Job summary An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Assistant Psychologist to join the Northampton Memory Assessment Services (MAS) within Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT).
The post will provide the successful candidate with a balance of experience within assessment of dementia and post diagnostic support for people with dementia.
Our services have regularly been successful in aiding our Assistant Psychologists to gain a place on the Clinical Doctorate and this is the reason that this post has become available.
We request that applicants write a short piece (no more than 500 words) entitled: "What are the psychological needs of people going through the process of dementia assessment?"
and include this in their supporting information.
Main duties of the job The post holder will work within an enthusiastic multidisciplinary team to: Offer enhanced neuropsychological assessment for more complex presentations within the MASCo-facilitate supportive and psycho-educational groups and workshops to help people who have received a dementia diagnosis, and their carersOffer cognitive-behavioural therapy-based guided self-help on an individual basis to help address symptoms of depression and anxiety with people who are going through the process of dementia assessmentCollaborate in using outcome information to inform and develop good practiceHelp develop systems and audit projects to allow any data collected to inform Trust management, commissioners, users and other relevant stakeholders of the needs of this population We would like to recruit staff who are committed and dedicated to working with Older People.
About us NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community.
Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible.
This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools.
We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
Job description Job responsibilities For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading.
The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.
Person Specification Training & qualifications Essential An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society Desirable Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Previous experience Essential Work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
Desirable Experience of working with individuals with neurological impairment.
Experience in leading or co-facilitating groups.
Knowledge & skills Essential High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context.
An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
Desirable Experience using microcomputers for databases or data-analysis, especially SPSS for Windows.
High standard of report writing.
Ability to complete cognitive and neuropsychological assessments.
Ability to score cognitive assessments and write reports under the supervision of a suitably qualified Psychologist Personal Essential An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
Ability to manage physical demands of extended psychometric and other psychological assessments.
Other Essential Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
Desirable A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology.
Short statement completed Essential Shows a good level of understanding of the psychological needs of someone going through assessment