Senior Applied Psychologist in Dudley StrokeNHS

Job summary

About the opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and collaborative Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to join our friendly, innovative and highly valued Clinical Health Psychology Service. This permanent Band 8a post is based at Cross Street Health Centre and provides psychological input across two linked services: the Dudley stroke pathway and the Community Neurological Rehabilitation Team.

You will work within a compassionate, psychologically informed multidisciplinary rehabilitation pathway. You will support people affected by stroke and other neurological conditions, and their families, at different stages of recovery and adjustment.

Main duties of the job

About the role

You will provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention for people with complex neurological rehabilitation needs. You will bring a senior psychological perspective to multidisciplinary decision-making and support psychologically informed care across the stroke and neurological rehabilitation pathway.

At Band 8a level, you will help shape and improve the service. You will provide consultation and joint working, facilitate reflective practice, support and teach staff, and contribute to audit, evaluation, quality improvement and service development.

About the service

Our Clinical Health Psychology Service helps people manage the psychological impact of physical health conditions and find meaningful ways to live well alongside illness. It delivers specialist physical health psychology services across Dudley, Wolverhampton, and Sandwell and West Birmingham.

Psychology is highly valued within the stroke and rehabilitation multidisciplinary teams. You will work alongside a Principal Psychologist and other applied psychologists, with support from a Consultant Clinical Psychologist through an established leadership, supervision and operational management structure. You will also join a wider network of psychological professionals working across physical health services.

Job description

1.0. Provides highly specialist psychological assessment of clients with highly complex conditions based on the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of data from a variety of sources, which may include neuropsychological testing.

1.1. Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of client harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice, reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the client. Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding the safeguarding of children who may be at risk.

1.2. Undertakes risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and provides specialist advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management.

1.3. Formulates plans for highly specialist psychological therapy and/or management of clients mental health conditions based upon an appropriate conceptual framework and evidence-based practice. Negotiates the implementation of such plans with clients and/or their carers.

1.4. Implements a range of highly specialist psychological therapies for individual clients, carers, families and groups, adjusting and refining psychological formulations as required.

1.5. Undertakes highly skilled evaluations and makes decisions about treatment options.

About us

What we offer

Regular supervision, appraisal and continuing professional development.

Peer learning, reflective practice and access to a broad professional network.

Opportunities to contribute to teaching, service development, audit, evaluation and quality improvement.

A supportive team using a range of therapeutic approaches, including CBT, ACT, compassion-focused, systemic, psychodynamic and third-wave approaches.

A strong commitment to staff wellbeing, innovation and compassionate care.

Who we are looking for

We welcome applications from psychologists with experience in physical health, stroke or neurological rehabilitation. We also encourage applications from clinicians in other specialties who can demonstrate transferable skills relevant to complex healthcare environments. We particularly value compassion, creativity, collaborative working and excellent communication skills.

Flexible working arrangements will be considered. Applicants are encouraged to discuss how the 14.25 hours could be arranged to support both service needs and individual circumstances.