Practitioner PsychologistNHS

Job summary

Working differently. Changing lives.

The East Sussex Community MSK Persistent Pain Service hopes to transform how persistent pain is understood and supported.

We believe people are experts in their own lives. Rather than taking control, we work alongside them to build understanding, confidence and the skills to live well despite ongoing symptoms. This is not a traditional outpatient pain service.

We value curiosity, coaching, partnership and prevention.

If you are excited by working differently, building something new and shaping the future of community persistent pain care, we would love to hear from you.

We welcome applicants with experience in specialist assessment, formulation and intervention, including the delivery of pain management programmes for people living with persistent pain.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention for adults living with persistent pain within a multidisciplinary community persistent pain service.

A significant part of the role involves delivering and co-facilitating evidence-based Pain Management Programmes, alongside individual psychological interventions that support self-management, improve function and enhance quality of life.

The post-holder will work as an autonomous practitioner within professional guidelines and organisational policies and procedures. They will contribute to multidisciplinary assessment and treatment planning, provide consultation to colleagues, support service development and resilience, and participate in audit and continuous quality improvement activities.

Job description

Clinical Responsibilities

Assessment

• Undertake specialist person-centred assessment of patients referred to the MSK Persistent Pain Service to identify factors contributing to the pain and how this affects their life informed by NICE guidance and clinical practice.
• Develop comprehensive biopsychosocial formulations that draw on evidence-based approaches to consider how psychological, physical, social and occupational factors have contributed to and maintain difficulties. This will include lifestyle and daily activities (including work and sleep disturbance), physical and psychological wellbeing, stressful life events (including previous or current physical or emotional trauma, current or past substance misuse, social support and relationships and wider factors (housing, income, culture and faith).
• Utilise appropriate standardised psychometric and outcome measures, alongside clinical interview, history and other relevant information, to inform assessment, formulation, treatment planning and evaluation of outcomes.
• Explore current coping, skills, strengths and support, including attitudes and understanding of treatment options. Assess suitability for group-based and individual psychological interventions.
• Develop and document appropriate care and support plans, to support treatment planning (including the management of flare ups)
• Undertake specialist psychological triage and assessment of patients referred to the Community MSK Persistent Pain Service, including contributing psychological expertise to multidisciplinary assessment and decisions regarding suitability and appropriateness for individual or group psychological intervention.

Therapeutic interventions

• Deliver evidence-based psychological interventions for people living with persistent pain, including approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Compassion Focused approaches, mindfulness-informed interventions and behavioural pain management approaches.
• Promote self-management and rehabilitation principles, supporting patients to improve functioning and quality of life despite ongoing symptoms.
• Support patients to develop practical skills and confidence to manage persistent pain and flare-ups, reduce fear and avoidance, and engage in meaningful activities and valued life roles, including family, social, educational and occupational activities.
• Manage highly complex and emotionally challenging clinical presentations appropriately and safely.

Pain Management Programmes

• Lead and co-facilitate multidisciplinary Pain Management Programmes, including the design, development and delivery of psychoeducational and therapeutic group sessions.
• Contribute specialist psychological expertise to programme development, evaluation of outcomes and review of patient experience.
• Adapt programmes to meet the needs of diverse populations and individuals with protected characteristics and support the development of digital and hybrid delivery models where appropriate.

Multidisciplinary working

• Act as an active member of the multidisciplinary team, contributing to clinical discussions, MDT meetings and case reviews.
• Provide psychological consultation and guidance to colleagues managing individuals with persistent pain, working collaboratively across health and social care systems and supporting integrated care pathways and stepped-care models.

Risk management and safeguarding

• Assess and manage clinical risk in accordance with organisational policies, identifying and responding appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
• Escalate concerns regarding patient safety in line with procedures and maintain accurate clinical records and risk documentation.
• Support continuous quality improvement via logging and managing incidents on Incident Reporting System.
• Escalate risks and concerns via appropriate Governance frameworks

Professional leadership, training and supervision

• Provide specialist psychological consultation regarding the management of persistent pain and contribute to psychologically informed practice across the multidisciplinary team.
• Support the development of staff skills through teaching, training, supervision, mentorship and reflective practice, including assistant psychologists, trainee psychologists or other staff where appropriate.
• Where appropriate and within professional competence, contribute to the safe delegation of clinical and therapeutic activities to appropriately trained staff, providing appropriate guidance and oversight in accordance with organisational policy.
• Participate in regular clinical supervision in accordance with HCPC and professional standards, and provide placement supervision where appropriately qualified

Service development and audit

• Contribute to service evaluation, audit, outcome measurement and quality improvement initiatives, supporting the development of innovative psychological pathways within persistent pain services.
• Contribute to policy and pathway development, support implementation of national guidance and best practice, maintain awareness of current evidence relating to persistent pain, and disseminate learning within the service.

Professional responsibilities

• Work within HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and in accordance with British Psychological Society standards and professional codes of practice.
• Maintain registration as a Practitioner Psychologist, maintain continued professional development and evidence of reflective practice, and ensure practice is evidence-based and informed by current research.

About us

Here is a not-for-profit social enterprise, providing innovative healthcare to people within Sussex and beyond. We provide NHS commissioned healthcare including memory assessment and MSK services, alongside bespoke data analytics products and services. We work in partnership with a wide range of organisations to create and deliver outstanding personalised healthcare.

Positive about disability

Were committed to developing the careers of individuals with a disability. We will give full and fair consideration to all applicants. Applicants who confirm a disability that meet the essential criteria and evidence this within their application, will be interviewed.

Positive about diversity

Here value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We actively welcome applicants who identify as LGBTQ+, disabled, and people of the *Global Majority.

*People who identify as Black Caribbean, Black African, South Asian, East Asian, Middle Eastern or Latin.