Job summaryLivewell serves a population of approximately 262,000 in Plymouth. This is a new post and will support qualified psychologists within the complex needs and substance use service. As well as carrying an appropriate case load under supervision, the post holder will support development of the psychology service, including group interventions, staff support, research, and multi-agency links.The Livewell service consists of a multi-disciplinary team of medical doctors, non-medical prescribers, mental health nurses, social workers, assistant practitioners and senior drug and alcohol practitioners, offering a range of services, such as Opiate Substitute Treatments (OST) prescribing, case work for clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use problems, hostel outreach work, alcohol detox and MHTR services.The aim of the Complex Needs Team is to promote and inspire Recovery through offering specialist assessments, evidence-based interventions, treatment and care co-ordination to clients open to Harbour Drug & Alcohol Services who have complex mental health and substance misuse issues and which require an integrated treatment approach.Substance misuse services nationally are in a process of expansion with additional funding opportunities over the next 5 years, to improve the effectiveness of treatment and to help more people recover from dependence.Main duties of the jobWe are keen to embed trauma-informed care principles into our substance use services and this post will help drive this forward by contributing to the development of this new psychology service in line with Good Practice guidance.To undertake clinically supervised psychologically informed interventions with clients with problem substance use, complex trauma, psychosis, and other significant mental health problems as well as offending histories.To use psychological formulations and treatment plans to support multi-disciplinary colleagues in their work with clients and carers"please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility"All Livewell Southwest staff are expected to able and willing to work across a 7 day service.Job Share(s) ConsideredAbout usLivewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise providing integrated health & social care services for people across Plymouth, South Hams & West Devon, as well as some specialist services for people living in parts of Devon & Cornwall. With teams in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, health & wellbeing hubs.As an organisation with a strong social conscience, we always value being kind, respectful, inclusive, ambitious, responsible and collaborative. Transforming services to make them sustainable, ensuring that we value, support & empower each other.We are committed to involving the people we care for, families & carers in everything that we do, working towards co-production where we can. Helping us to deliver the right care for people, in the right place & at the right time. By putting people at the centre of what we do, we ensure to support people to lead, healthy independent lives & be the very best at helping people to live well.Valuing our employees making an investment in their development a priority. We offer:Protected CPD time for registered staffVarious development pathways and ongoing regular training packages for all staffLeadership & mentoring programmesAccess & funding for training including Care Certificate, Assistant Practitioners Course & Scholarship Into Nurse TrainingA Robust PreceptorshipA bespoke induction programmeExisting members of the NHS Pension Scheme can continue their membership when they join the organisation.Job descriptionJob responsibilitiesThe post holder will work principally from the citywide Complex Needs Team (CNT) base at Hyde Park House (Harbour Centre). Referrals are received to the CNT primarily from The Harbour Centre, and the psychology team provide psychological input for clients within the CNT as part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT).The post holder will support provision of a range of psychological interventions, including risk assessments and in supporting multidisciplinary colleagues, all of which will be carried out either jointly or individually, when appropriate, supervised by a Registered Psychologist.The post holder will also provide support to both quantitative and qualitative research projects alongside clinical audit.Please see attached job description.Person SpecificationQualificationsEssentialDegree with Graduate Basis for Registration with the British Psychological Society.Evidence of short courses relevant to psychological models or working with a vulnerable population.DesirableOther related academic qualifications to Masters or Doctoral levelOther relevant short courses such a Compassion Focused therapy/CBT trainingKnowledge and SkillsEssentialEffective team and co-working skillsAbility to reflect on and critically appraise own performancePlanning and decision making skillsComputer literacy including use of Excel, patient record systems such as Systm1Ability to work within a highly emotive environment and with highly sensitive informationAbility to apply psychological theories and research methods to practiceAbility to interact effectively with multidisciplinary colleaguesAbility to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and management at regular intervalsAbility to convey, both verbal and written, psychological formulations and conclusions about interventionAn understanding of the needs and difficulties of people in distress and with health difficultiesAbility to accept and use supervision appropriatelyUnderstanding of risk assessmentmental health difficultiesneeds and difficulties of people in distress and with mental health difficultiesAbility to effectively manage demands on your time, work under pressure and set priorities.DesirableAbility to train or teach othersDemonstrate a basic knowledge around one or more psychological theories applicable to this client group (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy and its applicationTo have conducted psychological assessments with vulnerable client/patient groupsAn ability to complete psychologically relevant observations of clients and report to a multi-disciplinary team meetingHigh standard of report writingSkills in assessment of riskResearch and evaluation skillsUnderstanding of current NICE guidelines/ health and social care polices relating to substance use and mental health servicesHigh level skills in the collection and analysis of complex data and data collection protocolsAbility to develop formulations under supervisionExperienceEssentialExperience of working as an Assistant psychologist/Research assistant/relevant clinical role not inclusive of any placements for 8months to 1yearExperience of applying psychology in direct work with othersExperience of working in a multi-disciplinary teamAbility to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health & substance use context.Relevant and substantive experience working with vulnerable client group in a health/care setting, at least one yearExperience of applying psychological models practically with people in a care or health settingDesirableExperience of working with adults with mental health difficultiesExperience of working with people with significant substance use difficultiesExperience of receiving clinical supervisionExperience of working or being with vulnerable client groupsExperience of designing and/or conducting audit and service evaluationExperience of running therapeutic groupsExperience of lone workingPersonalEssentialAble to sit and concentrate for prolonged periods during assessments, patient interviews, case conferencesAbility to deal with patients who may be distressed, angry, confrontationalAble to recognise and act appropriately with personal stressAbility to hold a non-judgemental stanceConfident and approachableDisclosure and Barring Service CheckThis post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).Employer detailsEmployer nameLivewell SouthwestAddressHarbour Centre (plymouth) LtdMutley PlainPlymouthPL46LFEmployer's websitehttps://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)