Principal Practitioner Psychologist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To be responsible for the development, provision and co-ordination of a highly specialist psychological service for children and young people with and their families receiving their liver care at KCH, as part of the wider multidisciplinary health care team.

To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of children and young people whose problems are managed by psychologically based standard care plans.

To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance, consultation and supervision to colleagues within the MDT as well as other professionals involved in the child’s care, on psychological aspects specific to management.

In collaboration with senior colleagues to identify clinical and service priorities for provision to the KCH Paediatric Liver/Young Adult Liver Service and to take a lead regarding psychological aspects of care.

To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans. To provide advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and management.

To provide regular support meetings/debrief meetings for the medical team as required and support staff by providing advice based on psychological assessment and formulation.

To make referrals for further work as appropriate and liaison work with other departments within the hospital and the community agencies as necessary (including CAMHS, Education and Social Services)

To ensure that all services provided are acceptable and accessible to the diverse communities which make up the patient population of KCH.

To work as an independent and autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.

To contribute to the development of services through undertaking service evaluation and audit.

To provide clinical placements for trainee clinical psychologists and assistant psychologists, ensuring that trainees acquire the necessary skills, competencies and experience to contribute effectively to good mental health care and to contribute to the assessment and evaluation of such competencies.

To plan and undertake teaching and training of psychologists, pre and post qualification, and offer specialised training to other professions as appropriate; to provide teaching on Clinical Psychology Doctorate Training courses as required.

To provide advice, consultation, training and clinical supervision to other members of the paediatric psychology team for their provision of psychologically based interventions to help improve patient care.

To maintain and develop skills in the area of professional pre- and post-graduate training and clinical supervision.

To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to BPS, HCPC and Trust guidelines.

To maintain a high level of knowledge of new policy and clinical practice developments in the NHS, education, social care and other relevant areas.

To participate as a senior clinician in the development of a high quality, responsive and accessible service advising both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing. 

To participate and lead (as appropriate) in staff recruitment, both in the short-listing process and as a member of interview panels for assistants, trainees and qualified clinical psychologists and other members of the multidisciplinary team. 

To ensure the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder’s professional and service manager(s). 

To contribute to policy development, identifying service priorities and assisting in the planning and implementation of service developments. 

To represent psychology as required at strategic development meetings and network meetings.  

To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.  

To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the paediatric bariatric service and integrated mind and body services. 

Ensure knowledge of all Trust and Department policies and procedures including the safety and wellbeing of patients and staff in accordance with the Health and Safety Policy. 

To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing services.  

To assist in planning, coordinating and implementing systems for the audit, evaluation, monitoring and development of psychology and the wider liver service. 

In conjunction with the KCH service, evaluate all aspects of the psychology service, disseminate findings, evaluate specific interventions and conduct relevant psychosocial research especially with regards to seeking research grants and the publication of research findings. 

To advise both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing. 

 To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members. 

General 

 To participate fully and implement standards devised from Trust’s clinical and research governance activity.