This position entails providing clinical leadership, fostering partnerships with other organisations, and ensuring the day-to-day safety of the team in matters related to clinical governance. Responsibilities include managing a caseload, triaging referrals, offering consultations and training to other professionals, and contributing to research, audit, and service evaluation efforts. Additionally, the role requires maintaining effective communication with service users and stakeholders, guiding junior staff, and engaging in professional development to stay current with psychological practices and legislative changes.
We are seeking an energetic, innovative, and skilled Psychologist with a passion for community psychology approaches to lead the Camden Vanguard for a 12-month fixed term maternity cover. Camden Vanguard is an innovative project aimed at supporting young people and their families who have been affected by community-based violence in Camden and it is part of the wider NCL Vanguard Pilot. Built on a strong legacy of community co-production and partnership working in Camden, Camden Vanguard partners Health, Local Authority, and the Voluntary Sector in an innovative approach to supporting young people (18-25) affected by violence and crime. Informed by Project 10/10 and earlier pioneering work by MAC UK, the model fuses youth work principles with community psychology theory and trauma-informed working practices to reach young people impacted by community-based violence. The post holder will work with young people and their families directly, as well as providing clinical supervision to the staff team. The project also aims to work with the systems around these young people to influence and lobby for systemic change; stepping beyond the individual focus.
The post holder will play a vital role in leading and developing the project over the third year of the pilot. Working closely with neighbouring Vanguard teams and also similar teams in Camden (Project 10/10, Camden YPS), the post holder will be responsible for helping to strengthen and develop these partnerships in meeting the needs of this complex and vulnerable group of young people. The post holder will hold a caseload, working with young adults impacted by community-based violence and, at times, their parent/s or family member. This role also prioritises affecting systems change by working with non-clinical professionals and services to develop trauma-informed strategies and/or provide an experience of reflective practice/clinical supervision. This is a senior psychologist post, and as such there is opportunity to influence and design pieces of work that interest you and align to the overall aims of the Vanguard, whilst also co-creating this approach with the young people, which is a core principle for how we work.
About us
2.1 Clinical and Managerial
Provide a comprehensive psychology service as the lead for the Camden Vanguard
Provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations, consultations and interventions to young people aged 18-25 y/o
Alongside the Camden Vanguard team and young people, work together to design and develop activities/opportunities in line with the overall aims of the project e.g. empowering young people to be part of the conversation regarding safety in their community.
With support from the Operational Lead for YP services, manage the day to day safety of the Vanguard team, in particular on matters of clinical governance and safeguarding.
Work closely with health, local authority, and VCS partners to consider the strategic development of Camden Vanguard with regards to its effectiveness in supporting young people in the area.
Work with partners and other relevant agencies in Camden (e.g. youth provisions, probation, police, MH teams) providing consultation, training, and teaching specific to making professional services more accessible to young people.
Provide advice and support to MH teams on working with young adults who have been stepped down from secondary care / intensive community mental health services and who may have some experience of community-based violence
Support GPs and practice staff in their management and treatment of service users through case discussions, joint consultations and bespoke training
Work within the service to triage potential and new referrals sent to the team, providing consultation, information and advice to young people and partners as well as allocation of new work in the service to appropriate MDT colleagues. This includes signposting new referrals to and liaising as appropriate with other primary care services, IAPT, voluntary sector and secondary mental health services.
Maintain effective communication with GP, primary care staff, service users and their carers;
Provide clinical input, where necessary, to multi-disciplinary case conferencing around complex presentations being managed solely in primary care within the team and as part of the wider integrated health and care networks.
Engage with local service user participation models.
- Provide clinical and professional leadership and to participate in management activities and governance processes related to the post or the wider service in which it is embedded.
- Play an integral role in the performance of the team, the further development of the service, and the development of clinical pathways and priorities of the service line
- Work within the MDT promoting respect for all professional groups and focusing upon coherent and integrated teamwork.
- Provide reports and communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment offered and undertaken with service users/young people.
- Manage and supervise youth workers, assistant psychologists, clinical associates, apprentices and other staff as appropriate, including more junior clinical / counselling psychologists
- Other management/clinical supporting activity (to be negotiated as required by the Trust.)
Provide professional and clinical supervision of other members of the multi-disciplinary team, of trainee clinical and counselling psychologists, and, where required, of assistant psychologists and clinical associate psychologists, on psychological interventions.
To provide advice, consultation, training and supervision, where appropriate, to other health and social care staff working with service users
2.3 Research, audit and service evaluationUtilise evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual, family and group work and work with other team members.
Undertake appropriate research and provide research support to other staff undertaking research.
Participate in and contribute to clinical audit and service evaluation with colleagues within the service, to help evaluate and improve service provision, proposing changes to working practice and procedures for own work area as required.
3.0 General Receive regular clinical professional supervision from a senior clinical or counselling psychologist and, where appropriate, other senior professional colleagues as indicated and negotiated with line manager.- Participate in an agreed programme of training and continuing professional development and maintain an active engagement with current developments in psychological practice in areas related to the post.
- Maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues of relevance to the service and service user group.
- Undertake such other duties and responsibilities, appropriate to the grade of the post, as may be agreed with the Consultant Psychologist Lead for the Community Mental Health Division
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