Forensic, Clinical, or Counselling Psychologist (Band 8a or Band 7 preceptorship) – Acute and Crisis Pathway

Employer: Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

Location: Southampton, Hampshire

Salary: £50952 - £57349

Closing date: 28^th May 2024

About the job

Are you an innovative and creative practitioner psychologist who thrives in a fast-paced environment focussed on development and change?  We want you to work with us!

You will provide specialist psychological assessments and formulations, brief interventions, and contribute to the implementation of the Comprehend, Cope and Connect (CCC) approach as we embed this within the service.  CCC is a psychology-led intervention which enables multi-professional colleagues to offer support to patients in crisis, with a focus on collaborative care planning.  Multi-disciplinary team formulations are a key part of the post, and we take a primary role in developing the psychologically-informed culture of the wards. 

We work transdiagnostically with a range of presentations, including psychosis, trauma, and relational difficulties.  The post-holder will be part of a cohesive team with a strong focus on quality improvement and service development, and we hope to find someone who shares this drive and enthusiasm.  The role can be challenging, but rewarding, and our team holds values around transparency, empathy and humour to create a supportive dynamic within the service.

We are part of the wider Southern Health Acute and Crisis Pathway, comprising practitioner psychologists and psychological therapists with expertise in a range of approaches and an emphasis on evidence-based practice.

The available post is graded at Band 8a – however we would welcome applications at Band 7 for those practitioners who consider they may benefit from a Band 7 to 8a preceptorship.

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document.

If you would like to have an informal conversation about the post or the service, please contact Dr Rose Hooper (Consultant Psychologist – Acute Care Lead, Southampton) at rose.hooper@southernhealth.nhs.uk

We are pleased to announce that we are in a position to offer a 'Relocation package' payment up to £8000 T&C's applies

About the service

The Southampton Acute and Crisis Psychology Service is comprised of forensic and clinical psychologists, alongside a clinical associate psychologist and several assistant psychologists.  The team is friendly and visible, and well-integrated with the other disciplines and teams across the wider service. 

The psychology team works with acute and PICU inpatients and service users under the crisis team (CRHTT).  We have a strong provision of reflective practice for wider disciplines and staff training to help embed and integrate psychologically informed practice.

Antelope House is a modern purpose-built acute mental health inpatient and psychiatric intensive care unit.  We offer high quality, recovery focused care to adults with a range of mental health needs. 

There are 4 inpatient wards:

• Saxon is our adult male acute ward, accommodating up to 18 beds. 
• Trinity is our adult female acute ward, accommodating up to 16 beds.
• Hamtun is our 10-bed male Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for those requiring intensive support where their needs cannot be safely met on the acute ward. 
• Abbey is our 8-bed female Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) which opened in March 2023.

Antelope House also includes the Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team (CRHTT) and there are opportunities for cross-working. 

About the Trust

Are you committed to providing remarkable care and service?

Are you passionate about helping people and want to make a difference every day?

We want to meet you!

Southern Health is one of the largest Foundation Trusts in the UK, specialising in mental health, adult and child community health and learning disabilities. We are committed to promoting the welfare and safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk of abuse and neglect through our 6,500 strong workforce.

Southern Health has over 300 sites across the county and we serve 1.5 million people throughout all stages of their lives. Our aim is to work alongside the people we support (and our health and care partners) to deliver the best possible care and constantly improve.

Here at SHFT we have so much to be proud of:

Working as a team and supporting each other, we put patients and our staff at the heart of everything we do.

We have a skilled and diverse workforce and are committed to our staff development, offering bespoke training packages, leadership pathways and career opportunities.

We offer a variety of benefits such as an amazing pension scheme, generous annual leave, Childcare Choices scheme, many discounts (Blue Light card, The Company Shop, NHS Staff Discounts, cycle to work scheme) and much more.

Come to work with us, together we will provide outstanding treatment and care to improve lives.