Clinical Psychologist - Weight Management

Job content

Band 7 Clinical, Counselling or Health Psychologist Specialist Weight Management Service, 22.5hrs within a Tier 3 Specialist Weight Management multidisciplinary team. Committed to compassionate and respectful care for people with bigger bodies. Our service is psychologically informed, forward thinking and in a rapidly developing clinical area. The role will involve assessment, formulation and treatment, often of individuals with complex physical and psychological needs; care must be sensitively managed and trauma informed. Treatment is both individual and group. We also work with patients wishing to be considered for bariatric surgery and contributing to decisions regarding suitability, providing pre-surgery education and the longer term post-operative support. Musgrove Park Hospital is a recognised Centre of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery. We work with a level of clinical autonomy unlike some other services and there are regular opportunities to contribute to service development. We have strong links with the Exeter doctoral course and psychology is well respected by our medical, nursing and dietician colleagues.

Assessment of patients where psychology has been identified by colleagues as particularly pertinent.

Formulation of barriers to weight loss and psychological relationships with body/weight/eating behaviors often in the presence of ambivalence, ambiguity or dissociation and working around complex trauma.

Treatment: group and individual treatment; co-delivering our effective and well-received Understanding Eating Habits group and with potential to develop groups on building self-esteem / tackling self-loathing or another topic that is particularly pertinent. Individual work can involve ACT, Mindfulness, CFT, CBT, SFT and motivational Interviewing.

Teaching/training and shared facilitation of a supervision group of other health professionals

Resilience and flexibility are essential personal requirements, as is good humour, excellent interpersonal skills and an appetite for innovation. You will need to engage people who may not be convinced about the psychological elements with their weight, or with challenging defenses due to shame, stigma or complex trauma. You will need to have a sense of how to maintain a therapeutic relationship after a difficult conversations (e.g. not being referred for bariatric surgery) or challenging when you believe a patient may be simply telling you what they believe you wish to hear. The work is meaningful and rewarding and often is a patient’s first experience of talking about their mental health and/or lived experience.

As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts. The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone’s throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London. There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan – there is truly something for everyone.

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Emma Stapley Job title: Lead Clinical Psychologist - Bariatric Surgery Email address: emma.stapley@somersetft.nhs.uk Telephone number: 01823 34 3562