Counselling Psychologist inAshton-Under-Lyne inAshton-Under-Lyne PUBLISHED 3 JUN 2024

Pennine Care NHS FT rBoxRRq

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To maximise patient recovery, the teams will be working in a trauma informed way and utilising the RAID model of care.

Job summary

Due to the promotion of the existing postholder and additional funding, an exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Clinical, Forensic or Counselling Psychologist to join Walkerwood, our male Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) within the Rehabilitation and High Support (RHS) Care Hub.

The post will suit a highly skilled, compassionate, experienced Practitioner Psychologist with an interest in developing skills across a wide range of therapeutic approaches and consultation skills, combined with a desire to work within a PICU.

Walkerwood is a 10-bedded male PICU at Tameside General Hospital. The team provides short-term intensive assessment, treatment, and support to men 18+, who maybe experiencing psychiatric crisis, and often present with a variety of complex mental health needs and challenging behaviours.

To maximise patient recovery, the teams will be working in a trauma informed way and utilising the RAID model of care. Our aim is to work in the least restrictive way as possible whilst maintaining service user safety.

For more information about our services please visit: www.jobsincare.com/job/jckeo3vH Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for the promotion and management of high-quality psychology input at Walkerwood. The post holder will be part of a respected psychology team that has input from a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Psychologists, as well as other Psychologists within RHS. Supervision will be provided by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist.

The post will require you to provide psychological assessment, formulation and intervention to service users who present with complex mental health problems, including psychosis, alongside a possible history of trauma, substance misuse and forensic histories. The post holder will provide direct face-to-face clinical sessions and support the psychosocial intervention work of colleagues. The post-holder will support the ongoing work in RHS on trauma informed care and reducing restrictive practices.

The post holder would be joining the MDT at Walkerwood. You will be expected to attend MDT meetings and to facilitate regular reflective practice to offer the MDT reflective space, develop psychological formulations and provide bespoke training. In addition, you will provide one-to-one clinical supervision to Psychologists and other members of the MDT as appropriate. The post will require you to be involved in service developments, Quality Improvement projects and governance within the service as required.

About us

We support staff to work flexibly and recognise and respect the roles our colleagues hold outside of their working hours.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the top of our agenda. We believe that a diverse, inclusive and engaged culture is vital; that everyone's value should be recognised and respected.

We proactively challenge injustices, and are the only Trust in the North West to publicly recognise our commitment to becoming anti-racist and supporting our transgender and non-binary colleagues. We also have thriving staff networks to make sure everyone has a voice.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We're really proud of our
#PennineCarePeople
and do everything we can to make sure we're a great place to work.

We are committed to staff development through shared learning, training and peer supervision. We are working hard in the Rehabilitation and High Support Care Hub to reduce restrictive practices, and to provide trauma-informed care.

Our trust values are:

Kindness

Fairness

Ingenuity

Determination

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification to support your application for this post. Please refer to the essential criteria in the person specification which will highlight the skills, knowledge and experience you will need to demonstrate in your application, by way of example, to give yourself the best opportunity to be shortlisted.

For further details, discussion or to arrange an informal visit please contact Dr Louisa McNair, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on or

Job description
Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification to support your application for this post. Please refer to the essential criteria in the person specification which will highlight the skills, knowledge and experience you will need to demonstrate in your application, by way of example, to give yourself the best opportunity to be shortlisted.

For further details, discussion or to arrange an informal visit please contact Dr Louisa McNair, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on or

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, or postgraduate training in Forensic Psychology or Counselling Psychology
Current registration as a Clinical, Forensic or Counselling psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Desirable

Completion of further post qualification training within psychological therapies (e.g. DBT, CBT, CAT, CFT, MBT etc.).

Experience

Essential

Demonstrable post-qualification experience of specialist assessment and treatment of adult clients and those with psychological difficulties in an inpatient setting.
Demonstrable post-qualification experience of working with complex mental health problems, including distressing psychosis, problems associated with complex relational and emotional needs, and severe depression, anxiety and trauma.
Demonstrable experience of working with people experiencing a suicidal crisis.
Demonstrable experience of working within inpatient adult multidisciplinary teams.
Experience of clinical leadership within a previous role.
Demonstrable experience of providing clinical supervision to psychologists, psychological therapists or other core health professions.
Demonstrable experience of providing teaching/ training upon clinical interventions.
Demonstrable experience of managing demand for psychological services within a form of stepped-care framework (i.e. an approach based upon the provision of direct care, and supporting other professionals in their provision of direct psychosocial work.

Desirable

Experience in clinical leadership.
Ability to demonstrate further specialist clinical experience and training.
Experience of audit and service evaluation within psychological therapy services.
Research experience within an area relevant to work within an adult service.
Demonstrable experience of the application of psychological therapy in diverse cultural and ethnic contexts.

Knowledge

Essential

Understanding of the national and regional legislation, guidance and policy directives in relation to the development and delivery of psychological therapies within inpatient services.
Evidence of postqualification CPD as recommended and/or accredited by the BPS, or other professional body.
Up to date knowledge of the needs of people with complex mental health problems, and of psychological approaches to recovery.
Awareness of the principles of a trauma informed care approach.
Familiarity with computing technology, including keyboard skills, and use of word-processing, e-mail, and internet software.

Desirable

Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies and approaches for adults with complex mental health problems.
Publication of training, service evaluation, clinical audit and research material.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

Ability to work with service users, carers and families to engage with their needs and provide them with appropriate psychological support and intervention.
Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups.
Well developed, effective communication skills, both oral and in writing, enabling complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to be shared with service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues within the NHS and other agencies.
Ability to prioritise work, operate a waiting list, meet short deadlines and an unpredictable work pattern that requires regular revision of plans.
Ability to sit in constrained position for service user assessment, formulation, individual and group therapy sessions and for computer work.
Ability to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility, in a collaborative multi-disciplinary environment and also as a lone worker in circumstances where there may be exposure to verbal and sometimes physical aggression.
Able to sustain the intense concentration necessary for service user assessment and formulation, individual and group therapy sessions.
Ability to work and communicate highly sensitive, contentious information effectively in a highly emotive or hostile atmosphere, and to overcome barriers to acceptance/psychological resistance to potentially threatening information.
Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to staff and carers exposed to highly distressing situations.
Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.

Desirable

Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multimedia materials, suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
Ability to demonstrate an area of special interest/skill in therapeutic intervention.
Ability to move equipment (including case files, bulky neuropsychological tests, self-help materials, audiovisual equipment) between office base and other work settings.

Work Related Circumstances

Essential

Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs.
Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.

Person Specification
Education / Qualifications

Essential

Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, or postgraduate training in Forensic Psychology or Counselling Psychology
Current registration as a Clinical, Forensic or Counselling psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Desirable

Completion of further post qualification training within psychological therapies (e.g. DBT, CBT, CAT, CFT, MBT etc.).

Experience

Essential

Demonstrable post-qualification experience of specialist assessment and treatment of adult clients and those with psychological difficulties in an inpatient setting.
Demonstrable post-qualification experience of working with complex mental health problems, including distressing psychosis, problems associated with complex relational and emotional needs, and severe depression, anxiety and trauma.
Demonstrable experience of working with people experiencing a suicidal crisis.
Demonstrable experience of working within inpatient adult multidisciplinary teams.
Experience of clinical leadership within a previous role.
Demonstrable experience of providing clinical supervision to psychologists, psychological therapists or other core health professions.
Demonstrable experience of providing teaching/ training upon clinical interventions.
Demonstrable experience of managing demand for psychological services within a form of stepped-care framework (i.e. an approach based upon the provision of direct care, and supporting other professionals in their provision of direct psychosocial work.

Desirable

Experience in clinical leadership.
Ability to demonstrate further specialist clinical experience and training.
Experience of audit and service evaluation within psychological therapy services.
Research experience within an area relevant to work within an adult service.
Demonstrable experience of the application of psychological therapy in diverse cultural and ethnic contexts.

Knowledge

Essential

Understanding of the national and regional legislation, guidance and policy directives in relation to the development and delivery of psychological therapies within inpatient services.
Evidence of postqualification CPD as recommended and/or accredited by the BPS, or other professional body.
Up to date knowledge of the needs of people with complex mental health problems, and of psychological approaches to recovery.
Awareness of the principles of a trauma informed care approach.
Familiarity with computing technology, including keyboard skills, and use of word-processing, e-mail, and internet software.

Desirable

Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies and approaches for adults with complex mental health problems.
Publication of training, service evaluation, clinical audit and research material.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

Ability to work with service users, carers and families to engage with their needs and provide them with appropriate psychological support and intervention.
Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups.
Well developed, effective communication skills, both oral and in writing, enabling complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to be shared with service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues within the NHS and other agencies.
Ability to prioritise work, operate a waiting list, meet short deadlines and an unpredictable work pattern that requires regular revision of plans.
Ability to sit in constrained position for service user assessment, formulation, individual and group therapy sessions and for computer work.
Ability to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility, in a collaborative multi-disciplinary environment and also as a lone worker in circumstances where there may be exposure to verbal and sometimes physical aggression.
Able to sustain the intense concentration necessary for service user assessment and formulation, individual and group therapy sessions.
Ability to work and communicate highly sensitive, contentious information effectively in a highly emotive or hostile atmosphere, and to overcome barriers to acceptance/psychological resistance to potentially threatening information.
Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to staff and carers exposed to highly distressing situations.
Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.

Desirable

Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multimedia materials, suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
Ability to demonstrate an area of special interest/skill in therapeutic intervention.
Ability to move equipment (including case files, bulky neuropsychological tests, self-help materials, audiovisual equipment) between office base and other work settings.

Work Related Circumstances

Essential

Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs.
Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the .

From 6 April 2, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. .
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Additional information
Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the .

From 6 April 2, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. .
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Employer details

Employer name

Pennine Care NHS FT
Address

Walkerwood, Lower Buckton Building, Tameside Hospital

Fountain Street

Ashton-Under-Lyne

OL6 9RW

Employer's website

Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, or postgraduate training in Forensic Psychology or Counselling Psychology
Current registration as a Clinical, Forensic or Counselling psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Desirable

Completion of further post qualification training within psychological therapies (e.g. DBT, CBT, CAT, CFT, MBT etc.).

Experience

Essential

Demonstrable post-qualification experience of specialist assessment and treatment of adult clients and those with psychological difficulties in an inpatient setting.
Demonstrable post-qualification experience of working with complex mental health problems, including distressing psychosis, problems associated with complex relational and emotional needs, and severe depression, anxiety and trauma.
Demonstrable experience of working with people experiencing a suicidal crisis.
Demonstrable experience of working within inpatient adult multidisciplinary teams.
Experience of clinical leadership within a previous role.
Demonstrable experience of providing clinical supervision to psychologists, psychological therapists or other core health professions.
Demonstrable experience of providing teaching/ training upon clinical interventions.
Demonstrable experience of managing demand for psychological services within a form of stepped-care framework (i.e. an approach based upon the provision of direct care, and supporting other professionals in their provision of direct psychosocial work.

Desirable

Experience in clinical leadership.
Ability to demonstrate further specialist clinical experience and training.
Experience of audit and service evaluation within psychological therapy services.
Research experience within an area relevant to work within an adult service.
Demonstrable experience of the application of psychological therapy in diverse cultural and ethnic contexts.

Knowledge

Essential

Understanding of the national and regional legislation, guidance and policy directives in relation to the development and delivery of psychological therapies within inpatient services.
Evidence of postqualification CPD as recommended and/or accredited by the BPS, or other professional body.
Up to date knowledge of the needs of people with complex mental health problems, and of psychological approaches to recovery.
Awareness of the principles of a trauma informed care approach.
Familiarity with computing technology, including keyboard skills, and use of word-processing, e-mail, and internet software.

Desirable

Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies and approaches for adults with complex mental health problems.
Publication of training, service evaluation, clinical audit and research material.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

Ability to work with service users, carers and families to engage with their needs and provide them with appropriate psychological support and intervention.
Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups.
Well developed, effective communication skills, both oral and in writing, enabling complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to be shared with service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues within the NHS and other agencies.
Ability to prioritise work, operate a waiting list, meet short deadlines and an unpredictable work pattern that requires regular revision of plans.
Ability to sit in constrained position for service user assessment, formulation, individual and group therapy sessions and for computer work.
Ability to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility, in a collaborative multi-disciplinary environment and also as a lone worker in circumstances where there may be exposure to verbal and sometimes physical aggression.
Able to sustain the intense concentration necessary for service user assessment and formulation, individual and group therapy sessions.
Ability to work and communicate highly sensitive, contentious information effectively in a highly emotive or hostile atmosphere, and to overcome barriers to acceptance/psychological resistance to potentially threatening information.
Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to staff and carers exposed to highly distressing situations.
Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.

Desirable

Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multimedia materials, suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
Ability to demonstrate an area of special interest/skill in therapeutic intervention.
Ability to move equipment (including case files, bulky neuropsychological tests, self-help materials, audiovisual equipment) between office base and other work settings.

Work Related Circumstances

Essential

Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs.
Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.

Person Specification
Education / Qualifications

Essential

Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, or postgraduate training in Forensic Psychology or Counselling Psychology
Current registration as a Clinical, Forensic or Counselling psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Desirable

Completion of further post qualification training within psychological therapies (e.g. DBT, CBT, CAT, CFT, MBT etc.).

Experience

Essential

Demonstrable post-qualification experience of specialist assessment and treatment of adult clients and those with psychological difficulties in an inpatient setting.
Demonstrable post-qualification experience of working with complex mental health problems, including distressing psychosis, problems associated with complex relational and emotional needs, and severe depression, anxiety and trauma.
Demonstrable experience of working with people experiencing a suicidal crisis.
Demonstrable experience of working within inpatient adult multidisciplinary teams.
Experience of clinical leadership within a previous role.
Demonstrable experience of providing clinical supervision to psychologists, psychological therapists or other core health professions.
Demonstrable experience of providing teaching/ training upon clinical interventions.
Demonstrable experience of managing demand for psychological services within a form of stepped-care framework (i.e. an approach based upon the provision of direct care, and supporting other professionals in their provision of direct psychosocial work.

Desirable

Experience in clinical leadership.
Ability to demonstrate further specialist clinical experience and training.
Experience of audit and service evaluation within psychological therapy services.
Research experience within an area relevant to work within an adult service.
Demonstrable experience of the application of psychological therapy in diverse cultural and ethnic contexts.

Knowledge

Essential

Understanding of the national and regional legislation, guidance and policy directives in relation to the development and delivery of psychological therapies within inpatient services.
Evidence of postqualification CPD as recommended and/or accredited by the BPS, or other professional body.
Up to date knowledge of the needs of people with complex mental health problems, and of psychological approaches to recovery.
Awareness of the principles of a trauma informed care approach.
Familiarity with computing technology, including keyboard skills, and use of word-processing, e-mail, and internet software.

Desirable

Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies and approaches for adults with complex mental health problems.
Publication of training, service evaluation, clinical audit and research material.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

Ability to work with service users, carers and families to engage with their needs and provide them with appropriate psychological support and intervention.
Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups.
Well developed, effective communication skills, both oral and in writing, enabling complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to be shared with service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues within the NHS and other agencies.
Ability to prioritise work, operate a waiting list, meet short deadlines and an unpredictable work pattern that requires regular revision of plans.
Ability to sit in constrained position for service user assessment, formulation, individual and group therapy sessions and for computer work.
Ability to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility, in a collaborative multi-disciplinary environment and also as a lone worker in circumstances where there may be exposure to verbal and sometimes physical aggression.
Able to sustain the intense concentration necessary for service user assessment and formulation, individual and group therapy sessions.
Ability to work and communicate highly sensitive, contentious information effectively in a highly emotive or hostile atmosphere, and to overcome barriers to acceptance/psychological resistance to potentially threatening information.
Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to staff and carers exposed to highly distressing situations.
Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.

Desirable

Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multimedia materials, suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
Ability to demonstrate an area of special interest/skill in therapeutic intervention.
Ability to move equipment (including case files, bulky neuropsychological tests, self-help materials, audiovisual equipment) between office base and other work settings.

Work Related Circumstances

Essential

Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs.
Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.

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