Clinical or Counselling Psychologist/Psychological Therapist

Job overview

Our Maternal Mental Health Service (MMHS) aims to provide specialist psychological assessment and interventions for individuals experiencing high levels of distress and/or complex mental health difficulties that have arisen in the maternity, neonatal or reproductive context. Such difficulties may include Post-traumatic Stress Disorder following birth, pregnancy/baby loss or separation and severe perinatal anxiety/fear of childbirth (tokophobia). Psychological approaches will be offered at the individual and group level through to teams, systems and community groups. The service aims to further develop and refine pathways in the following areas of local need, where these needs are not met in pre-existing services:

• Reproductive / perinatal loss (e.g. including loss of a baby through miscarriage, termination for fetal abnormality, still birth, and neo-natal death)
• Reproductive / perinatal trauma
• Severe Perinatal Anxiety / Fear / Tokophobia (fear of pregnancy/ childbirth)
• Parent-infant separation at birth (due to safeguarding concerns)

In addition to offering psychological interventions, there will be a strong focus on embedding universal trauma-informed care in wider community and maternity settings through training, consultation, supervision and staff support. The service aims to tackle barriers that may prevent women/birthing people from getting the support and treatment for mental health difficulties that have arisen as a result of their reproductive/maternity journey.

Main duties of the job

The principal purpose of this job is to improve the psychological health and wellbeing of women / birthing people using the Cornwall Maternal Mental Health Service (MMHS)

To have shared responsibility in providing a trauma informed, compassion focused psychological service for women presenting with a range of complex and severe mental health problems primarily relating to perinatal/reproductive trauma, loss or separation.

Carrying a specialist caseload of clients, and providing highly specialised trauma informed psychological assessment, formulation and therapeutic interventions including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and/or EMDR to service users and their families.

To make highly skilled evaluations and decisions about assessment, treatment and discharge, including the management of risk. Formulating and implementing specialised plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of people referred to the service, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the client’s problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings.

Working collaboratively and providing advice, consultancy, training and guidance to colleagues and other agencies across the Maternal Mental Health Pathway.

Attending clinical meetings, case reviews and case conferences as appropriate

To maintain accurate and up-to-date clinical records.

To demonstrate awareness of diversity and social/health inequality issues.

Working for our organisation

We’re an NHS community and mental health provider Trust based in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We deliver community and hospital-based care to improve people’s physical and mental health. We also provide specialist support to people with dementia or a learning disability.

We are a people organisation and people matter to us. As part of the team, you’ll help support the health and wellbeing of the people who live and visit this beautiful part of the UK.

Over 4,000 people make up the Trust. This includes doctors, nurses, therapists, plus admin and support staff.

We work in people’s homes, in community clinics and bases. Some staff work from one of our 13 community hospitals. Our aspiration is to have great people, provide great care, be a great place to work and a great partner.

Approximately 568,000 people live here. A third of people who live in Cornwall are supported by acute hospital services in Devon. As a result, we also work closely with our partners in Devon. In the summer, and during other holidays lots of people choose to visit the area. This increases the numbers of people who use our services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To view a detailed job description and person specification including the main responsibilities of this role please see ‘supporting documents’.

At Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust we are proud to prioritise the development of our people. To support this, the following opportunities are available:

• Career conversations and individual development plans for succession planning and talent management
• Protected CPD time for registered staff
• Access to a dedicated central development fund supporting CPD for all staff
• Leadership and Management development programmes
• Coaching and mentoring opportunities
• A full clinical induction programme for operational skills
• Access to a care certificate programme for our band 1-4 clinical staff
• A bespoke and robust preceptorship programme to support newly qualified staff
• Individual professional development programmes

Being part of a successful NHS Foundation Trust brings a portfolio of rewards and benefits for our staff. These include:

• Suite of health and wellbeing initiatives to support our colleagues physical and mental health
• Free access to individual HARP portfolios to support revalidation for nursing staff
• Free DBS checks where required
• Discounts available from retailers, UK hotels and main attractions
• NHS Pension Scheme
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• The Trust reimburses all application costs for staff eligible to apply for EU settlement status.

The Trust reserves the right to close this advert once a sufficient number of applications have been submitted. It is encouraged that you complete the application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage of the recruitment process you will be contacted via TRAC.jobs email regarding interview details.

We are committed to diversity and equality of employment including the employment of current and former service users.

If you are successful, you agree to Occupational Health accessing your health records from your current or previous employer to check the status of your inoculations and screening tests. Appointments are subject to full three year satisfactory references therefore please ensure you include correct contact details for your nominated referees including email addresses.

Any general recruitment queries, please contact our recruitment team on 01208 834644

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.