Job Advert
NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.
This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/ record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.
Clinical Psychologist Band 8a – West Lothian Psychological Approach Team (WeLPAT) (Lothian Older People’s Psychology Service)
We are recruiting to a permanent 1.0wte Band 8a Clinical Psychologist post based within our West Lothian Older People’s Mental Health Service and the postholder will act as the Clinical Lead for the West Lothian Psychological Approach Team (WeLPAT); a multi-disciplinary team which includes Psychology, Mental Health Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Psychiatry input.
WeLPAT provides a direct clinical service to Care Homes in West Lothian primarily offering assessment and individualised interventions to reduce distressed behaviour in people with dementia in addition to the provision of a staff training programmes including routine delivery. The post holder will be supported by a full time Assistant Psychologist and WeLPAT has funded administrative support.
The post holder will be responsible for the management of a specialist caseload and the appropriate allocation and organisation of clinical caseload to other members of the WeLPAT team. You will provide clinical supervision and support in relation to the assessment and formulation-led interventions provided by multi-disciplinary clinicians working in WeLPAT, in addition to newly qualified and trainee psychologists, assistant psychologists and other staff within the designated clinical area. There will be delegated responsibilities for providing psychology teaching, training, consultancy and supervision within a governance structure in addition to undertaking audit and research relevant to the service area. The post holder will also have responsibility for the planning, co-ordination, delivery and evaluation of the local ‘Stress & Distress’ training plan to care homes in West Lothian and will therefore include a significant proportion of time delivering training alongside other members of WeLPAT and LOPPS. The post holder will be responsible for the co-ordination of WeLPAT research, audit and service evaluation activity.
The Lothian Older People's Psychology Service (LOPPS) provides a highly specialist clinical psychology service across the NHS Lothian area to adults predominantly aged 65 and over and includes those of any age with a diagnosis of dementia. The post holder will be professionally and operationally line managed through LOPPS and you will join an established, supportive wider team of psychologists and therapists working with older people. You will therefore have support, supervision and regular contact with other members of LOPPS who are working with similar clinical teams and will be part of a group delivering on a wider workforce training plans in responding to stress and distress in dementia in our care homes and ward settings consistent with national dementia strategy. Your own direct line management, supervision and support will be provided by the Professional Lead for Older Adult Psychology
You must have an Honours Degree in Psychology and a Post Graduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and be registered with HCPC as Applied Psychologist or be eligible for registration.
Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for additional detail. However, should you wish to discuss the post, please contact either, Dr. Donna Gilroy, Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Professional Lead for Older People’s Psychology (01506 524095/0131 537 6901)