Practitioner Psychologist London, England
Job description
We are pleased to offer an opportunity for a dedicated individual to apply for this innovative role.
We are keen to support flexible working patterns and can also consider offering the role as part of a job share. Please note that Tuesdays are a fixed day for the post. The Macmillan Cancer Psychology Service provides specialist psychological assessment and interventions for patients, family members and carers. The service was originally established in 2019 as part of a fixed-term partnership project between King’s College Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support, with permanent status agreed in 2021. Enhanced service provision has recently been confirmed which has enabled an increase in the number of psychology positions in the service structure and helped to secure the continued delivery of evidence-based psychological care for the future. The team will not only offer clinical services, but will be involved in liaising with existing services in the community to help integrate secondary and primary care in order to better share resources and enable access to services in the most culturally and practically acceptable location for the population that we serve.This is an exciting time to join a team whilst it is being established and developed, and so offers a unique opportunity to be involved with novel service development projects and contribute to shaping a compassionate service culture.
The main objective of this post will be to contribute to the provision of an integrated cancer psychological support service across KCH. The successful candidate will contribute to the provision of specialist psychological assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes. There will be opportunities to participate in the provision of clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, and to undertake service evaluation and audit. The successful post holder will be supported by an 8B Principal Practitioner Psychologist Service Lead, and will work alongside two 8A Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologists, another Band 7 Practitioner Psychologist and a Band 5 Assistant Psychologist. We will also have a dedicated Administrator and input from a Consultant Psychiatrist. The successful candidate will also be joining a friendly and innovative group of psychologists and psychotherapists working across various medical specialities in a busy hospital setting that serves a diverse inner-city population. The post-holder will be expected to cover services at Kings College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital, and allocation of their time between sites and cancer MDMs will be guided by senior colleagues, commensurate with the needs of each service. Kings College Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital offers a vibrant and supportive working environment.
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
- To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and to select and deliver evidence-based psychological treatments for cancer care patients across KCH
- To provide psychological assessments, interventions and talking therapies remotely (i.e. by telephone or video conferencing), where appropriate or necessary
- To work as an independent and autonomous professional, within relevant professional guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans
- To communicate skilfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with patients, carers, colleagues in the multi-disciplinary team and other health professionals, taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.
- To deliver debrief sessions, crisis intervention and reflective practice sessions to colleagues affected by emotionally distressing or traumatic situations involving patients, as appropriate
- To support other professionals in working together as a team to provide a high-quality service for patients who have complex needs
- To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required, to ensure that all psychology services provided are acceptable and accessible to the diverse communities served by KCH
- To deputise for the 8a highly specialist practitioner psychologist in attending bi-monthly Cancer Quality Board Meeting meetings and contribute to the monthly/quarterly progress report updates for this forum.
- To contribute to the effective working of the Cancer MDM’s and to a psychologically informed framework for the service
- To contribute to the team or service’s delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities
- To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services
- To actively participate in setting up services in Southwark; Lambeth and Bromley Wellbeing Hubs and Denmark Hill and Princess Royal Hospital Site for inpatient and outpatient services
- To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes
- To advise other members of the service on the specialist psychological care of clients
- To identify any aspects of the service which need to be improved and to advise service and professional managers on appropriate changes
- To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the local clinical governance committee and to act as clinical governance link worker, if appropriate.
- To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans
- To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
- To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes
- To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities
- To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects
- To take care of, and use carefully, the Trust’s equipment and physical resources
- To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed
- To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant or trainee psychologist if required, under supervision and support from a more senior psychologist
- To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism, as appropriate and following completion of the relevant supervisor training course
- To provide psychological consultation and professional and clinical supervision to colleagues and others, as required
- To organise and provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate
- To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the service by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology related to cancer and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.
- To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
- To undertake regular service evaluation or audits relevant to service needs.
- To contribute to and lead, as appropriate, research projects relevant to the needs of the service
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through reports, presentations and published articles
- To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members
- To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to relevant professional and Trust guidelines
- To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC ‘Standards for Continuing Professional Development’
- To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies
- To participate fully and implement standards devised from King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s clinical and research governance activity
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, in line with professional and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry
- To comply with the HCPC ‘Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics’ and ‘Standards of Proficiency’ and ensure professional development in line with these
- To adhere to the BPS’s Professional Practice Guidelines (including those pertaining to the confidentiality of personal information of patients and staff) and Trust policies and procedures
- To travel to sites across the Trust, including Princes Royal University Hospital, Orpington, as appropriate and when required
- To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management
- To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations – including those associated with physically unwell patients approaching end of life care – andto support others involved in such situations.
