Clinical Psychologist in NeuropsychologyNHS

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join a thriving department of Psychological Medicine in a large University Hospital NHS Trust in a temporary capacity. We are looking for an enthusiastic and able individual to work in the adult clinical neuropsychology team.

Main duties of the job

As an integral part ofthe adult clinical neuropsychology team the postholder will provide neuropsychological assessment of patients referred within the Oxford Neurosciences Centre, by neurologists, neurosurgeons, clinical nurse specialists, GPs and AHP colleagues. This is a temporary 6 month post to provide cross-cover and waiting list management in the Adult Neuropsychology service.

The post holder will work closely with other health professionals (e.g.neurologists, neurosurgeons, clinical nurse specialists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists).

The post holder will be a valued member of the Psychological Medicine Centre which encompasses Clinical Health Psychology, Children's Psychological Medicineand Psychiatry.

Job description

CLINICAL

• Toundertake highly specialist neuropsychological and psychological assessment and communicate a clinical opinionto inform and/or develop a medical diagnosis and/or case formulation to guidepsychological intervention/consultation. Assessment will bebased on analysis interpretationand integrationofhighlycomplexinformation from a variety of sources including clinical interview, direct observation, questionnaire measures,neuropsychological tests,literaturereview,andpsychometric assessment -incorporatingmedical investigationsif relevant. To give an opinion based on this in cases where professional opinion may differ, and in which a judgmentmustbe made about the significance of data where data may be unreliable/missing.
• As an integral part ofcompletinga neuro/psychological assessment, to simultaneously exercise well-developed manual skills (i.e. accurate manipulation of a wide range of test materials, including physical materials),whereaccuracy is important and it is often necessary to take account of interfering factors (such as patient distractibility, or level of comprehension).
• To developspecialised plans for formal neuro/psychological intervention and/or management of the patients neuro/psychological difficulties, based on the individual assessment and formulation, and making use of an informed judgment of evidence of treatment efficacy and psychological principles.
• Tobe responsible for implementing a range of neuro/psychological interventions, within and across teams, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintainingseveralprovisional hypotheses.
• To evaluate and make decisions about treatment optionsconsideringboth theoretical and therapeutic models andhighly complexfactors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family,carersor group.
• To support the work of the multidisciplinary team, providing training,supervision,and consultancy asappropriate.
• To communicate effectively, empathically and clearly withpatients and family members regarding neuro/psychological or medical matters which will regularly be highly complicated (such as explanation of multi-faceted clinical formulations including neuro/psychological principles, medical factors, personal and family psychological factors, and the implications of these), highly emotionally charged (such as eliciting/discussing experiences of trauma or childhood abuse), and which may require managing difficulties in understanding (such as cognitive difficulties), or overcoming communicationchallengeswith patientswhoare experiencing high levels of anxiety, depressionor symptoms in keeping withenduring mental health difficulties.
• To communicate effectively and clearly with clinical colleaguesregarding neuro/psychologicalassessments and interventions by organizing andsharingthehighlycomplexinformation involved in a relevant and usable form in formal written and spoken reports, as well as in day-to-day liaison and consultation.
• In carrying out the duties of the post, to exercise very high levels of mental concentration for prolonged periods (for example in consecutive psychotherapy sessions or prolonged neuropsychological assessment), regularly requiring sustained emotional concentration (for example in communicating highly distressing news oreliciting/discussing experiences of trauma or childhood abuse), while sitting in a constrained position for extended periods.
• In carrying out the duties of the post, to cope with and managebehavioursthat challenge, including verbal abuse and risk of physical aggression (forexamplefrompeopleexperiencinghigh levelsof distressorenduring mentalhealth difficulties).
• To exercise standard keyboard skillsand use a computer as necessary for clinical work, including literature searches, word processing,developingandmaintainingtraining packs, information leaflets, inputting data, report writing,maintainingelectronic patient records and other tasks as necessary for the efficient running of the service.
• To record activity and outcome data as required byPsychological Medicine Senior Management Team

CONSULTATION

• To provideexpertise and specialist neuro/psychological advice and consultation to other professionals in relation to patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment,and care (for example advisingmedical teamsonpsychological principles andresearch oracting as consultant toMDTcolleagues inunderstanding andmanagingbehavioursthat challenge).

RESEARCHAND SERVICE EVALUATION

• To take responsibilityfor keeping up to date with relevant clinical research
• Toidentify,initiateand completeclinical research as a routine activity (including collaboratingactively withMDTcolleagues on research projects).
• Toconduct and co-operate in audit/service-related projects.
• To use computer software in developing and operating systems for storage and analysis of data and creation of reportsfor colleagues in relation to audit activities and clinical research.
• To supervise research and development activities of doctoralTrainee Clinical Psychologists, andStudentAssistant Psychologists asappropriate.

TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION

• Toparticipatein regular supervisionin accordance withgood practice guidelines and trust policy.
• Toparticipatein the trusts annualvalues-basedappraisal process.
• To attend all relevant mandatory training whenrequired.
• Tosupervise doctoralTrainee ClinicalPsychologistsandbe responsible fortheir trainingin all aspects of Clinical Psychology.
• To superviseStudentAssistantPsychologists as necessary, and any other psychologists or professional colleagues associated with the post.
• To provide teaching on Clinical Psychology on the Oxford Training Course in Clinical Psychology asappropriate.
• To provide teaching and training to other professional colleagues/staff groups on psychological matters asappropriate.

ADMINISTRATIVE/ORGANISATIONAL

• To attendlocalservice meetings, regional/national networkmeetings,andClinicalHealthPsychology meetings asappropriate.
• Tomaintainaccurateclinical notes and documentation for professional and legal requirementsin line withOUHFT policy.
• To take part in service/departmental policy implementation and development (byforexampleactively working on policy implementation, as well as raising issues and proposing and discussing changes).
• To plan andorganisethe work of trainees and assistants asappropriate, in addition to their own caseload, research and other responsibilities and liaise as necessary with other colleagues.

About us

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.

We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.

In 2023NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles

Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.

If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.