Job responsibilities

The post-holder will be expected to:

1. Support the development of the Step 2 provision within a high pressured environment

2. Hold a reduced low intensity caseload and deliver evidence based interventions to clients in one-to-one and group settings

3. Be familiar with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and be committed to equal opportunities.

4. Develop, support and deliver training in innovative practice to Step 2 practitioners, and other workers qualified to act in Low Intensity worker role

5. To develop the service and provide awareness raising with colleagues from external statutory and non-statutory organisations

6. To take a lead role in a key area of Step 2 development across Talking Therapies Halton service, which may include work with long term conditions, older adults, or groups/courses

7. Support the development of links with Primary Care, Secondary Care, GPs and service users in non-statutory organisations, especially services supporting minority groups

8. Provide clinical case management, possible line management, and occasional clinical supervision to Step 2 Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and trainees

Qualifications

Essential

• A degree related to Mental Health e.g. Psychology
• Specific Low Intensity Worker / Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner qualification (e.g., Post Grad Certificate in Primary Care Mental Health Practice or equivalent)
• Registration with either the BABCP or the BPS

Desirable

• Training in a High Intensity Modality
• A qualification or experience in professional supervision

Skills

Essential

• The capacity to adapt core psychological approaches to the primary care culture, incorporating a range of skills to meet a broad spectrum of presenting issues
• Clinical risk assessment
• Ability to be self reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervision
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients
• Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships

Desirable

• Ability to carry out a range of evaluation and monitoring techniques
• Able to work through interpreters

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working with people with common mental health problems
• Ability to demonstrate a range of post-qualifying experiences (min 1 year) in offering and delivering the range of evidence based IAPT low intensity interventions such as guided self-help and group psycho-education
• Consolidated and reflective supervised post-qualifying experience in a community setting
• Experience of working with clients in a primary care setting
• Experience of 'partnership working
• Substantial experience of multi-disciplinary teamwork
• Experience of working with suicidal clients and of risk management
• Experience of working within the IAPT culture

Desirable

• Experience in drug/alcohol management
• Experience of supervising others within a therapy setting of helping profession such as social work nursing
• Experience of dealing with clients whose children are subject to Child Protection legislation
• Experience of co- working with general nurses and health visitors in a Primary Care setting
• Experience of screening, assessing and working with a wide spectrum of mental health issues and working with people with moderate common mental health problems
• Experience of audit and research
• Experience of and ability to provide mentor/supervisor role

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of different models of mental health/mental illness
• Understanding of models of assessment, screening, referral, record-keeping and evidence-based brief psychological intervention
• Knowledge of outcome measures and their use for clinical and audit purposes
• Knowledge of Child Protection legislation

Desirable

• An awareness of serious mental health presentations (psychosis, bi-polar)
• Evidence of further training in psychological interventions/therapy

Values

Essential

• Continuous improvement - committed to making improvements to our services for the benefit of all
• Accountability - taking ownership to anticipate, develop and deliver high quality care
• Respect - how we treat others in an inclusive and supportive way
• Enthusiasm - demonstrate our passion and pride for what we do and how we do it.
• Support - actively supporting others with compassion and courage

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This 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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).