Job Description

We are delighted to offer the exciting opportunity to create and deliver a new Critical Care Unit (CCU) psychology lead role at the Whittington hospital, Whittington Health NHS Trust. We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic psychologist who can draw on strong communication and team-working skills to work with MDT colleagues to support patients and significant others in their CCU experience and psychological recovery. The successful candidate will have extensive post-qualification clinical and consulting experience in the area of physical health care and will have provided input for psychological trauma. The post-holder will become part of the lively, welcoming Clinical Health Psychology (CHP) team who meet regularly to maximize team working and mutual learning, with some management responsibility. The CHP and CCU teams value and celebrate diversity and welcome candidates from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Key days include Tuesday and Thursday.



This new senior role involves designing and leading the provision of a psychology service for the Whittington Health CCU, working closely with MDT and CHP colleagues. Key areas include providing psychological input to inpatients (in CCU and when stepped down to other wards) and outpatients attending the CCU follow-up clinic. Other tasks include contributing a psychological perspective to MDT-led patient recovery projects and providing staff reflective practice and training as needed.



The psychologist will be able to work independently and flexibly, providing specialist psychological assessment, clinical formulation, intervention and management recommendations to patients, families and other staff. The postholder is invited to work creatively, drawing on a range of therapy approaches, in individual or group work, to help clients to cope with and recover from their CCU experience.



The post involves offering advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to highly skilled non-psychologist colleagues and to other, non-professional carers; working autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures; using research skills for audit, policy and service development and research.



The postholder will become part of the CHP team, with a management role within this team, enjoying exciting opportunities for mutual learning, service development and continuing professional development.



North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.

Our Five-Year Strategy:

1. We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.



2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all



3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.



4. We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement and technology.



In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.



To provide specialist psychological assessments using interview, formal psychometric and other assessment methods as appropriate, for clients referred by the CCU team.

To formulate and provide specialist psychological treatment and management plans for referred clients, working with carers and significant others as needed, using a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches.

To manage individual caseload autonomously and professionally.

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

To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients whose problems are managed by psychologically based standard care plans and to make appropriate referrals onwards as necessary.

To devise and deliver group-based interventions, leading in the development and provision of psychoeducational and other groups as needed.

To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals to assist in the formulation, diagnosis and treatment of clients.



* This is not an exhaustive list, please see the attached and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.