Job Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic assistant psychologist to work within the Neurological Rehabilitation Service in East and North Hertfordshire.



You will be based on the acute and hyper-acute stroke wards comprising of 48 beds, at Lister Hospital, Stevenage. Under the supervision of a clinical psychologist, you will contribute to the psychological care of adults admitted to the wards for specialist assessment and rehabilitation.



You will be part of a very friendly and supportive multidisciplinary team including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, therapy support workers, dieticians, stroke consultants and nursing staff. It is a dynamic environment offering opportunities to develop your communication, team working and time management skills.



You will support the clinical psychologist to complete mood and cognitive assessments, to deliver brief low-level psychological therapy and cognitive rehabilitation interventions and to liaise with the multidisciplinary team regarding psychological aspects of patient care and discharge planning.



You will have the opportunity to liaise with a supportive team of clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists working across the services and to connect with assistant psychologists, as well as trainee clinical psychologists from the local DClinPsy course. We are proud that we have supported several previous assistant psychologists to successfully apply for clinical training.

The successful candidate will:

Administer mood and cognitive screening assessments under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist Support the provision of brief 1:1 and/or group therapeutic and cognitive rehabilitation interventions under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist Attend daily multidisciplinary meetings and discuss psychological aspects of patient care under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist Be involved in discharge planning, including signposting to appropriate services for ongoing psychological support Work jointly and in partnership with the broader MDT Have the opportunity to attend psychology meetings and journal clubs Assist with the preparation of test materials and visual/communication aids as required Be required to maintain the psychology referral database for audit and clinical governance purposes Have experience in using electronic patient records A big thank you for considering joining us at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust You'll find it a great place to work with supportive teams and many benefits offered to you as a member of our staff We put our patients, their families and carers at the centre of our vision - Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities Our staff are proud to be Innovative, Caring and Agile in their work to help achieve the Trust vision We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages We would not want you to miss out so we would like you to know that if we receive a high level of interest in this role, the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible - apply now

You've made a great decision to apply to join to HCT - we're looking forward to taking the next steps of the journey with you



Whilst it is not a legal requirement, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust encourages and supports all its' staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.

Clinical:

To undertake appropriate psychological work under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist, this may include any of the following:



1. To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of patients' mood and cognition applying psychological measures, including psychometric assessments, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members and others involved in the patient's care.



2. To assist in the formulation and delivery of intervention plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a patient's problems, under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.



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



4. To assist in the co-ordination and running of intervention groups, if appropriate.



5. To prepare test materials and visual/communication aids as required.



6. To perform other duties, appropriate to their grade, that may be required from time to time by the supervising clinical psychologist.



7. To engage in small-scale service related research to inform and improve clinical care delivery.



8. To work flexibly but in a responsive manner to patient needs as agreed with the supervising clinical psychologist and in discussion with the relevant Manager.

Team Work:

1. To develop and maintain good working relationships with other staff within the service with the primary purpose of sharing relevant information, facilitating patient care planning and promoting optimal service delivery.



2. To attend and contribute to appropriate team and multidisciplinary meetings.



3. To be an integrated member of the multidisciplinary team.



4. To contribute to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of patients of the service across all settings and agencies serving the patient group.

Supervision:

1. In common with all assistant psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision, in accordance with professional practice guidelines.



2. To have regular meetings with the supervising clinical psychologist in relation to day-to-day management.



3. To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principle service areas where the post holder is employed.



4. To develop the skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.



5. To attend induction in HCT so as to become familiar with the policies, guidelines and culture of the organisation.



6. To contribute to the development and maintenance of professional standards through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes in consultation with the supervising clinical psychologist.

Communication skills:

1. To be able to communicate with a range of people on a range of matters in a form that is appropriate to them and the situation. This will include communication with individuals with cognitive and communication impairments and will involve communication with people about difficult and sensitive matters.



2. To be able to communicate effectively using a range of skills to manage barriers to effective communication and adhere to information requirements relating to current legislation, policies and procedures.



3. To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of patients under their care and to monitor progress and evaluate outcomes of psychological interventions during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.



4. To convey complex, sensitive and potentially contentious information and concepts using language that is meaningful to the recipient i.e. non-technical, culturally appropriate, jargon free, clear and concise.



5. To motivate / negotiate with patients to change their lifestyle / behaviour by the application of psychological knowledge about behaviour change and motivation using clinical skills in engagement and motivation.



6. To develop and maintain good working relationships with other staff in the rehabilitation service, Hertfordshire Neurological Services, Hertfordshire Health and Community Services, relevant charities (such as Stroke Association) and acute stroke services with the purpose of facilitating patient care planning and dissemination of relevant information and to promote service delivery and planning with colleagues.