Senior Psychology / Senior Behaviour specialist Intensive Support Team

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Joining #TeamNELFT means you'll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We're CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video

Job overview

Are you passionate about working with marginalised and disadvantaged groups? Do you have a special interest in working with service users with learning disability and autism, their families and wider systems?

We have recently set up a new support team for people with Learning disability and Autism and looking for experienced psychological professional to join a dynamic multi-disciplinary team.

The intensive support team will contribute to the crisis management and care of those with learning disabilities/Autism and/or additional complex needs via a person centred care approach, with the aim of preventing hospital admission. Jointly working with the Community Learning Disability teams (CDLT), the IST will identify and respond to more severe and complex presentations, often resulting in people being unable to continue to live at home.

The service will work very closely with the family and carers and aim to offer the least restrictive option.

We offer excellent development plans including high quality and regular supervision, opportunities to supervise, teach on local DClinPsy courses and involvement in research.

Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job

• To ensure the provision of high quality specialist psychological assessment and intervention for service users and their families. Assessment will include psychological assessments, risk, neuropsychological assessment, functional analysis of challenging behaviour, as well as psychological assessment Interventions will include evidence-based treatments for this client group.
• To provide clinical supervision to junior colleagues in the team
• To utilise research skills for audit, measuring outcomes and contributing to research and training within the areas served by the team and service.
• To be involved in service developments, as appropriate.
• To work within professional guidelines and follow directorate policies and procedures.

Working for our organisation

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,313 to a maximum of £5,436 p.a. pro rata for part time).

High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,192 to a maximum of £2,011 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see Job Description for details.

We are looking for applicants who have:

• Doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology and registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or other psychological profession
• Experience of working in an evidence-based way with service users with Learning disability and/or Autism and those presenting with severe mental health difficulties
• Experience of working with people in crisis and their families and carers.
• Experience and Interest in working with older people and their families and carers.
• Experience or interest in developing skills in interventions to support the management of Behaviours of concern.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary service context.
• Experience of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

This post is being advertised as a band 8a, however we would be happy to discuss the possibility of setting this post up as a band 7 post with a development plan to allow progression to an 8a. This option would suit someone who has an interest in gaining experience in crisis work with people with a Learning disability and/or Autism and is looking for an opportunity to develop towards an 8a role.

We would also welcome applicants looking for part time hours.

Please note that this post is based in Goodmayes Hospital in Ilford. There will be some travelling involved between sites and to service users homes.

Person specification

Professional registration

Essential criteria

• HCPC registration or equivalent registration with appropriate professional body (e.g. UKSBA)

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Doctoral qualification in psychology (clinical or counselling psychology) accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) OR accredited behavioural analysis/positive behaviour support training

Desirable criteria

• Additional training or qualification in relevant area

Knowledge and skills

Essential criteria

• Advanced Knowledge and skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment
• Knowledge of working with Learning disabilities

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of neuropsychological assessment
• knowledge of PBS

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working with people with learning disability and/or Autism
• Experience of working in MDT

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working with people in crisis

Benefits

We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:

• A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
• A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a 'Top 10 Family Friendly Employer' from the Working Families Charity.
• Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
• Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that's a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.

Supporting our Armed Forces

We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Gold Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. We have supportive policies, guaranteed interview schemes for veterans. reservists and military spouses and give additional leave to our Reservists so that they can attend their annual camp.

Equal opportunities employer

We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity and positively encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of any protected characteristic.

We are a Disability Confident employer and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with disabilities. If you require this application in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape please contact the recruitment team on 0300 300 1530 or email recruitment@nelft.nhs.uk.

Correspondence with us

You are advised to regularly check your emails (including any junk mail/spam folders) for correspondence related to this post.

In the event of a high number of responses to any advert, NELFT reserves the right to close the vacancy early. If you do not hear from us within three weeks of the closing date then please assume you have not been successful on this occasion.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Senior Psychologist/Behaviour Specialist (PDF, 456.4KB)
• NELFT Application - Hints and Tips (PDF, 38.4KB)