Apprentice Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

·         To undertake specialised and protocol based psychological assessments - including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service users, family members and others involved in the service user’s care

·         To assist in the development of psychological formulations of complex clinical problems and the development and delivery of care plans, which include psychological treatment and/ or management of the service user problems including risk assessments.

·         To determine appropriate psychological intervention, considering a range of potentially conflicting clinical information and dynamics under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.

·         To design, implement and modify bespoke psychological interventions with service users and groups under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.

·         To communicate confidential and personal information concerning psychological needs, obtained through assessments and interventions, to colleagues within and outside of the Trust and to the service user and their family

·         To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.

·         To work as a member of a multidisciplinary team and attend meetings as appropriate.

·         To follow a person-focused and evidence-based approach and work in partnership with service users and their families/carers.

·         To work in accordance with National NHS and GHC policies and regulations, as well as those of relevant professional bodies.

·         To receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with programme requirements and good clinical practice.

·         To assist in the planning, coordination and running of staff support forums such as reflective practice, case discussion, formulation and CPD workshops

·         To maintain appropriate records in electronic or hard copy in line with Trust policies and Professional guidelines. Includes workload data and using word processing skills to produce service user related reports

Leadership / Management

·         To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required 

Teaching, training and supervision

·         In conjunction with the clinical supervisor and University Tutor, to plan and prioritise own workload, research and individual and group sessions.

·         May assist with providing specialist training to other psychologists, trainees, assistants and other colleagues as appropriate.

·         To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all service users of the service, across all settings where care takes place.

Research and service evaluation

·         To plan, monitor and evaluate own work, using clinical outcomes assessments, small-scale research methodology and statistical procedures.

·         To plan and undertake formal MSc research, as agreed with the University programme staff as required by the Programme, complying with the requirements of research governance, evidence-based practice and ethical considerations.

·         To assist in the design and implementation of service-based audit and research projects using appropriate methodology and statistical procedures, as agreed with the clinical supervisor.

·         To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.

·         To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

·         To enhance own knowledge of clinical psychology, specific client groups and types of psychological difficulty through reading, literature searches and personal study.  

Professional

·         To manage work independently according to goals agreed at intervals with their manager, working independently on a day to day basis

·         To work within guidance and direction of qualified Psychologist and guided by the Profession’s standards including the British Psychological Society (BPS) Code of Conduct, Ethics Guidelines for Chartered Psychologists, and registration. 

Assignment and Review of Work

·         Clinical work is assigned and reviewed by the clinical supervisor on a weekly basis. On a day-to-day basis, trainee’s work independently within set guidelines, referring as necessary to the clinical supervisor.  

·         Academic, research and clinical learning outcomes are assigned as per the curriculum of the MSc Course and end point assessment with accountability to the Director of the University Programme. 

·         Trainees are responsible for managing the competing requirements of both academic and clinical components of training.