Job Overview
We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for either an experienced or newly qualified CBT Therapist or Newly Qualified Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical or Counselling) to enjoy a variety of clinical work and professional development opportunities in the South West Essex ARMS (At Risk Mental State) Team.
ARMS services are newly developed primary care community mental health services within EPUT which work specifically with young people and adults aged 14-35 considered to be at risk of experiencing psychosis. The South West Essex ARMS service is a friendly and committed multidisciplinary team working in the community of South West Essex (including Basildon, Brentwood, Billericay and Thurrock). This is a wide geographical area and some travel across the patch would be expected. The team offers initial CAARMS assessments and person-centred psychosocial interventions, which are aimed at reducing distress, improving social and occupational functioning, and preventing the development of more severe mental health difficulties, including first episode psychosis, in the future.
Main duties of the job
As a specialist mental health service, the ARMS service provision is based on NICE-recommendations which include comprehensive psychological assessment and intervention for subthreshold psychotic experiences (e.g. voice hearing, paranoia, unusual beliefs) or co-existing mental health difficulties (e.g. depression, anxiety, emerging personality disorder, substance misuse, post-traumatic stress disorder). CBT is one of the core interventions offered in the service. The service also offers family interventions, recovery coordination, occupational therapy, peer support, and education/employment support.
There are already a number of psychological services staff in the team who enjoy: the clinical work; the team work; the autonomy; and also the career development opportunities. As a new service, there is also significant scope for innovation and contributing to developing the service. There will also be plenty of opportunities to be involved in team training and outreach activities if interested.
Our psychological services staff are also offered, and take up, a great range of CPD including additional therapeutic training (e.g. Family Interventions for Psychosis, CBT for Psychosis, and Eye Movement and Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)).
Working for our organisation
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who share our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered ‘suitable alternative employment’ to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Important Professional References
Make sure that as a part of your application you have professional references with business contract information covering your last three year employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.
As a newly appointed employee you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post, the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.
Applications for Job Share are positively welcomed.
Equal Opportunities Employer
Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on or email and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.
The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
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