Job Description
We have a fixed term vacancy for a band 7 clinical or counselling psychologist, psychotherapist, CBT therapist or psychoanalytic therapist.
We welcome applications from clinicians with an interest in all or some of these posts and will clarify at interview which position/s you are interested in.
We can offer protected time for research, special interest projects and continued professional development, and clear pathways for further career development within our department and the Trust.
Successful applicants will contribute to the systematic provision of highly specialised psychological therapy including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E/CBT-ED) and the Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA).
Additional therapy models used in the department include Cognitive Analytical Therapy, Specialist Supportive Clinical Management, Cognitive Remediation Therapy, Mentalisation Based Therapy, Schema Therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy and Family Therapy. The post holder will be involved in conducting specialist assessment, treatment planning, treatment provision and monitoring of outcomes.
You will provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate. There are excellent opportunities to get involved with leading and contributing to service evaluation, audit and research.
The Eating Disorder Unit (EDU) is internationally renowned for providing best practice, evidence-based care for adults with the full range of eating disorder difficulties. We are the developers of MANTRA, now recommended as part of NICE 2017 guidelines for the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa, of FREED (First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders), and of PEACE (Pathway for Eating Disorders and Autism developed from Clinical Experience).
We offer opportunities for ongoing training and collaboration with colleagues across the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences at King’s College London. We will consider those who are completing training.
This role also offers a unique opportunity for band 7 therapists to take a leadership and supervision role linked to NHS England funded transformation work. As part of the NHS England Transformation Plan for adult eating disorder services, access to eating disorder care will be changing across south-east London. The Eating Disorder Outpatient Department will continue to manage referrals and see patients with moderate and severe eating disorders.
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
- To provide highly specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients in the Eating Disorders Outpatients Department with complex mental health needs, including eating disorders and other co-morbidity within limits expected at Band 7.
- To select and deliver highly specialist eating disorders evidence based psychological treatments, in individual and group formats.
- To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the eating disorders service by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology and eating disorders.
- To provide psychological reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order inform referrers and service users.
- To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
- To attend clinical meetings, care planning meetings and local case conferences for patients and to provide representation on behalf of the service in the absence of team members and in support of team members with patients with highly complex needs.
- For the day-services role, to offer meal support and meal modelling for patients attending the day-services programme.
- For the FREED Champion role, to conduct engagement calls with patients who may be eligible for the FREED early intervention pathway and coordinate the FREED early intervention pathway within SLaM.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service.
- To contribute to the team or service’s delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
- To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.
- To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.
- To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
KR 3 Policy and service development
- To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.
- To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
- To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.
KR 4 Care or management of resources
- To take care of, and use carefully, the Trust’s equipment and physical resources.
- To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.
KR 5 Management and supervision
- To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist, psychology practitioner if required, under supervision from a more senior psychologist.
- To supervise trainee applied psychologists or trainee CBT therapists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Training Course’s Supervision Training.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
- To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.
KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance
- To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
KR 8 Research and development
- To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs.