Psychological Therapist - HMP Downview

KEY RESULT AREAS Clinical To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care. To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings. To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses. To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group. To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients whose problems are managed by psychologically based standard care plans. To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients formulations, diagnoses and treatment plans. To attend seclusion and segregation reviews, recovery team meetings and safer custody meetings in the prison as appropriate and to offer psychological opinion about management and appropriate referrals in that context. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management. To act as care coordinator, where appropriate, taking responsibility for initiating, planning and review of care plans under enhanced CPA including clients, their carers, referring agents and others involved the network of care. To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care. To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping, including electronic data entry and recording, and report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance, in accordance with professional codes of practice of required professional accrediting body, and Trust policies and procedures. To work innovatively and in conjunction with colleagues (both mental health and prison staff) to develop appropriate, evidence based and effective services for those in prison. Teaching, training, and supervision To receive regular clinical supervision from a suitably qualified and experienced psychological therapist and, where appropriate, other professional colleagues. To develop skills in the area of professional post-graduate teaching, training and supervision and to provide supervision to other MDT staffs psychological work, as appropriate. To provide professional and clinical supervision of Band 6 psychological therapists, assistant/graduate psychologists and, as appropriate, to contribute to the supervision of individual cases for trainee psychologists and psychological therapists. To contribute to the pre- and post-qualification teaching of applied psychology and psychological therapy, as appropriate. To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of agencies and settings, where appropriate. Management, recruitment, policy and service development To contribute to the development, evaluation and monitoring of the teams operational policies and services, through the deployment of professional skills in research, service evaluation and audit. To advise both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing. To manage the workloads of Band 6 psychological therapists, assistant and graduate psychologists, within the framework of the services policies and procedures. As negotiated and within time constraints, the post holder will be expected to attend relevant clinical and professional meetings within and outside the prison. To develop, with colleagues from the prison, health and third-sector organisations peer led/service-user facilitated support, education and treatment programmes. Research and service evaluation To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members. To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking research. To undertake project management, including complex audit and service evaluation, with colleagues to help develop service provision. To familiarise themselves with, and to comply with, the Trusts requirements on research governance. IT responsibilities (other than those used for research) The post holder will input and maintain, appropriate computer and manual clinical records and statistical data and provide this to the Service Manager/Head of Speciality when necessary. The postholder will engage in relevant computer and IT training as required. The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that the psychology service staff they are responsible for/supervise engage in relevant computer and IT training as required and will input and maintain, appropriate computer and manual clinical records and statistical data. General To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the postholders professional and service manager. To contribute to the development and articulation of best practice in psychology across the service, by continuing to develop the skills of a reflexive and reflective scientist practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of applied psychology and related disciplines. To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific client group and mental health.