Job summary
PALMS (Positive behaviour, Autism, Learning disability, Mental health Service) is evolving and we want to welcome additional clinicians to be part of our vibrant and multidisciplinary team which includes Clinical Psychologists, Positive Behaviour Analysts, Systemic Therapists, Learning Disability Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Practitioners, Speech and Language Therapists and Outreach Workers.
With the continued evolution of PALMS we are seeking to appoint a Clinical Lead in the Mental Health Support Team (MHST hosted by PALMS) and Clinical Psychologist in PALMS who is a motivated and forward thinking clinician and leader who can work flexibly and is committed to supporting CYP and their families across Hertfordshire and West Essex and the full PALMS' team.
Main duties of the job
The ideal candidate will be:
- Passionate about and have a desire to contribute to change in a vibrant NHS team
- Dedicated to supporting CYP with autism and/or learning disability and their families.
- Collaborative in their approach to work with families, schools, networks, and others services
- Able to work both in a team environment and autonomously
- Able to maintain a high degree of professionalism when working in settings where there is a highly emotive atmosphere.
- Flexible in their approach and have resilience under pressure
- Have professional registration for your specialty
About us
PALMS works across Hertfordshire providing a specialist multi-disciplinary approach. PALMS is a CAMHS commissioned service which offers individually tailored support for children and young people (CYP), aged 0-18 who have a global learning disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder, helping families to manage challenging behaviour, toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns which have not benefitted from community interventions and/or to support mental health needs which cannot be met with reasonable adjustment by other CAMHS services. Interventions include workshops, intervention groups, individual therapy, parent as therapist sessions, and a family clinic. PALMS aims to keep children and young people with their families thereby improving outcomes for all family members. PALMS predominantly applies narrative, systemic, positive behaviour, and bio-psycho social models adhering to the STOMP / STAMP and Transforming Care Agendas.
The MHST works across Hertfordshire and West Essex, involving a high level of travel, delivering evidence-based interventions supporting emotional wellbeing, working directly with schools, primarily in an educational setting. This includes group interventions, individual interventions, consultation, and training and incorporates full assessments of care needs and risk assessments. The aim of the MHST is to support a whole school approach to develop, build, and support emotional well-being.
Job description
Job responsibilities
PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to need and personal circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.
We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.
We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages
We can offer you:
- Regular clinical and professional supervision including opportunities to meet as a team including peer reflection and Intervision
- Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS role.
- Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from other evidence based frameworks and approaches.
- Opportunities to provide clinical supervision and line management to other members of the PALMS team and MHST as appropriate.
- Opportunities to connect with local and national networks
- Involvement in providing training.
This role requires you to drive across Hertfordshire and West Essex. You must hold a full valid driving license, and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.
Closing date: Midnight 2nd June 2024
Interview date: 14th June 2024
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
- Willingness to uphold the Trust's values
- Eligible to live and work in the UK
- Willingness to travel to alternate locations to provide services
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology. Two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan development psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS
- Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
- Further specialist post-qualification training relevant to the Children and Young People and/or ASD and LD client group
- Formal training in supervision of trainee clinical psychologists and trainee EMHP's
- Evidence of continued professional development as recommended by the BPS
Desirable
- Experience of working in schools or education
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with a wide variety of CYP groups, across the whole course of presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the treat of physical abuse
- Significant experience of working with people with a learning disability and with people with an Autistic Spectrum disorder in a range of settings and/or significant experience of working with children and young people.
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for CYP psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and within the context of a multi- disciplinary care plan
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision of trainee clinical psychologists/mental health practitioners
- Experience of multi-disciplinary team working and inter-agency collaboration
Desirable
- Experience of service quality monitoring i.e. clinical audit, evaluative research etc
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of applied behaviour analysis and positive behaviour support.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and /or clinically sensitive information to CYPs, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
- Knowledge of child development, child and adolescent mental health and a range of therapeutic models
- Well developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups i.e. personality disorders, dual diagnosis, people with learning disabilities etc
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and national policies
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
- 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
Personal Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work with children & young people whose behaviour is personally challenging
- Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships and boundaries with young people.
- Ability to provide a therapeutic environment which contributes to young people's healthy development (including sexual)
- An interest in, and commitment to, working with children who have a learning disability and/or an autistic spectrum disorder and/or mental health difficulties
- Values that match positive behaviour practices.
- Ability to think clearly and express self. Positive interpersonal skills
- Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships
- Good organisational skills and an ability to manage competing service demands.
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently
- Ability to work flexibly and willingness to work early mornings, evenings and weekends.
- Capable of using initiative and maintaining professional boundaries.
- Ability to concentrate for prolonged periods
- Ability to use supervision appropriately and effectively
- Ability to lead and work as part of a 'virtual team'.
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.
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 UK Visas and Immigration website .
From 6 April 2017, 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. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website .
Employer details
Employer name
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
Address
Sandridge Gate
St Albans
AL4 9XR