Clinical / Forensic Psychologist

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Inpatient Psychology Service at Langdon Hospital, for an appropriately qualified Band 8a practitioner psychologist to cover Maternity Leave. You will work as part of an innovative psychology team, which provides specialist psychological work to patients at Langdon Hospital, with the opportunity to work across the directorate.

The psychology team at Langdon includes experienced and enthusiastic clinical, forensic, counselling psychologists and arts therapists, trainee psychologists and a team of assistant psychologists, one each for our 5 wards across the Medium and Low Secure estate. Forensic mental health settings provide an enviable clinical environment in which to pursue clinical interests and develop specialism in areas such as risk assessment, offence focused work, individual or group work, trauma, psychosis, personality and relational difficulties, as well as cognitive and developmental difficulties. The work can involve a range of assessment and therapeutic approaches, modalities and timeframes.

This role is being offered on a fixed term basis or as a potential secondment opportunity to internal applicants.

Main duties of the job

• Being an autonomous practitioner responsible for your own clinical activity and accountable for observing and interpreting professional and Trust guidelines for professional conduct including accurate record keeping.
• Providing consultation, advice, and clinical supervision to other professionals and agencies including Band 7 Psychologists, Assistant Psychologists, Trainee and undergraduate Psychologists.
• Devising, supervising and formulating a clients presenting difficulties(s), based upon the appropriate theoretical and conceptual frameworks and evidence based practice.
• Delivering individual and group interventions.
• Meeting appropriate standards of practice in the quality and timeliness of the service provided. Standards of practice will include those defined by: the British Psychological Society (including the Division of Clinical Psychology); the HCPC and/or other relevant bodies such as UKCP and Devon Partnership Trust.
• Keeping adequate clinical records in accordance with Trust guidance.
• Undertaking risk and other assessments (where relevant) and collaborating on the risk management of individuals together with the multi-disciplinary team.
• Undertake other responsibilities e.g. quality improvement initiatives or service development/evaluation projects to ensure an ever improving, high quality, professional service.
• Communicating in a clear, professional, skilled and sensitive manner.

About us We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trust's core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities Communication & Working Relationships Clients family and others

• To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner with service users with a mental health, learning disability, challenging behaviour and/or personality disorder who may have specific difficulties in understanding and/or communicating and who may be hostile, antagonistic or highly emotionally disturbed.
• Multidisciplinary team colleagues.
• To work closely, collaboratively and supportively with colleagues in the multi-professional integrated psychological consultation and intervention service on a day to day basis.
• To provide support & guidance in the application of psychological principles and techniques, and to foster reflective practice.
• Senior managers & professional staff.
• To maintain and build good working relationships with senior professional staff and managers in the secure directorate to foster a positive approach to the inpatient service and to enable effective negotiation.

Planning & Organisation

The psychology service

• To plan and organise the work of the psychology provision in the inpatient service and to contribute to the development and improvement of provision of psychological services within the commissioned service to DPT, to best meet the organisations strategy and priorities.
• The multi-disciplinary service.
• To provide psychology leadership to the multi-professional planning, development and marketing of Support to Succeed.

Job description Job responsibilities Communication & Working Relationships

Clients family and others

• To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner with service users with a mental health, learning disability, challenging behaviour and/or personality disorder who may have specific difficulties in understanding and/or communicating and who may be hostile, antagonistic or highly emotionally disturbed.
• Multidisciplinary team colleagues.
• To work closely, collaboratively and supportively with colleagues in the multi-professional integrated psychological consultation and intervention service on a day to day basis.
• To provide support & guidance in the application of psychological principles and techniques, and to foster reflective practice.
• Senior managers & professional staff.
• To maintain and build good working relationships with senior professional staff and managers in the secure directorate to foster a positive approach to the inpatient service and to enable effective negotiation.

Planning & Organisation

The psychology service

• To plan and organise the work of the psychology provision in the inpatient service and to contribute to the development and improvement of provision of psychological services within the commissioned service to DPT, to best meet the organisations strategy and priorities.
• The multi-disciplinary service.
• To provide psychology leadership to the multi-professional planning, development and marketing of Support to Succeed.

The directorate

• To work as part of the psychology management structure and contribute to the planning and implementation of service developments.

Responsibility for Patient Care, Treatment and Therapy

• Assessment & intervention.
• To provide expert psychological assessment (including risk assessment) and group/individual and support interventions, developing specialist psychological formulations and assessments of service users, formulating plans for their psychological treatment and implementing specialist psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, and to demonstrate awareness of diversity issues.
• Consultation & guidance.
• To provide advice, guidance and consultation on psychological aspects of people with complex presentations and offending behaviour, other service providers, and relevant other agencies (e.g. Approved Premises).

Policy, Service, Research & Development Responsibility

• The post holder is accountable for their own professional actions, acting within Trust policies and procedures and Professional Practice Guidelines. Supervision and line management structures are in place to support the implementation of Trust policy and professional practice guidelines.

Policy & service

• To interpret and contribute to the development of policies and procedures for the provision of psychological consultation and intervention service in inpatient and DPT.
• R and D / audit.
• To contribute to and support the organisation of the R&D activities of the psychology service, and to undertake a research programme as agreed. To ensure all psychology staff participate in appropriate audit and evaluation of outcomes of the psychology service.

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment & Other Resources

• The post holder is accountable for their own professional actions, acting within Devon Partnership NHS Trust policies and procedures and Professional Practice Guidelines.
• To interpret and develop policies and procedures for the provision of psychology services.
• Provide clinical leadership in the continual development and provision of excellence across the service.
• Carry out duties in relation to local, regional and national initiatives in developing services.
• Work alongside other clinicians in the team and within other appropriate agencies, as well as with service users . click apply for full job details