Trainee Multi-Professional Approved Clinician inExeter inExeter PUBLISHED 7 NOV 2024

We are planning a third cohort of trainees commencing 31.3.2025. One of these posts will be based at the new regional Learning Disability and Autism in-patient service. The Brook is due to open in Summer 2025, alongside our sister service within Avon and Wiltshire (with whom we share a single front door).

Given the type of psychologically informed interventions and the wider developmental role within this service, we are (only) inviting applications from psychologists who wish to train as an Approved Clinician.

This training contract is for a period of up to two years. This is with a view to developing consultant level practice and successfully submitting a portfolio for initial Approved Clinician approval, to the DHSC.

There are comprehensive governance and CPD frameworks in place, which supports the training, approval and deployment of Multi-Professional Approved Clinicians.

During the training period, there will be clinical/line management supervision, 1:1 mentoring; monthly group mentoring, action learning sets and specific support/advice viz portfolio development.

Post approval support includes dedicated monthly Approved Clinician clinical supervision, plus two days of dedicated CPD per year.

The post holder will be an integral member of the Medical Advisory Committee. Post approval, they will also be encouraged to apply to join the DHSCs England South MHA Approvals Panel.

Interviews will be held on 5th December 2024

• Assesses and treats own complex caseload of patients.
• Provides expert professional advice to patients, carers and colleagues.
• Undertakes research in a specialist area.
• Provides education and training to other staff and students.
• Ensures the maintenance of clinical excellence.
• Responsible for clinical governance, policy and service development.
• To develop the eight core competencies of an Approved Clinician (AC), accessing support from As from a variety of professional backgrounds, directorates and organisations. This is broadening of the trainees clinical experience is vital towards submitting a successful portfolio of evidence, to the regional MHA Approvals Panel. AC status must be achieved within two years of commencing role.
• To undertake the role of Trainee Approved Clinician for an identified client group with formal AC status retained by the Responsible Clinician.

About us

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

• Communicates highly complex and highly sensitive information to patients, during the course of treatment, where there may be barriers to understanding and a need to achieve positive therapeutic engagement.
• Shares information relating to assessment and care plans with clients, carers and families in a responsive, empathic manner; this implicitly takes into account the possible complexities of the familys circumstances and the highly sensitive nature of the information.
• Communicates effectively with all professionals involved in the patients care, in order to maximise the quality of service delivered to patients, their families and clients, all members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), general practitioners, Social Services, education providers, voluntary agencies etc.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

• Analyses highly complex client information - derived from a variety of sources, which may conflict or be incomplete - using assessment tools to develop treatment plans.
• Evaluates and makes decisions about treatment options, taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors that have shaped the individual, family or group. Makes decisions around positive risk taking and decisions to discharge.
• Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of harm, abuse or neglect which may include poor clinical practice - reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the client. Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding the safeguarding of children, who may be at risk.
• Undertakes risk assessment and risk management for individual patients and provides highly specialist advice to other professionals, regarding risk assessment and risk management and the high physical risks inherent in the client group.
• Demonstrates positive approaches towards the management of violence and aggression, as required
• Develops highly specialist care plans for the management of patients mental health conditions, based upon evidence-based practice and person-centered care pathways. Negotiates the implementation of such plans with patients and/or their families/carers.
• Undertakes highly skilled formulations and makes decisions about treatment options; implements treatment plans for individual patients, adjusting and refining care plans as required.

Planning and Organisational Skills

• Provides expert advice, guidance and consultation to other staff, including contributing directly to patients diagnosis, formulation and intervention plan.
• Facilitates decision-making by planning and mapping processes/ interventions with members of the MDT or the wider nursing service; this is vital towards determining the most appropriate treatment modality or service for patients.
• Leads the MDT in the development and implementation of multi-disciplinary care plans where appropriate. Monitors progress during the course of multi-disciplinary interventions.
• Provides expertise and advice to facilitate the effective and appropriate provision of care by all members of the wider team across the designated service and locality.

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy

• Accountable for own professional practice in the delivery of highly specialist care to patients with severe and enduring mental health conditions or learning disabilities; this may include psychiatric, physical and social co-morbidity and involve significantly challenging behaviours (with risk of physical aggression).
• Plans individual patient care and where appropriate co-ordinates care within the MDT and external agencies.
• To undertake the role of Trainee Approved Clinician for an identified client group incorporating the eight clinical competencies below, as per Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) guidance:
• A comprehensive understanding of the roles, legal responsibilities and key functions of the AC and RC.
• An applied knowledge of the legal and policy framework. This includes mental health and all other relevant legislation, codes of practice, policy and guidance and relevant NICE guidance.

Assessment:

• A demonstrated ability to clinically assess the presence and severity of mental disorder, the statutory risk criteria and other key roles/functions and decision making performed by RC. This necessitates that ability to assess all levels of clinical risk to self and others within an evidence-based framework. It also requires an ability to undertake mental health assessments incorporating biological, psychological, cultural and social perspectives.

Treatment:

• An understanding of mental health related treatments (including physical, psychological and social), using different evidence-based approaches and their applicability to individual patients. It also entails appreciating how a range of appropriate treatments and settings can help deliver the necessary health and social outcomes within the least restrictive environment.
• Demonstrating a high level of skill and underpinning knowledge, in order determine a patients capacity to consent to their treatment.
• Ability to formulate, lead and review on treatment for which the clinician is appropriately qualified, within the MDT.
• Ability to communicate the aims of treatment to patients, carers and the MDT.

Care planning:

• Demonstrate the ability to develop and manage care plans, which combining health, social services and other resources e.g. Section 117 after-care.

Clinical Leadership and MDT working:

• Ability to lead the MDT effectively, including an ability to assimilate the (potentially diverse) views of others, whilst maintaining an independent view.
• Manage and take responsibility for making decisions in complex cases.
• Understand and recognising the personal limits of the trainees skills/knowledge/experiential set and to seek professional advice where necessary.

Equality and Diversity:

• Contemporary knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity issues.
• Ability to identify, challenge and, where possible and appropriate, redress discrimination and inequality.
• Demonstrating an understanding of how cultural factors and personal values can affect personal judgments and/or decision making.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development Implementation

• The post holder will play a key role in supporting the clinical leadership team in the overall operational planning and development of the specified service area. This may include advising senior colleagues on any aspects of the service, which may need addressing at a broader strategic level.
• Take a lead in strategic service development projects, as required. Examples include: acting as a resource in setting a strategic direction, for the specified aspect of service; the development, agreement and management of specific project plans, in line with agreed Trust/locality business objectives.
• Play a key role in the professional development of healthcare professionals through integration into appropriate academic and research committees locally and nationally. Identify specialist training needs for professionals.
• Develop and deliver evidence based training and development programmes, to nursing and multi-disciplinary colleagues.
• Responsible for identifying and proposing changes to policies and procedures, which may impact on multi-disciplinary teams across the locality. This may include the development of policy and procedures, towards ensuring sound governance commensurate with practice guidelines and the robust implementation of policies within own area of responsibility.
• Lead in the demonstrable measurement of clinical effectiveness of any change process, in line with the requirements of clinical governance.
• Provide professional leadership, in relationship to the development of new and innovative frameworks of practice and their subsequent implementation.
• To develop strategies to empower service users and carers, towards facilitating an active role in service planning, delivery and development.
• Propose policy or service changes that may impact beyond the trainees specialist area. Subsequently, be responsible for policy implementation and development within the specialist area, working within the Trust framework for development and ratification of policy and procedure. Develop protocols and policies for the specialist areas which may impact on other disciplines and that will have impact externally to the organization.
• Be involved in developing protocols and policies that will have impact externally to the organization e.g. national policy and guidelines.
• Act as an expert consultant for the Trust in the development of care pathways and new ways of working, towards enhancing the patient experience.