Clinical Psychologist

Main Duties and Responsibilities Undertake a range of highly specialist assessments and therapeutic interventions to adults with a learning disability/autism, who may have highly complex and contentious conditions, developing individualised formulations drawing on highly complex facts and situations. Provide psychological support for service users, families and carers, as well as indirect psychological input through supporting staff within the service or in service users own homes, often in the context of highly distressing or emotionally challenging circumstance, including behaviours that may pose a significant risk or challenge, serious mental illness, or family breakdown. Communicate highly complex condition-related information to clients, their families and carers, where there may be significant barriers to this, including language difficulties or highly emotive atmosphere. Organise, supervise, and facilitate initiatives designed to promote mental health and prevent psychological difficulties among service users, including the planning and coordination of complex activities and programmes that require ongoing review and adaptation. Coordinate and/or participate/chair multidisciplinary meetings, case conferences and reviews and provide professional advice on complex psychological issues as necessary. Provide highly specialised advice concerning care for adults with a learning disability/autism, informed by psychological knowledge, and to implement this advice on a case-by-case basis. Undertake appropriate specialist assessments for Autistic spectrum disorder, working jointly with Autism diagnostic team. Provide support and advice to other team members and enable/facilitate delivery of intervention programmes by staff as appropriate. Provide consultation to other professional and service staff, encouraging a psychological approach in their work. Undertake risk assessment and risk management, including the protective and risk factors present in the network of significant relationships. Provide advice to colleagues on these issues. Communication To ensure that all staff in clinical areas advocate and engage in therapeutic relationships with service users and their support network, communicating with them in a way that respects their views, language, cultural differences and cognitive function. To use and promote a wide range of communication skills that can be adapted to meet the needs of complex and challenging situations. To be responsible for imparting sensitive, complex and often contentious information and as such, must demonstrate the ability to persuade, motivate and negotiate with all levels of staff and members of the public. To manage conflict between individuals including staff, service users and their support network. To undertake and promote effective working relations with all members of the multi disciplinary team and outside agencies, clearly relaying condition and service-related information in a timely and effective manner. To communicate with service users and support networks compassionately, in a confidential and sensitive professional manner. To produce and ensure clear, concise, and accurate electronic and paper records of all care given in line with agreed policy and standards. Leadership To act as a professional role model for staff, advocating for service users and promoting high standards of practice and strong professional values. To be operationally accountable for the service area and oversee the coordination of HSC and multi-agency activities. To ensure the timely investigation of complaints and clinical incidents related to the service area, ensuring that learning is shared with own team and wider HSC. To ensure team members are aware of organisational objectives, policies and procedures and implications that they have for their practice. Manage and prioritise own caseload ensuring effective clinical outcomes. 6. Provide an annual report to the Associate Director of ADS. To be accountable for professional actions and to act in accordance with Health and Social Care (HSC) and BPS policies in consultation with the Associate Director to establish goals and outcome objectives for the clinical psychology service with the Adult Disability Service. To take a lead on all psychologically based interventions working in partnership with the multi-disciplinary team. To be responsible to the Associate director, for the development of a culture where a safe and high-quality service user care is delivered. To be accountable with the Associate Director for ensuring safeguarding policy, procedures and training are embedded in the service. Planning and Organisation To undertake service planning, development and improvement, critically analysing complex information and evaluating a range of options, adjusting as required. To assess and implement new ways of working that support more efficient and focused person-centred care. Policy and Service Development: Responsible for policy and service development ensuring that new initiatives are incorporated into the working practices of staff. To offer specialist psychological expertise in autism and the ongoing work of the Autism Framework. To be prepared to challenge existing practices and develop new service delivery pathways, utilising change management skills and strategies. Contribute to the development of and deliver specialist training and education to staff within Adult Disability services and Mental Health. Identify unmet needs and prioritise service initiatives for service development as part your Senior Leadership role. Partnership Working: To demonstrate an understanding of and apply the principles of the CARE Values. To ensure the delivery of a collaborative working approach as part of a multi-disciplinary team with a range of professionals from other service areas ad organisations. The post holder will coordinate and clinically contribute to the educational needs of trainees, students and other placements allocated to the Adult Disability Team (including trainee clinical psychologists, therapists, nurses and other allied health professionals), acting as a mentor, assessing competency and writing placement reports where required. They will provide clinical placements, so that trainees acquire the necessary skills, competencies and experience to contribute effectively to positive change that promotes mental health, wellbeing, rehabilitation and functioning. Provide expert consultation to professionals and agencies outside HSC on issues relating to psychology and psychological treatment of service users and support for their families. Promote effective multi-agency work. Through effective negotiation and organisational and political awareness, create an environment for partnership working and dissemination of information across multi disciplinary teams. Provide clinical supervision from a psychological therapy perspective to colleagues within and outside of the Adult Disability Team. Responsibility for Physical and Financial Resources: Identify and cost psychology resources and assessment tools as required and manage the non-pay budget. To manage service area budget and report and actual or potential deviations from the allocated non-pay budget to the Associate Director. To ensure all staff handle valuables in accordance with agreed policies and procedures. Research Development and Audit: Engage in regular research activity relevant to psychology within Learning Disability and Autism. Co-ordinate research and projects by students, trainees and assistant psychologists as appropriate. To ensure the use of data collected from clinical assessment tools is collated and presented in a manner that is in line with BPS and of the standard required to ensure accurate diagnosis and outcomes can be provided to service users and other professionals when deemed necessary. Demonstrate awareness of research and its application to clinical practice. Use theory and research to inform NICE recommended, evidence-based practice in relation to psychological work. Analysis and Data Management To utilise information and data from a range of sources to identify problems, guide decision making processes and develop strategic direction for service delivery. To develop and monitor Key Performance Indicators and trends within ADS escalating as appropriate to the Quality Governance Committee. Continuing Professional Development: In line with guidelines for all Clinical Psychologists, receive managerial and clinical supervision in accordance with the HSC policy on clinical supervision as well as HSPS and BPS Codes of conduct. Attend relevant training events and continuing professional development activities as required to maintain registration with the HSPC and BPS. Attend and contribute to the Senior Leadership team meetings, supervision sessions, training courses, seminars and workshops, to ensure development and enhancement of current practices. Participate in all personal review and appraisal meetings and take responsibility for own personal and professional development to maintain the highest professional standards of practice. Maintain own registration with HSPC.