Highly Specialist Clinical Health Psychologist (Physical Health)

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced psychologist to join our severe asthma multi-disciplinary team (MDT). NHS England has provided funding for this new post, in addition to funding for additional members of the MDT, to improve access to severe asthma care for people served by the severe asthma team at Derriford Hospital. This includes increasing uptake of asthma biologics and managing co-morbidity associated with asthma. The role involves work under the Clinical Health Psychology department of University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) to provide a highly specialist and high-quality clinical psychology service for adults with severe asthma within the asthma service at UHP. The role involves responsibility for the assessment and provision of psychological therapy, advice or consultation to patients and professionals within the unit, working autonomously within professional guidelines and to act as a highly specialist resource to the Trust, providing teaching and training where required, supervision to other professionals and to support the development of increased psychological provision within the hospital. The role also involves work collaboratively with other members of the Clinical Health Psychology team who provide input into people with chronic respiratory conditions. The severe asthma service at UHP is responsible for the assessment and treatment (including asthma biologics) of patients with severe or difficult asthma in West Devon, and works collaboratively with colleagues in Cornwall to provide access to specialist asthma care for people under the care of Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske. The team works as part of the SW asthma network (SWAN) and has links with local and national severe asthma networks. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future direction of the service, by closely working with a multidisciplinary team including physicians, specialist nurses, respiratory physiotherapists, pharmacist, SLT/ voice therapists, MDT co-ordinators, and colleagues in allied departments and in the community. As this is a newly funded post, there will be a focus on service development and monitoring including collection and analysis of data and outcome measures. This will be vital to ensuring the success of the post and the development of the service.