Principal Clinical Psychologist - Learning Disability Service

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the CQC Outstanding rated Portsmouth Integrated Learning Disability Service (ILDS) for an experienced Clincial Psychologist.

The post-holder will work alongside the senior management and clinical staff in the service to deliver high quality psychological care to people across the city. The role is supported by a Band 7 Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Psychologist who are established in their posts. There is also the opportunity to clinically supervise other professionals in the team including the Behaviour Analyst. Referral pathways are clearly defined and there is a high level of case holding and coordination provided by the wider team which facilitates timely psychological input as required by people. As such the service is very person-centred and responsive to the needs of individuals.

The ILDS psychology service works in conjunction with the child and adolescent learning disability service (CAMHS-LD) and as such the post holder would have oversight of the work of Psychology staff delivering care in this service. This allows for timely intervention at the point of transition for young people and their families.

Main duties of the job

The role is dynamic and flexible in the nature of work, including partnership working with other agencies, the opportunity to develop the professional network and use leadership skills to improve the care and support of people with learning disability in the city. There are many opportunities for professional development in the service and expert clinical supervision can be provided from a range of sources to suit the successful candidate.

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Clinical psychologist to join our team for this role, and continue to develop the psychology services within the Learning Disability service.

About us

We have been working with other local NHS Trusts to create a new organisation, bringing together all community, mental health and learning disability services from across Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Subject to approvals, the aim is for the new Trust to be formed by the end of 2024.

Project Fusion is the name for the programme to create the new combined NHS Foundation Trust. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will be bringing the services into a single organisation will result in more consistent care, more equitable access to services irrespective of postcode, and a more sustainable workforce and services. The new organisation will operate locally to ensure services can best meet the needs of different communities.

The new Trust will be comprised of all the services currently provided by Solent NHS Trust and Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, the community, mental health and learning disability services provided by Isle of Wight NHS Trust and child and adolescent mental health services delivered in parts of Hampshire by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Colleagues will transfer to the new organisation under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) -- known as TUPE on the day the trust is formed. TUPE is a legal process to ensure you transfer out of one organisation and into another, maintaining the terms and conditions of your employment.

Job description

Job responsibilities

*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.

Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist

Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Formal training in supervision of other psychologists or equivalent experience

Desirable

HCR20 trained

Experience

Essential

Experience of working as a qualified clinical or counselling psychologist at a highly specialist level.

Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings.

Experience of delivering individual, family and group therapy

Experience of maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.

Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.

Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.

Experience of managing staff and demonstrable experience of providing leadership.

Experience of leading service development initiatives with clear measurable outcomes.