging behaviours etc.) Interview/ application
4 Personal qualities its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health. Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS/HCPC. Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena, an interest in models of service delivery, and an ability to articulate the value added by clinical psychology services within the context of multidisciplinary mental health services. Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to hold the stress of others. A commitment to the development and evaluation of addiction services. Ability to demonstrate leadership and management skills. Interview/ application Other Ability to articulate and interpret clearly the role of the profession of clinical psychology based upon a good understanding of the framework of government and national professional policy. You will be required to travel widely to deliver service needs Experience of working within a multicultural and/or remote and rural setting. Interview/ application Full UK driving Licence
Terms & Conditions Grade and salary: Hours of work: Annual leave: Public Holidays Superannuation Band 8a: 40,833-49,000 pro rata per annum 15 hours per week, Permanent 27 days pro rata per annum Details of other types of leave entitlement (such as sick leave) are set out in the Agenda for Change handbooks. 8 days pro rata per annum on dates designated by NHS Borders Details of other types of leave entitlement (such as sick leave) are set out in the Agenda for Change handbook. The post-holder is entitled to join the NHS superannuation pension scheme. If Unsuccessful: If you have NOT heard from us within 4 WEEKS of the closing date, then we regret that your application has not been successful on this occasion. However, we appreciate your interest in working with NHS Borders and your time and effort in completing the application form. We would welcome your application for future posts. Equal Opportunities: In NHS Borders, we believe that all staff should be treated equally in employment. We will not discriminate against any member of staff, or job applicant, on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation. Trade Union membership. Disclosure checks: We carry out criminal record checks on new staff who fall within certain staff groups within NHS Borders, through Disclosure Scotland. We send out Disclosure Forms to all shortlisted candidates for these staff groups, and ask for these to be completed and returned at interview. If a successfulat-interview candidate forgets to bring their completed form to interview, then they will be required to return the form (and proofs of identity) within 7 days, otherwise the provisional job offer will be withdrawn. Unsuccessful candidates forms will be shredded. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to this post. Tobacco policy: We have a Tobacco policy in place. When selecting staff, we do not discriminate against applicants who smoke, but staff must observe our policy on smoking. Hepatitis B: We offer Hepatitis B immunisation through our Occupational Health Service (OHS). If you think you may be at risk of contracting Hepatitis B through your job, you should ask for this immunisation at OHS. If your work involves exposure-prone procedures, you must keep to the document Protecting Health Care Workers and Patients from Hepatitis B, and the NHSiS Management Executive Directive on this issue. You must be immune to Hepatitis B, and if you cannot prove that you are immune, OHS will investigate to find out whether you are Hepatitis B positive or not.
Health and Safety at Work: You must look after the health and safety of yourself and anyone else who may be affected by what you do at work. You must also co-operate with us to make sure that we keep to legal and organisational safety regulations. You can get more information from the NHS Borders Health & Safety Adviser. The closing date for completed application forms is: 5pm on Friday 06 October 2017