Assistant Psychologists In The Community Adult Eating Disorder Service

A Vacancy at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.
There are a number of exciting opportunities within a growing, friendly and supportive Eating Disorder Service.
There are three full-time, fixed term contract posts available, each of 12 months' duration in the first instance:
• One nominally based at the Northgate Centre, Colchester
In the 'additional information' section of your application form and in no more than 200 words in total, please answer the following questions:
1) Why are you interested in working with Eating Disordered patients?
2) How would you support a patient who is struggling to complete their meal?
The postholder will be required to:
• Support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the service, across all sectors of care
• Provide psychological assessment and psychological interventions – including Guided Self-Help and CBT-T - under the supervision of a qualified Clinical psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified Clinical psychologist and within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures
• Support the department in undertaking clinically related administration, clinical audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
There is considerable current focus on and investment in Eating Disorders services, as supported by the Mental Health Investment Standard, providing the team with an exciting opportunity to transform the Eating Disorders service and this is part of a national vision, with many initiatives and much support within the East of England region.
General Duties:
• To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder’s professional and team/operational manager(s).
• To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.
• To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.
• To undertake specific administrative duties as required.
• To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade which may be required from time to time by their Manager.
• To cover the Housekeeper’s duties during periods of absence.
• To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.
• To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed
Clinical Duties:
• To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients applying psychological, including neuropsychological, tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members, and others involved in the client’s care.
• To assist in the supervision of meals on the unit and eating with service-users in the dining room to model appropriate eating behaviour, providing emotional support and encouragement.
• To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in an in-patient setting.
• To assist and to take the lead in the coordination and running of different therapeutic groups.
• To provide orientation to patients within the unit.
• To work with other staff to assess and review patients’ care and needs in preparation for multi-disciplinary goal planning and reviews.
• To attend and to contribute to appropriate multidisciplinary goal planning and other meetings.
• To produce patient reports and summaries under supervision and to maintain high record keeping standards.
• To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.
• To undertake therapeutic work following a protocol or clear instruction of a qualified psychologist.
• To take part in psychology group meetings as well as other team meetings as required
Teaching, training & supervision:
• To receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines and EPUT policy.
• To gain wider understanding of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.
• To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties
• To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care and to provide teaching to the wider community under supervision.
• To attend courses and training sessions that will benefit professional development.
Research and service evaluation:
• To be fully involved in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
• To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
• To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical Psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
This advert closes on Sunday 14 Jan 2024