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Contents
Section
Section 1:
Introduction to Appointment
Section 2:
Person Specification
Section 3:
Job Description
Section 4:
NHS Lothian Values
Section 5:
General Information for Candidates
Section 6:
Working in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Section 7:
Workplace Equality Monitoring
Section 8:
Equal Opportunities Policy Statement
Section 9:
Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers
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Section 1: Introduction to Appointment
Reference Number: REH/SL/160
Job Title: Clinical Psychologist
Grade: Band 8A
Location: Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Contract Duration: Fixed Term for 9 Months
Hours: 18.75 Hours Per Week
Closing Date: 22 November 2016
Salary Scale: £40,428 - £48,514 Pro Rata Per Annum
Apply on-line www.jobs.scot.nhs.uk
**Please note – the e-mail address you provide on the application form will be used to
communicate any further correspondence relating to this vacancy so please check
your TRASH and SPAM folders**
This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/ record.
If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory
group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to
Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.
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Section 2:
Person Specification
NHS LOTHIAN
Post: Clinical Psychologist
PERSON SPECIFICATION
In order to be shortlisted you must demonstrate you meet all the essential criteria and as much
of the desirable as possible. When a large volume of applications are received for a vacancy
and most applicants meet the essential criteria then the desirable criteria is used to produce the
shortlist.
Criteria
Essential
Desirable
Personal Traits
Empathic – able to work
therapeutically
Motivated
Responsible
Organised
Autonomous – able to work
independently
Shows initiative to
develop
psychological service
within rehabilitation
Qualifications
and Training
Doctoral training in applied
psychology, which includes
models of psychopathology,
psychometrics and two or
more psychological therapies
across the lifespan, and this
qualification is recognised as
providing eligibility for
registration as a chartered
psychologist with the BPS,
and for registration with the
HCPC
Chartered status.
Membership of the Division of
Clinical psychology within
the BPS.
Additional training in one or
more therapeutic models.
Evidence of
continued
professional development.
How
Assessed
Experience
Appropriate clinical experience for
Experience of working in
and Knowledge appointment as a clinical
multidisciplinary teams.
psychologist including grounding in
Experience of exercising
generic clinical psychology
clinical responsibility for
skills including assessment,
clients’ psychological treatment in
formulation and treatment of
the context of a multidisciplinary
psychological problems.
care plan.
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Experience of staff
management.
Experience of
service development.
Post-qualification experience
with a range of clients
including those in
in-patient services.
Experience of maintaining a
high degree of professionalism
in the face of emotive
and distressing client situations.
Experience of supervising
doctoral trainees and other
staff.
Experience of offering
consultancy.
Experience of involvement in
professional roles at local or
national level.
Skills and/or
Abilities
Good written and
verbal communication.
Ability to work effectively as part
of a multidisciplinary team.
Teaching, supervising others in
psychological methods.
Understanding and ability to
apply clinical governance
mechanisms for support
and maintenance of clinical practice.
Ability to work to deadlines.
Capacity to communicate well with a
wide variety of individuals/ groups.
Expert knowledge of
relevant psychological
theories, research and evidence
based interventions for complex
cases.
Competent in supervision of
trainees and others.
Doctoral level knowledge in
conducting service evaluation
and research.
Ability to use multi-media
materials to train, teach or
communicate with others.
Competence in teaching.
Research experience.
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Specific
Job
Requirements
Able to balance and prioritise
in context of a role with
competing demands across
various settings (role may
involve many varied activities
within each week; e.g. outpatient clinic appointments,
group work with in-patients,
supervising nursing staff,
consultancy work with third
sector staff/ teams).
Awareness of complexity of
working in a multi-disciplinary
team and skills and abilities
necessary to manage this.
A = Application form
C = Copies of certificates
P = Presentation
Familiarity with relevant
NHS policies and clinical
guidelines.
Key – how assessed
I = Interview
T= Test or exercise
R = References
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Section 3:
Job Description
Job Title:
Clinical Psychologist
Responsible to:
Professionally and managerially accountable to the
Consultant Clinical Psychologist - Rehabilitation
Clinically
responsible for:
Trainee Clinical Psychologists, Assistant Psychologists,
Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nursing staff
Grade:
Band 8A Clinical Psychologist
Directorate/Division:
NHS Lothian
Base:
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Service,
Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
Department:
Forensic Clinical Psychology Service
Job Reference:
REH/SL/160
No. of Job Holders:
One
Appointed/Last Update:
December 2015
Abbreviations in the text:
Post holder (PH); clinical team (CT); Consultant Clinical
Psychologist – Rehabilitation (CCP-R); Care Programme
Approach (CPA); Mental Health Tribunal (MHT); British
Psychological Society (BPS); Health and Care Professions
Counsel (HPCP).
2. JOB PURPOSE
The post holder (PH) works autonomously but in liaison with the Consultant Clinical
Psychologist – Rehabilitation (CCP-R) in order to provide a high quality specialist clinical
psychology service to patients in the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Service. This requires
working with patients within inpatient services and during follow-up to other services or the
community. This involves the provision of high quality psychological assessment, treatment
and evaluation in addition to providing specialist support and consultation to clinical teams
(CTs), other professionals, and non-professional carers etc.
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In addition there is a need to provide teaching, supervision, consultancy and research
expertise to Clinical Psychology trainees and other mental health professionals, and to
contribute to the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service. In
liaison with the CCP-R there is a requirement to utilise high level research skills for audit,
policy and service development as a major requirement of the job.
3. DIMENSIONS
Field of Expertise: The majority of both male and female patients in the service have a
primary diagnosis of a mental illness (e.g. paranoid schizophrenia) and a few have a primary
diagnosis of personality disorder. However, many have co-morbid diagnoses including
learning disability, or substance abuse. Many have a forensic history. The PH must have a
highly specialist level of expertise in treating highly specialist level of expertise in treating
highly complex mental disorder clinical cases and address associated issues (e.g. risk
assessment).
Size of Service: The Psychiatric Rehabilitation Service consists of the CCP-R, Clinical
Psychologists, Trainee Clinical Psychologists, nursing staff and other disciplines who may be
deployed at any particular time.
Caseload: There are 60 inpatient beds and a multi-agency joint health and social work
team, the Community Rehabilitation Team, covering Lothian and a large number of patients
in the community. The PH is required to act independently as the Clinical Psychologist
attached to one or more CTs and have links with services across NHS Lothian.
Staff supervision: There is a requirement to take responsibility for the overall assignment,
review and supervision of clinical work for one or more trainees or less experienced clinical
psychologists, assistant psychologists, junior doctors or nursing staff etc who are
undertaking psychological interventions.
4. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION
Head of Adult Mental Health
Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Lead for Psychiatric Rehabilitation)
(Highly Specialist) Clinical Psychologist (8A)
Psychological Therapist (Specialist)
(Highly Specialist) Clinical Psychologist (8A) (0.5 WTE) (this post)
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5. ROLE OF DEPARTMENT
The Psychiatric Rehabilitation Service provides a high quality psychological service to both
inpatients and outpatients with a history of serious mental disorder. It sees patients both
within inpatient and community settings. Some patients are admitted from forensic or
medium secure facilities like the Orchard Clinic.
Clinical Psychology Service provision includes:
 Specialist clinical psychological assessment, formulation, treatment, and monitoring
of complex and severe psychological impairments, problems (e.g. psychosis,
substance abuse).
 Formalised assessment of level of risk and contribution to management of that risk.
 Consultation and liaison as appropriate with other professions and services which
includes advice, multidisciplinary-working, report writing, supervision, training, and
crisis management. This aspect includes both multidisciplinary colleagues and
external agencies such as third sector partner providers.
 Training and supervision at postgraduate Doctoral level of trainees as part of the
Scottish programme for workforce training and development.
 Contributions to research and development of professional practice and services at
local, Scottish and UK levels.
6. KEY RESULT AREAS
KRA1 Clinical.
To provide a Clinical Psychology service to the patients with complex needs in a psychiatric
rehabilitation setting and during follow-up in the community. This is detailed below:
Responsibilities in relation to autonomous working
 To exercise full autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment
and discharge of patients receiving psychological input and to communicate regularly
with the appropriate CT.
Responsibility for undertaking highly specialist assessments
 To undertake highly specialist psychological assessments by the appropriate use,
interpretation and integration of complex psychological data from a variety of sources.
 To use assessments by incorporating the mental health and forensic needs of the
patients and develop a formulation that incorporates this complex information.
Interventions are then tailored to meet the needs identified in the formulation.
 To make complex neuropsychological assessments with complex developmental and
psychiatric backgrounds involving choosing appropriate assessments, interpreting
results and making recommendations for future management and, if appropriate,
rehabilitation.
 To evaluate the capacity of the patient to make informed decisions.
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To undertake risk assessments and risk management and to provide both general and
specialist advice to various professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment
and risk management. This may include using psychological measures,
neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect
structured observations and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members,
nursing staff and others.
To have an overview of the patients and to conduct needs analysis; manage referrals;
and exercise full responsibility and autonomy during assessment; communicating with
the CTs on a regular basis.
Responsibility for providing highly specialist treatments
 To make highly skilled evaluations and decisions about treatments and treatment options
incorporating both theoretical therapeutic models and highly complex factors such as
historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual.
 To provide treatments based on a formulation that can incorporate mental health and
forensic needs as well as taking into account issues of capacity, cognitive ability and
personality.
 To formulate and implement plans for psychological treatment and/or management
employing methods of proven efficacy.
 To ensure the co-ordination and monitoring of a psychological care package as derived
from the formulation either through individual treatment, referral to appropriate services,
joint-working within the CT, or the supervision of other members of staff.
 To develop group interventions in rehabilitation wards, and to supervise and support
nursing staff to deliver these materials/ interventions
 Provide highly specialist treatments to patients. This may be done alone or by leading a
team of professionals from the service.
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Responsibility for working within a Clinical Team
 To take lead responsibility for the delivery of psychological care and clinical psychology
input in allocated CTs via highly specialised psychological assessment, formulation and
delivery of individual and group evidence-based interventions and by evaluating those
interventions.
 To practice and promote multi-disciplinary working, e.g. via reviews/CT meetings and
providing psychological expertise, support and advice.
 To act as care CPA co-ordinator when appropriate, taking responsibility for the initiation,
planning and review of care plans and chairing relevant meetings.
 To provide consultancy to the CT on psychological matters. This includes providing
highly specialist psychological formulations of patient’s experiences and the appropriate
communication of highly complex and sensitive information. This involves monitoring
patient progress, co-ordinating interventions and making decisions about the sequencing
of interventions.
 To initiate and co-ordinate new developments for psychological care and treatment e.g.
introducing new protocols for in-patient work and in-service training.
 To be responsible for the systematic governance of psychological practice in the CT.
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Responsibility for proper Communication
 To receive and synthesise complex strands of often contentious or sensitive information
and communicate these in an understandable form to patients, relatives, carers and
others.
 To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning
assessment, formulation and treatment plans and to monitor and evaluate client
progress. This involves utilising the highest levels of empathy, often in a hostile,
antagonistic or highly emotional atmosphere where there are significant barriers to
acceptance.
 To formulate and disseminate a wide range of varied and complex information within a
pressurised context and perform in a highly stressful environment.
 To produce reports, including CPA reports, treatment reports, court reports, MHT reports
and reports for the Scottish Executive.
Responsibility for professional liaison
 To contribute to the Mental Health Services nationally to enhance psychology input and
the development of an integrated care pathway.
 To liaise with and provide expert advice/consultancy on psychological matters to external
agencies, e.g. the Scottish Executive, Social Work; Voluntary Sector; Universities etc.
KRA2 Policy and Service Development
 To exercise delegated responsibility for managing the psychological resources available
to the CT both in terms of psychological time/staff and psychological materials for
assessment etc.
 The PH is responsible for:
i. Monitoring and evaluating the progress of patient care.
ii. Making adaptations.
iii. Ensuring effective, efficient and economic utilisation of resources.
iv. Initiating and implementing new developments and policies as necessary.
v. Making recommendations regarding risk management.
The PH has designated responsibility from the CCP-R for contributing to the working group
and for advising, developing and implementing recommendations within the service. This
requires the PH to implement changes and developments necessary to maintain
sustainability and effectiveness of the Psychology Service over time.
The PH has designated responsibility from the CCP-R for providing advice and supervision
and will also demonstrate the ability to manage and set standards, protocols and policy
within the Service and have responsibility for the interpretation of professional, national and
local guidelines and policies and for implementing these within the team and the service.
 To participate in the development of a high quality, responsive and accessible service by
advising both service and professional management on psychological issues and
organisational matters.
 To provide expert psychological opinion to Policy and Procedure Review Meetings.
 To demonstrate the ability to lead and manage complete programmes of care developed
from an evidence-base, and where there is an absence of evidence, to develop this in a
methodological manner consistent with professional psychological standards.
 To work within the Clinical Psychology Service to monitor psychological need, agree
priorities for service delivery and provide a clinical psychology service.
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To develop and tailor suitable interventions (based on formulations drawing on a range
of therapeutic models) which meet the complex needs of the patients and adhere to best
practice.
To tailor risk assessment and management plans to meet the requirements of individual
patients.
To adhere to best practice guidelines while aiming to reduce behaviours associated with
relapse.
To keep management informed of progress, developments and new initiatives.
To maintain awareness of publications relevant to service delivery/content/management.
To attend multi disciplinary and multi agency strategic development and planning groups
in relation to the design and implementation of services for patients to ensure that
psychological knowledge and skills are integrated into the service structure.
To synthesise highly complex psychological ideas and concepts and communicate in
readily understood language to other groups where there may be differences of opinion
or competing models in order to influence policy development and strategic planning.
This involves making judgements about appropriate models of service that involve highly
complex facts and situations and requires analysis, interpretation and comparison of a
range of options.
To plan and organise a broad range of complex activities including direct patient care,
innovative treatment programmes, teaching, training and consultancy; many of which are
ongoing and require regular updating, reformulation and adjustment of strategies and
plans.
To responsible for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the
service.
To comment on relevant Scottish Executive developments, e.g. Mental Health
Legislation.
To contribute to service development within including the highlighting of gaps in service.
To plan and prioritise assessment, therapeutic intervention and evaluation tasks to make
the most effective use of resources.
To contribute to a wider service development plan through liaison with other disciplines.
Working within a Professional Framework:
To adhere to British Psychological Society (BPS) Professional Code of Conduct and
professional guidelines applicable to HCPC ‘Chartered’ Clinical Psychologists and to
maintain professional development.
To maintain a CPD Log and evidence the completion of continued professional
development (HCPC requirements).
In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in
accordance with good practice guidelines.
To work within the provisions of the Health and Safety and security policies etc.
KRA3 Human Resources
 To be responsible for providing regular clinical supervision to Assistant psychologists,
Trainee Clinical Psychologists, qualified Clinical/Forensic Psychologists, Psychiatrists,
CBT Therapists and Nurses involved in providing psychological input to the service/CT
as required.
 To be responsible in supervising for identifying and raising areas of difficulty pertaining to
professional practice and maintaining integrity of therapeutic models.
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To provide specialist advice, consultations and training and (where required) clinical
supervision to other members of the CT for psychologically based interventions.
As a Clinical Psychologist to supervise staff conducting psychological assessments,
identify training needs, provide training, identify service priorities and initiate
developments.
To manage the workload of assistants and trainees.
To provide expert training/expertise to external agencies, including the Universities of
Edinburgh and Glasgow Doctoral Clinical Psychology Training Courses.
To provide in- service teaching and training on psychological issues, e.g. evidence-based
training for ward-based staff on psychological matters, such as delivery of interventions,
ward milieu etc.
To provide expertise and specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to
other professionals contributing directly to clients’ formulation, diagnosis and treatment.
In common with all Clinical Psychologists, to receive clinical supervision from a clinical
psychologist/peer supervision.
KRA4 Research and Development Activity
 To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based
practice in individual work and other CT members as required.
 To identify areas of research.
 To supervise doctoral level research projects of trainees.
 To maintain a high level of expertise in research methods.
 To generate and undertake new areas of research which seek to increase knowledge in
psychology, and clinical practice.
 To organise, convene and disseminate original clinical relevant research and contribute
to clinical audits and evaluate the effectiveness of practice through service evaluation
and audit.
 To collaborate with other researchers and clinicians working with patients (e.g.
participating in a multi-centre clinical research project examining interventions for those
who are psychotic.
 To collaborate with other researchers and clinicians working in the area.
KRA5 Information Technology
 To record personally generated clinical observations, ensuring that paper and computer
client files comply with relevant policies and professional guidelines.
 To be responsible for any data entry and for general audit of work and clinical activity
monitoring.
 To use appropriate computer facilities and packages for the preparation, analysis and
presentation of data. Computer literacy must include ability to use computer and
software packages, including word pressing, spread sheets, statistics, databases, email,
internet, electronic library.
 To generate written and graphical work for clinical, research and training purposes.
 To be skilled in the use of presentation equipment, such as overhead projectors, data
projectors, TV/video, to support the delivery of high quality training and teaching.
7a. EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY
To work within a controlled environment that may involve carrying mobile phones, an
electronic pass, personal alarm, keys and have an up-to-date training in security issues.
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To routinely use highly specialist neuropsychological and psychometric test equipment
in order to inform psychological assessment, to assist in the diagnosis of organic illness
(e.g. Korsakoffs Psychosis), cognitive functioning and to inform patient’s treatment
plans. Testing requires developed sensory and hand-eye co-ordination/dexterity and
manipulation of fine test materials and the use of computer scoring packages such as
the WAIS-writer, (software to assist in the interpretation of intelligence testing scores).
To routinely use a range of expert psychometric measures including self-report
questionnaires, diagnostic assessment schedules, structured clinical interviews to
inform psychological assessment including measures of mental disorder, substance
abuse, personality disorder and risk.
To routinely use computer software as required (e.g. PIMS, Microsoft word, Microsoft
Power Point, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook) and internet browsers/online
databases to access academic, policy, and research information to inform clinical
practice, research and audit.
To routinely use the computer to create clinical records, reports, presentations,
spreadsheets and to facilitate literature searches,
7b. SYSTEMS
 To maintain high standards of clinical record keeping.
 To train in and use an interactive electronic database, e.g. PIMS to record and update all
clinical contacts with patients.
 To input appropriately to paper based record systems of patient information e.g. ‘medical
records’.
 To use a range of neuropsychological tests to assess patients’ cognitive functioning
including tests of general intellectual ability, memory and executive processing.
 To use a range of psychometric measures, including self-report questionnaires and
structured interviews to assess mental illness and personality disorder.
 To have knowledge of a range of quantitative and qualitative data management and
analysis packages (e.g. SPSS) in order to input and manipulate data for research and
audit purposes (e.g. input, store, analyse data for research and audits).
 To dictate/type clinical notes and reports.
 To routinely use computer software, internet browsers and various online databases to
access academic, policy, and research information to inform clinical practice, research
and audit.
 To use computer software to create spreadsheets, and to store and analyse information
or adapt documents, reports, databases.
8. ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK
 The PH may be designated by the CCP-R as the Psychologist responsible for a CT or as
the Lead Clinical Psychologist for specific services. Within this role the PH is required:
 To work autonomously and independently to meet the needs of the CT and delegated
clinical areas. The PH is responsible for their own time management, for prioritising their
workload, their assessments and interventions, and for meeting deadlines. This is done
in liaison with the CCP-R, to whom the PH can take areas of concern.
 The PH must be flexible in the management of their workload in order to respond to
unforeseen demands, for example, incidents within the clinic, providing written
testimony, or being called to give evidence to Tribunals at short notice.
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To take full responsibility for the systematic governance of practice within identified
areas.
To take full responsibility for the interpretation of professional, national and local
guidelines and policies when considering own practice. This is particularly important
given that this is a specialist field and guidelines etc are not always written with this
population in mind.
To be individually accountable for all own clinical decisions.
To be party to budgetary and resource demands relevant to the delivery of the service.
In common with all clinical psychologists, to be responsible for consulting with clinical
supervisor, and peers as required.
To receive an Individual Performance Review from the CCP-R to identify personal
development and training needs, agree a personal development and training plan, set
individual objectives in line with clinic objectives, review objectives and performance,
and review workload.
9. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
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The PH must work flexibly and be able to respond to the ever changing clinical and
environment demands resulting in an unpredictable work pattern. This client group can
behave unpredictably, resulting in plans and goals having to be changed quickly.
To regularly make highly complex judgements which require application of theory and
research, analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options, e.g. the role of
mental illness and substance misuse in challenging behaviour and the associated
future risks. Mental health factors, environmental factors, background factors,
personality, situational and psychosocial factors must be considered.
To continuously make highly complex judgements about the assessment and
management of future risk which requires the analysis, interpretation and comparison
of a range of options.
To undertake highly specialist assessment of patients with forensic, mental health
and/or addiction problems, decide how to adapt a psychological therapy to meet the
unique needs of the patient and reformulate the treatment plan on the basis of new or
conflicting information.
To continually make decisions and judgements about a wide range of factors:
appropriate assessment methods; the psychological needs of the patient; suitability for
treatment; progress during treatment (at various points); the need for further
work/alternative interventions/discharge; the function of challenging behaviours;
responses from the CT; choosing an appropriate intervention; adapting interventions to
patient need; evaluating the level and type of risk that a patient may pose using a range
of information sources; producing a risk management plan; evaluating the
appropriateness of interventions and adapting or changing as necessary; evaluating the
performance of others through supervision; managing the sequencing of interventions.
To make decisions regarding safety when meeting patients and the safety of those
supervising.
To devise and implement new initiatives in consultation with the CT and with CCP-R
approval.
To make decisions about the appropriate provision of supervision to and appropriate
allocation of psychological work to Assistant Psychologists, Trainee Clinical
Psychologists, and other disciplines conducting psychological work and to decide on the
level of supervision required.
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To make decisions about how to most effectively, consult and communicate information
regarding the psychological aspects of a patient’s care to other disciplines or agencies.
Management
To collaborate with the CCP-R in the development of service protocols and procedures for
implementation, identifying staff training needs and establishing supervision and
consultancy structures for multi-disciplinary staff.
 To make judgements regarding the impact of developing data protection and information
policy in clinical cases and to communicate this effectively.
 To make decisions about the provision of supervision to assistant psychologists, trainee
clinical psychologists and others as required. This involves flexible decisions regarding
appropriate type and amount of workload and the need to address capability issues as
required.
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10. MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB
 Assessing, formulating and building a positive therapeutic relationship, and providing
effective psychological interventions with extremely complex, disturbed and frequently
personality disordered individuals who often find it hard to engage in therapy or actively
resist it.
 Being flexible to changing needs; which involves re-formulating cases, adjusting plans
etc.
 Dealing with emotional demands as specified in section 12 is particularly difficult.
 Taking responsibility for Risk Assessment and Risk Management.
 Being at risk of hostile/challenging behaviours e.g. aggression.
 Having to react to an unpredictable environment, e.g. attending emergency meetings,
attending critical incident reviews, responding to patient crises.
 Planning and organising a wide range of activities in a varying working week (e.g.
individual work; group sessions; business meetings; talking to carers; reviewing best
practice; research).
 Ensuring human rights principles are adhered to within clinical practice and conduct.
 Managing conflict with the CT regarding a patient’s needing to resolve such conflicts.
11. COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Purpose and Style of Communications
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To liaise with professionals external to the Psychology service and to provide
consultancy on relevant cases.
To communicate sensitively with patients during assessment and treatment, displaying
empathy, reassurance and understanding to facilitate a therapeutic relationship.
To liaise with and provide expert advice on psychological matters to external agencies
such as the Scottish Executive, Universities; Local Authorities.
To share complex psychological formulations and information with the patient in a
comprehensible manner: This is problematic with a client group where cognitive
functioning/literacy can be compromised by learning disabilities and/or head injury.
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To communicate with multidisciplinary CT to obtain information for psychological
formulation/ treatment and to provide information and consultation regarding complex
psychological care.
To apply expert interpersonal communication and counselling skills to overcome barriers
to engagement in the therapeutic process including patient resistance and overt hostility
and verbal aggression requiring the use of motivational techniques, to diffuse potential
aggression, and to sensitively challenge. These skills are acquired through expert
training in psychological therapy.
To address and explore with patients distressing and traumatic personal experiences
(e.g. child
abuse, bereavement, violent and sexual offences) in a supportive and
contained manner, and therefore work within a highly emotive atmosphere.
To communicate therapeutically with patients in group formats, and sensitively and
constructively manage the group dynamics, conflict and distress.
To liaise with professionals external to the service to enhance patient assessment or to
develop an appropriate support and supervision package to facilitate discharge.
To establish links with the specific geographical areas.
To communicate with carers regarding the complex psychological aspects of patient care
and to provide therapeutic input as appropriate.
To communicate effectively, both verbally and non-verbally, complex and sensitive
information to a range of people (patients, colleagues, carers, visitors).
To conduct formal presentation to groups in public, professional and academic settings
requiring use of multi media presentation aids.
To act in a highly professional manner with regard to confidentiality and information
sharing.
To communicate in a clear, open and honest manner with regard to issues of prejudice
and culture.
Difficulties encountered in communication
These are extensive including:
 Engaging patients with a history of serious and persistent resentment against
authority figures; patients may disagree with assessments or therapy/management
processes recommended; material communicated within therapy with patients or
within written reports from PH may be highly sensitive.
 Floridly psychotic inpatients may hold paranoid delusions and/or violent
thoughts/ideation about the PH, and could pose a serious threat to PH.
 Patients may blame PH for informing court/tribunal of issues and may hold a grudge.
 The PH will receive distressing information from relevant documents and directly
from patients, family members and victims.
12. PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB
The patients are sometimes considered to pose a significant degree of risk of violence to
themselves, staff and/or public.
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Physical Demands
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The PH is required to receive certificated training in Breakaway Techniques,
Management of Violence and Aggression, and Control and Restraint and regularly
update this training
The PH may be required to operate personal attack alarms and security keypads.
There is a frequent requirement for the use of standard keyboards skills.
There is a frequent requirement to sit in a restricted position for substantial periods of
time during clinical sessions or when inputting at a keyboard on a daily basis.
There is a requirement to drive to community appointments, external meetings, training
events and agencies/service providers.
There is a frequent requirement for highly skilled rapid and accurate use and
manipulation of complex psychological and neuropsychological test equipment and
materials. This requires multi-tasking, involving the simultaneous manipulation of test
materials, accurate timing of activities with a stopwatch, recording scores and general
clinical observations, by hand and giving complex verbal instructions to the patient whilst
simultaneously attending to the patient’s cognitive, behavioural and emotional
responses. The PH will be proficient in the highest levels of physical skill and sensory
co-ordination in order to meet these requirements.
Mental Demands
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There is a frequent (several times a day) requirement for intense concentration over
prolonged periods whilst engaging actively with patients during individual psychological
therapy and/or group-work treatment. This includes vigilance to possible aggressive or
challenging behaviours during face-to-face meetings, following the patient’s responses to
questions and adapting the psychological intervention to meet their needs
simultaneously.
Mental agility and flexibility are required to address complexity involved in using the
broad knowledge of various psychological tools and interventions, derived from various
models, to provide a tailored psychological intervention to the patient. This often has to
be done ‘on the spot’ in response to patient need.
There is a need to provide psychological expertise/opinion, to discuss cases, problemsolve on an ad-hoc and unpredictable basis, and flexibility manage workload/ pressure.
The patients have complex needs which require a creative/ adaptive approach to
providing interventions.
There is a requirement to provide complex detailed psychological reports.
Emotional Demands
 There is exposure to highly distressing and highly emotional circumstances when
working directly with patients on issues relating to trauma (e.g. childhood sexual,
physical abuse, post traumatic stress,), where patients often experience intense
emotional distress and can become hostile, suicidal or exhibit challenging behaviour.
This can present exceptional challenges both in working therapeutically with patients and
their carers.
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There is a routine requirement to work directly with patients who exhibit severely
challenging behaviour and to develop appropriate therapeutic interventions.
The high level of exposure to emotional and traumatic circumstances has the potential to
vicariously traumatise the psychological therapist. There is a requirement to access
appropriate supervision to manage the emotional demands of the work.
There is sometimes indirect exposure to distressing situations, through the identification
and provision of support to other staff who have been exposed to highly distressing
situations.
There may be a requirement to give expert witness testimony and to be subject to crossexamination in MHTs. This places significant emotional demands on the PH whose
professional expertise and opinion may be scrutinised and challenged.
Environmental Demands
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Staff working within the service may be exposed to verbally and physically aggressive
behaviour.
Staff must adhere to protocols on home visits and take the necessary precautions since
the scope for controlling emergency situations and direct access to help is more limited.
There is occasional exposure to hazards such as blood, vomit, faeces, saliva etc during
dirty protests, patient ‘control and restraint’ or generally within the ward environment.
This is particularly significant because of the higher levels of illnesses (e.g. Hep C, HIV)
within this patient group. There is some limited exposure to passive smoke inhalation.
13. KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB
 An Honours Psychology Degree required for registration with the BPS; 2:1/ First Class
Honours degree is required for Post-graduate Clinical Psychology training.
 Minimum entry level is Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its
equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS. This normally
involves 3-years postgraduate research, study and supervised practice.
 Doctoral level knowledge of generic Clinical Psychology skills including assessment,
treatment and evaluation of psychological problems across the lifespan and full range of
clinical severity, models of psychopathology, psychometrics and neuropsychology.
 Doctoral level knowledge of research, design and methodology at the level of complex
multivariate data analysis.
 Experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist at a highly specialist level.
 Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client’s psychological care and
treatment whilst demonstrating a high degree of professionalism and resilience in
relation to the emotional demands of clinical psychology within an in-patient setting.
 Post-qualification training in two or more specialist psychological therapies (e.g.
psychosis).
 Post qualification specialist training in risk assessment and risk management
 Meeting HCPC and BPS requirements e.g. Maintenance of CPD Log (imminent
regulatory requirement).
 Experience of managing qualified/trainee/assistant clinical psychologists.
 Expert knowledge of legislation relevant to patient care (e.g. Mental Health, Human
Rights, Incapacity).
 Experience of commitment to developing professional roles and services.
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Competence in writing reports.
Requirement for training in Management of Aggression/Control & Restraint.
Completion of training to be a clinical supervisor to Doctoral Trainee Clinical
Psychologists and experience of supervision of other professional groups.
Proficiency in keyboard and IT skills and the use of highly complex psychometric and
psychological test equipment. The ability to use complex multimedia materials for
presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
Important
This post has security requirements and breaches of confidentiality will result in disciplinary
action.
Signature of Post holder:
Printed name of Post holder:
Date:
Signature of Line Manager:
Printed name of Line Manager:
Date:
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Section 4: NHS Lothian Values into Action
NHS Lothian is determined to improve the way their staff works so they have developed a
set of common values and ways of working which they now need to turn into everyday reality
- to the benefit of everyone working in the organisation and, most importantly, to the benefit
of their patients.
Our Values are:
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Quality
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Dignity and Respect
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Care and Compassion
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Openness, Honesty and Responsibility
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Teamwork
Throughout the recruitment process candidates will need to demonstrate they meet all of
Our Values.
More information on Our Values can be found by clicking on the link at the bottom of our
Careers website front page: www.careers.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
Section 5: General Information for Candidates
Data Protection Act 1998
Please note that any personal information obtained from you throughout the recruitment
process will be collected, stored and used in line with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Information will be available to the recruiting manager and to the Human Resource staff.
Counter Fraud
NHS Lothian is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end will
use the information you have provided on your application form for the prevention and
detection of fraud. It will also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing
or administering public funds for these purposes. More detail on this responsibility is on NHS
Lothian’s intranet (Counter-Fraud and Theft page) and further information is available on the
Audit Scotland website: www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/
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References
All jobs are only offered following receipt of two satisfactory written references. At least one
reference must be from your current/most recent employer, or your course tutor if you are
currently a student. If you have not been employed or have been out of employment for a
considerable period of time, you may give the name of someone who knows you well
enough to confirm information given and to comment on your ability to do the job.
Disclosure Scotland
Where a Disclosure or Protection of Vulnerable Groups Check is deemed necessary for a
post, the successful candidate will be required to undergo an appropriate check. Further
details on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders are available from the recruitment centre.
Work Visa
If you require a Work Visa, please seek further guidance on current immigration rules which
can be found on the Home Office website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visasand-immigration or visit our Careers website:
www.careers.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/Careers/OverseasWorkers/Pages/default.aspx
Overseas Registration and Qualifications
NHS Lothian will check you have the necessary professional registration, where appropriate.
If you require a qualification for this role but are not regulated by a professional body (e.g.
NMC, GMC, HCPC etc), you will need to provide an official translation, notarised by a
solicitor, of your overseas qualifications to be checked by the recruiting manager. Please
ensure that this is available before applying for this post.
Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
As a Disability Symbol user we recognise the contribution that all individuals can make to the
organisation regardless of their abilities. As part of our ongoing commitment to extending
employment opportunities, all applicants who are disabled and who meet the minimum
criteria expressed in the job description will be guaranteed an interview.
Terms and Conditions
For an overview of our Agenda for Change terms and conditions please click on this link:
www.msg.scot.nhs.uk/pay/agenda-for-change
Travel Expenses
Travel expenses are not normally reimbursed for interviews, if you are selected for interview
and wish to enquire about the possibility of being reimbursed then the request should be
directed to the recruiting manager or interview panel chair.
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Application Form Completion
The purpose of an application form is to help evidence that the applicant has all the
requirements applicable to carry out the job applied for.
Once in receipt of the application pack it is essential to read both the job description and
person specification to gain a full understanding of what the job entails and the minimum
criteria required.
Please note for equal opportunity purposes NHS Lothian do not accept CV’s as a form of
application.
For general help and advice on how to complete an application form please visit our careers
website:
www.careers.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/HelpAndAdvice/ApplyingForPosts/Pages/default.aspx
Section 6: Working in Edinburgh and the Lothians
NHS Lothian offers excellent career prospects and a wide range of job opportunities for
potential employees. It employs approximately 24,000 staff and offers training and
development opportunities as well as excellent staff benefits.
The information provided below aims to help support and guide both prospective applicants
and new employees unfamiliar with Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Edinburgh and the Lothians
Edinburgh and the Lothians are on the eastern side of Scotland’s central belt in the heart of
the country. Four main areas make up Edinburgh and the Lothians – Edinburgh, East, Mid
and West Lothian.
NHS Lothian serves a population of approximately 850,000 people living in and around
Edinburgh, Scotland’s historic capital city. The geographical area known as Lothian region
covers 700 square miles, comprising the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian and
West Lothian.
It is a region of exceptional beauty and contrast, from the splendour of Edinburgh to the
beauty and variety of the hills, countryside and coastline. The nearest major town outside of
Edinburgh is Livingston, a thriving location in the heart of West Lothian. As well as many
sites of historic interest, the region boasts a host of recreational activities for all ages.
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For further information on relocating Edinburgh please visit our careers website:
www.careers.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/AboutNHSLothian/Location/RelocatingToLothian/Pages
/default.aspx
Section 7: Workplace Equality Monitoring
NHS Lothian is committed to supporting and promoting dignity at work by creating an
inclusive working environment. We believe that all staff should be able to fulfil their potential
in a workplace free from discrimination and harassment where diverse skills, perspectives
and backgrounds are valued.
In order to measure and monitor our performance as an equal opportunities employer, it is
important that we collect, store and analyse data about staff. Personal, confidential
information will be collected and used to help us to understand the make-up of our workforce
which will enable us to make comparisons locally, regionally and nationally.
Section 8: Equal Opportunities Policy Statement
NHS Lothian considers that it has an important role to play as a major employer and provider
of services in Lothian and accepts its obligations both legal and moral by stating commitment
to the promotion of equal opportunities and elimination of discrimination.
The objectives of its policy are that no person or employee receives less favourable
treatment on the grounds of sex, disability, marital status, age, race (including colour,
nationality, ethnic or national origin), creed, sexuality, responsibility for dependants, political
party or trade union membership or activity, HIV/AIDS status or is disadvantaged by
conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.
Our Equal Opportunities in Employment policy can be viewed on our careers website:
www.careers.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/AboutNHSLothian/EqualOpportunities/Pages/default.as
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Section 9: Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers
If this post is a healthcare support worker position the post holder will need to follow the
Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers.
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A Healthcare Support Worker is defined as any healthcare worker working within NHS
Scotland who is not currently statutorily regulated or in a role that has been recommended
for statutory regulation by the Government.
The Code of Conduct sets the standard of conduct expected of healthcare support
workers and adult social care workers. It outlines the behaviour and attitudes that you
should expect to experience from those workers signed up to the code. It helps them
to provide safe, compassionate care and support.
For more information on the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers please read
the guidance: www.gov.scot/resource/doc/288853/0088360.pdf
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