Job Title

Our Clinical Health Psychology team is seeking a Principal Practitioner Psychologist to work within the East Sussex Healthcare Trust (ESHT) Critical Care Service (Eastbourne District General Hospital and Conquest Hospital, Hastings). Psychology is well integrated within the Critical Care Service in this Trust, and much valued. You will have the opportunity to work across the pathway which offers varied work and opportunities, such as: inpatient and outpatient work, MDT-working, teaching, staff support and reflective practice. We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced clinician with a passion to work as part of an acute medical team, and seek someone with prior experience of clinical health psychology and of working with psychological trauma, grief and loss. You will join a welcoming and skilled clinical health psychology team in SPFT, and a local network of psychologists working in Critical Care in the South East. You will have the opportunity to contribute to the experience of supervising trainee psychologists, consultation and teaching with physical healthcare staff teams, and to be involved in the continuing development of the service. Main duties of the jobThis is an opportunity to gain experience with a variety of roles due to the nature of the medical context, psychological ways of working. The core elements are: Assessment of and, as appropriate, therapy for patients admitted to critical care and/or their relatives, experiencing significant psychological distress associated with critical illness or due to the critical care environment Offering ongoing 1:1 therapy to patients discharged from critical care, and/ or their relatives, drawing on a range of psychological theories & models Attending the weekly critical care rehabilitation team meetings to support the development of individualised, psychologically informed 'rehab prescriptions' (NICE Guidance: Critical Care Rehabilitation) Consultation with the critical care staff to support care of complex patients Support 'signposting for critical care colleagues experiencing psychological distress associated with their work role Teaching & training with physical healthcare colleagues in critical care Receiving regular supervision from the lead psychologist, & providing supervision (as required) to trainee clinical psychologists Contributing to service development / reviews Attending the wider monthly clinical health psychology meeting when appropriate / biannual away days for peer support from fellow clinical health psychology colleagues working across a range of medical & occupational health settings About usSussex Partnership Trust provides mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex and is rated good overall and outstanding for caring by the Care Quality Commission. Recent positive staff survey results include: 70% highlighting flexible working opportunities as a key point for satisfaction at work 79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work within their team 77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their roles Working in Sussex: Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns there's always new experiences to be enjoyed Embrace the city life with great access to visit Brighton and London With easy access to Gatwick and Heathrow and excellent railway links across the UK there is plenty of opportunity for adventure Clinical Health Psychology: You will join a Trust wide Clinical Health Psychology Team. This is a supportive team of professionals working into different physical health settings and services. We work hard at supporting and caring for one another. As part of our team you will be offered opportunities for continuing professional development and peer support. Job responsibilitiesAs the Principal Practitioner Psychologist, you will be a member of the East Sussex Healthcare (ESHT) Critical Care team and the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's Clinical Health Psychology team, which provides leadership, governance, and supervision for the role on behalf of ESHT. The role requires on-site working, with occasional remote therapy sessions possible. To join us, you should: Be passionate about supporting critical care patients and/or their relatives with understanding and managing psychological experiences of critical illness, recovery, and care; Be confident working with clinical professionals and communicating complex psychological concepts clearly; Be compassionate about supporting critically unwell individuals or their loved ones; Understand the impact of 'hidden illness', long-term recovery, and psychological sequelae such as grief, loss, trauma reactions; Possess knowledge and skills in applying psychological theories and practices in physical health contexts; Stay informed about the latest evidence base and national strategies in critical care. Knowledge/Experience (Essential)Post-graduate/doctoral training in applied psychology approved by HCPC; Experience working with a range of models including psychopathology, psychometrics, multiple therapies, and lifespan development psychology; Extensive experience with patients with diverse mental health presentations and working within multidisciplinary teams; Experience managing and supervising clinical staff, including trainees. DesirableExperience in critical care settings; Experience working with grief, loss, and trauma; Experience in physical healthcare settings. For more details, contact Dr. Susan Hennessey at susan.hennessey@. Person SpecificationQualificationsPost-graduate doctoral training in applied psychology approved by HCPC; Registered Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC. Knowledge/ExperienceSignificant experience as a qualified psychologist; Experience across various client groups and care settings; Knowledge of research methodology and relevant legislation; Specialised knowledge of psychological therapies and assessment techniques; Continuing professional development and supervision training. Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis post is subject to DBS checks due to the nature of the role.#J-18808-Ljbffr