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Clinical Psychologist Band 8a

Come and work for one of the longest-running charities and independent hospitals in the UK. Set in a beautiful Grade II listed Victorian building with big gardens, the RHN has specially adapted facilities such as gyms and kitchens for our residents, as well as music and art therapy spaces.

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability is more than a hospital – we are a community in which everyone comes together to help adults with neurological disability achieve the best possible quality of life.

Role: Full time Band 8a Clinical Psychologist

Department: Therapy – Clinical Psychology

Responsible to: Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of Therapy

Responsible for:  Clinical psychology and neuropsychology input

Salary range:  £56,404 – £66,127 per annum (dependent on experience)

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week

Location: Putney, Southwest London

Closing date: January 29th

Benefits:

  • Being part of a large, friendly and supportive psychology team
  • Weekly supervision on site from an experienced senior psychologist
  • Access to specialist training opportunities
  • Weekly psychology department meetings with CPD opportunities
  • Interdisciplinary working with complex and interesting client group
  • Generous annual leave entitlement
  • Opportunity for SRCN supervision
  • Free parking
  • Situated outside the ULEZ and Congestion Zones
  • Blue Light Card and Discounts
  • On-site cafeteria
  • RHN Wellbeing Programme and EAP service

Summary of position and the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

We are recruiting for a Principal Clinical Psychologist (8a) to join the Psychology department and MDT Therapy team at the RHN. The role is based across the RHN Level 1 rehabilitation ward and the neurobehavioural service. The rehabilitation ward provides in-patient rehabilitation following severe brain injury, and disability management for adults with complex neuro-disability. The neurobehavioral service provides assessment, rehabilitation and long-term care for patients and residents who present with behaviours that are challenging to manage in the context of complex neuro-disability. The post will be full time with some allocated research time is attached.

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) is one of the oldest independent hospitals and medical charities in the UK. We value person-centred care that focuses on enhancing dignity, independence and quality of life for our patients and residents. Our services span the entire care pathway from post-acute rehabilitation services to end of life care, for people with complex neuro-disability and their families, underpinned by a strong research and education programme. At the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, we combine specialist expertise and collaborative interdisciplinary working to provide the best possible care for patients and residents living with neuro-disability.

Main Objectives of the Role

  1. Provide a clinical psychology/neuropsychology service, working with clients, families and teams.
  2. To carry out specialist assessments of cognitive, behavioural and emotional functioning with clients with complex neuro-disability where standardised neuropsychological assessment tools are often inappropriate.
  3. To ensure that clear psychological formulations are developed based on these assessments.
  4. To make recommendations for interventions and care on the basis of the psychological formulation.
  5. To deliver and monitor interventions, e.g. cognitive rehabilitation strategies; behavioural interventions; psycho-education to patients, families and carers; CBT or other psychological interventions; as guided by the formulation.
  6. To carry out and advise on assessments of mental capacity and determination and implementation of best interests decision-making for residents who lack capacity.
  7. To provide appropriate and prompt input to documentation and formal reports. To participate in monitoring of standards and performance, including timely completion of outcome measures.
  8. To adhere to professional codes of conduct and practice guidelines, and be aware of legislation relevant to practice, e.g. the Mental Capacity Act (MCA, 2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs).
  9. To work closely with the MDT including therapy, medical, nursing, and social work colleagues.
  10. To contribute to the general professional activities of the discipline of clinical neuropsychology, and to engage in audit, research and continuing professional development (CPD).
  11. Demonstrate an awareness of RHN’s values and contribute to achieving them appropriately.

Qualifications & Education

Essential

  • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent overseas qualification.
  • Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
  • Completed training in clinical supervision that has been provided by one or more UK clinical psychology doctorate courses.
  • Good knowledge of clinical psychological assessment techniques and clinical interventions.
  • General knowledge of approaches to neuropsychological assessment and behavioural and cognitive interventions.
  • Knowledge of relevant guidelines and legislation, particularly the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Desirable

  • Training in clinical neuropsychology.
  • Ability to demonstrate clinical neuropsychological knowledge relevant to this specialist client group.
  • Knowledge of neurological disorders
  • Knowledge of research design, conduct and analysis.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working clinically with adults with acquired brain injury and/or other relevant presentations (e.g. progressive neurodegenerative disorders).
  • Experience of conducting standardised neuropsychological assessments.
  • Experience of working with clients presenting with challenging behaviour.
  • Experience of working systemically with families and staff teams.
  • Experience of conducting decision-specific mental capacity assessments
  • Experience of providing clinical supervision to Band 6 and/or Band 7 clinical psychology staff.

Desirable

  • Previous experience of delivering psychological assessments and interventions with clients with severe and complex neuro-disability.

Interested in applying and hearing from us?

Apply now and please send a cover letter separately to [email protected]. Your cover letter should clearly explain how you meet the person specification described above. You can also email Dr Alexandra Rose, Consultant Clinical Psychologist ([email protected]) or Dr Sarah Crawford, Lead Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist ([email protected]) for informal enquiries.

RHN is proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer that respects and values the differences of our people to achieve their full potential.

Main Objectives of the Role

  1. Provide a clinical psychology/neuropsychology service, working with clients, families and teams.
  2. To carry out specialist assessments of cognitive, behavioural and emotional functioning with clients with complex neuro-disability where standardised neuropsychological assessment tools are often inappropriate.
  3. To ensure that clear psychological formulations are developed based on these assessments.
  4. To make recommendations for interventions and care on the basis of the psychological formulation.
  5. To deliver and monitor interventions, e.g. cognitive rehabilitation strategies; behavioural interventions; psycho-education to patients, families and carers; CBT or other psychological interventions; as guided by the formulation.
  6. To carry out and advise on assessments of mental capacity and determination and implementation of best interests decision-making for residents who lack capacity.
  7. To provide appropriate and prompt input to documentation and formal reports. To participate in monitoring of standards and performance, including timely completion of outcome measures.
  8. To adhere to professional codes of conduct and practice guidelines, and be aware of legislation relevant to practice, e.g. the Mental Capacity Act (MCA, 2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs).
  9. To work closely with the MDT including therapy, medical, nursing, and social work colleagues.
  10. To contribute to the general professional activities of the discipline of clinical neuropsychology, and to engage in audit, research and continuing professional development (CPD).
  11. Demonstrate an awareness of RHN’s values and contribute to achieving them appropriately.

Clinical Practice

 

  1. To carry out specialist assessments of cognitive, behavioural and emotional functioning with clients with complex neuro-disability and develop clear psychological formulations based on these assessments.
  2. To carry out functional analyses of any challenging behaviours and develop appropriate guidelines and intervention plans.
  3. To make recommendations for interventions and care on the basis of the psychological formulation. To deliver and monitor interventions, e.g. cognitive rehabilitation strategies; psycho-education to patients, families and carers; CBT or other psychological interventions; behavioural interventions, as guided by the formulation.
  4. To conduct decision-specific complex mental capacity assessments and/or contribute to joint capacity assessments with other members of the MDT as needed. To contribute to best interests decisions and meetings for relevant decisions when patients are assessed to lack capacity to make these decisions for themselves.
  5. To provide information, support and advice to patients’ families and carers as appropriate. To support the MDT in working with families as needed.
  6. To work collaboratively within the multi-disciplinary team, respecting the knowledge and expertise of all team members, whilst providing a psychological perspective on the clinical and service issues.
  7. To provide appropriate and prompt input to documentation and formal reports. To participate in monitoring of standards and performance, including timely completion of outcome measures.
  8. To participate in improvements for clinical practice and support the development of policies and procedures, as directed.
  9. To adhere to professional codes of conduct and practice guidelines, and be aware of legislation relevant to practice, e.g. the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

 

Education, Training and Development

 

  1. To have the skills to provide clinical supervision to Band 6 trainee clinical psychologists and/or Band 7 clinical psychologists within the service.
  2. To contribute to teaching and training commitments relating to psychology at RHN. This may include teaching on the staff-wide induction programme and on training programmes for nursing, HCA and therapy assistant staff.
  3. To be self-aware about the limits of own competence, and proactive in improving competence, e.g. by making effective use of clinical supervision.
  4. To focus CPD around improving knowledge of clinical neuropsychology, particularly the needs of this specialist client group, taking advantage of both internal and external training opportunities.

 

Research and Evaluation

 

  1. To contribute to and/or undertake audits and service evaluations within the service area as required.
  2. To engage in and support research projects as required.

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Benefits

Apply for this role

Candidates applying for a role at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability will be expected to have received their vaccination against the coronavirus strain (COVID-19) as part of our pre-employment process before commencing employment at the RHN. Please let us know if you have not managed to arrange to receive the vaccine via other channels yet, as we can arrange the administration of the vaccine within the hospital. Please note that if you have a medical reason as to why you are not able to have the vaccine or you have any questions on the vaccination, please feel free to contact [email protected].