Welcome from our Chief Executive

Our organisation is expanding and we're looking for people with the right values, skills and/or potential to join us. We need people with energy, expertise, enthusiasm to help us provide the very best possible specialist NHS mental health and learning disability care. This involves helping us achieve our strategy to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through People, Prevention and Partnerships.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

We are looking to recruit One HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologists (Clinical/Forensic/Counselling) to work within our acute inpatient mental health services. This posts will be based at Langley Green hospital, an acute inpatient service for people with acute mental health problems. The post will provide input across two acute care working age wards and our psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU).

This is an exciting role that includes a broad range of leadership development opportunities such as leadership of service delivery. Opportunities to lead on the development of evidence-based interventions, including DBT informed skills, trauma informed care or the psychosis pathway. Your views and ideas would be valued in the development, delivery and leadership of this project. There will also be opportunity to access further training in these modalities. Within the Acute Psychology Service, we pride ourselves on our strong peer support network. You will be a valued member of a team consisting of qualified psychologists, CBT therapists, trainees and assistants working across three inpatient adult mental health services across West Sussex.

If you feel that you may require additional support to work within the inpatient or urgent care context, we can offer you an enhanced support package for you to reach your potential and develop your skills in these areas. We also offer supervision and reflective groups alongside other opportunities for CPD and professional development.

Main duties of the job

As a Senior Practitioner psychologist, you will;

• Apply skills and expertise in psychological assessments
• Collaboratively develop formulations and care plans,
• Facilitate group and individual psychological interventions
• Provide case consultations and reflective practice sessions for staff
• Provide teaching, training and supervision, to assistant and trainee psychologists.

Working for our organisation

Sussex Partnership provides mental health and learning disability care for all age groups across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

We encourage flexible working. We know that a positive work/ life balance brings about huge health-related benefits, which has a positive impact on the care we provide. Please speak to us about flexible working, for example, home-working, part time hours, flexible start/ finish times or anything else. If it works for you and works for the role, we'll do our best to make it happen.

We'd love you to join our Trust, rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, in our recent staff survey 82% told us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.

Other key survey results:

• 70% highlighting flexible working as a key point for satisfaction at work
• 79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work in their team
• 77% identifying opportunities to show initiative in their roles

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
In order to be a successful Senior Practitioner Psychologist in our team you will;

• Be a qualified Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychologist, with HCPC registration
• Be analytical and show good attention to detail
• Be comfortable working in a fast-paced and varied role.
• Be Passionate about working with people with a range of complex mental health needs

SPFT staff have the capacity to work from home remotely where applicable and in agreement with your line manager.

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Please apply using the link in this advert, or for more information explore the attachments or contact:

For further information or an informal conversation about the role or your support needs please contact Pallavi Bala, Professional Lead for Acute care, West Sussex, at Pallavi.bala@spft.nhs.uk , Tel: 07471217099 and/or Alice Parr, Clinical Lead Nurse, Alice.parr@spft.nhs.uk

Person specification

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Registered Mental Health or Learning Disability Nurse.
• Educated to degree level (or equivalent)
• Post qualification study to Master's level (or equivalent)
• Completion of Mentorship Course/ENB equivalent
• Meet NMC requirement for maintenance of registration

Knowledge/Experience
Essential criteria

• experience as Ward Manager or equivalent in the community
• Demonstration of personal development
• Experience working with people with serious mental health problems
• Demonstrable working knowledge of Health and Social Care governance
• Experience of staff management
• Experience of performance management.
• Experience of Risk Assessment and management
• Demonstration of collaborative working with Multi Disciplinary Team / other services.
• Working knowledge of Mental Health Act 2007, Mental capacity Act 2005, Care Programme Approach, Safeguarding adults and children and other relevant legislation / government developments.

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children's social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.