Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

1.      To provide specialist assessments of clients referred to the team, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources (including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations, and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client’s care).

2.      To diagnose patients’ eating and related psychiatric problems.

3.      To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s mental health problems based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the client’s problems. To employ methods based upon evidence of efficacy in the outpatient setting.

4.      To be responsible for implementing psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups. This occurs within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a 
number of provisional hypotheses. 

5.      To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options, taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual.

6.      To integrate (with the psychological formulation) an understanding of the medical aspects of the eating disorders and associated medical conditions.

7.      To liaise with other clinicians involved in the patient’s care, in order that appropriate physical checks and interventions are carried out to ensure the patient’s physical safety.

8.      To understand the role of relevant physical treatments (e.g. nutrition, pharmacology).
To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients whose problems are managed by psychologically based standard care plans.

9.      To provide specialist advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients’ formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.

10.  To provide expertise, advice and support to facilitate the effective and appropriate provision of psychological care by all members of the treatment team.

11.  To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies serving the client group.

12.  To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients, and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management.

13.  To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor progress during the course of both uni and multi-disciplinary care.

14.  To act as care coordinator, where appropriate, taking responsibility for initiating planning and review of care plans under enhanced CPA including clients, their carers, referring agents and others involved the network of care. 

Teaching, training, and supervision

1.      To receive regular clinical and operational supervision in accordance with Trust guidelines.

2.      To attend Staff Group with other colleagues in the service

3.      To develop skills in the area of professional post-graduate teaching, training and supervision.

4.      To provide supervision to other MDT staff’s psychological work, as appropriate.

5.      To undertake all mandatory training that is relevant to the post, including updates.

6.      Participate as required with the delivery of appropriate orientations to the department for all-new staff, learners and temporary staff.

Management and service development

1. To contribute to the development, evaluation and monitoring of the team’s operational policies and services, through the deployment of professional skills in research, service evaluation and audit.
2. To advise both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing.
3. To help manage the workloads of assistant psychologists, within the framework of the team/service’s policies and procedures.

Research and service evaluation

1. To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
2. To undertake appropriate service development research and provide research advice to other staff and clinical trainees undertaking research.
3. To undertake project management, including complex audit and service evaluation, with colleagues within the service to help develop service provision.
4. To familiarise themselves with, and to comply with, the Trust’s requirements on research governance.

IT responsibilities (other than those used for research)

1. The post holder will input and maintain, appropriate computer and manual clinical records and statistical data and provide this to the Service Manager/Head of Speciality when necessary.
2. The post holder will engage in relevant computer and IT training as required.

General

1. To contribute to 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 managers
2. To contribute to the development and articulation of evidence-based and evidence-generating clinical practice in psychology across the service, by continuing to develop the skills of a reflexive and reflective scientist practitioner. To take part in regular professional supervision and appraisal, and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of psychological treatment of eating disorders and related disciplines.
3. 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 relevant professional body and with Trust policies and procedures.
4. To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific client group and mental health.