Psychosexual Service is an outpatient clinical service, part of the National Specialist Service Division, for adults aged 18 and over with no upper age limit. It specialises in treating people with chronic and persistent sexual problems. The service offers assessment and treatment for individuals and couples who are experiencing difficulties with their sexual functioning, where the primary cause is psychological, or where the psychosexual problem has developed as a result of physical pathology. We have expertise in treating people with a range of sexual dysfunctions and distress related to gender difficulties.
About the location:
You will be based at Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AZ
Our Trust headquarters is located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2). We also provide services and operate across other locations, such as London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; and substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Lambeth, Greenwich and Wandsworth.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to join the highly skilled and energetic Psychosexual Service team. This post, in a specialist service, offers good CPD and career development opportunities, and would be well-suited to candidates skilled in delivering psychosexual therapy to individuals and couples, and keen to take on roles relating to supervision, service development, research and teaching in the psychosexual field.
The role would suit an experienced, motivated and committed Counselling/Clinical Psychologist with established skills and experience to work with individuals and couples presenting with complex sexual problems. A successful candidate would have a proven record of delivering psychosexual therapy and be competent/accredited in at least one therapeutic modality e.g. CBT. Experience of working with sexual dysfunctions, problematic sexual behaviour, sexual trauma and issues around gender identity is required. Ability to discuss topics related to sex using appropriate language, in a calm and confident manner is expected. An active interest in conducting research in the area of sexual dysfunction and its treatment will be a significant advantage. Awareness and experience of working with neurodiverse clients will be expected.
About the team:
Psychosexual Service at SLaM:
We are a well-established friendly team of clinical and counselling psychologists, trainees and an Administrator. We pride ourselves on maintaining a cohesive and motivated team, where supporting each other in delivering excellent care to patients in a pressurised and challenging environment is a shared goal.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.
Job Purpose:
1. To work autonomously as a Senior Psychosexual Clinical or Counselling Psychologist within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service’s policies and procedures.
2. To deliver systematic provision of a highly specialist short and medium-term psychosexual therapy service to individuals and couples referred to the service.
3. To offer highly specialist advice and consultation to other health professionals.
4. To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development.
5. To implement teaching and training within the service and to outside agencies if required.
6. To contribute to policy development and implementation within the Service.
7. To undertake advanced and highly specialist continuing professional development in psychosexual therapy.
Communications and Working Relationships:
Communication with:
Clinical Service Manager
Clinical and Management supervisors
Other clinical colleagues
Business Administrator
Trainees
To work effectively within a multidisciplinary service setting
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1. To be responsible for the management and treatment, by psychosexual therapy, of patients with complex sexual problems, and manage difficult intimate situations with sensitivity, skill and an understanding of anatomy, physiology and psychology underlying sexual dysfunction.
KR 2. Manage, independently and autonomously, the organisation of highly complex clinical caseload in line with targets agreed with the Clinical Service Manager.
KR 3. To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry and recording (including patient journey).
KR 4. Undertake highly specialised assessments of referrals for psychosexual psychotherapy, under supervision, based upon knowledge, understanding, and the integration of psychotherapeutic concepts and evidence-based practice and the range of treatments available. This will involve a) determining whether psychosexual psychotherapy would be an appropriate treatment; b) when psychosexual psychotherapy is deemed the treatment of choice, formulating a care plan that recommends a mode of treatment, i.e. couple, individual, time-limited; c) communicate to patients, in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, including formulations of the patient’s difficulties and the basis for treatment recommendations; d) consult with and communicate to referrers and other clinicians a specialist psychosexual formulation of the patient’s difficulties, as well as recommendations for their future management and treatment. Where this is appropriate, recommend alternative treatment and support, taking into account other treatment options and therapeutic models.
KR 5. Undertake specialised risk assessments and risk management with individual patients in line with the principles of psychosexual psychotherapy and provide advice on aspects of risk to other clinicians and services, as necessary.
KR 6. Clinical Teaching, Training and Supervision: a) participate in planning, organising other teaching and training activities of the service such as workshops, conference presentations and lectures, as required; b) receive regular, clinical, management and professional supervision from a more senior psychotherapist according to professional and Trust guidelines; c) provide clinical supervision to junior and trainee psychologists for all aspects of their work; d) plan and undertake teaching and training of pre-and post-qualification psychologists or psychotherapists and specialised training to other professions as required.
KR 7. Liaise, as appropriate, with clinicians and managers outside of the service regarding clinical and other issues, while remaining within the psychotherapeutic boundaries and parameters.
KR 8. Research and Service Development: a) lead on/assist in the development and maintenance of a strong research culture in order to encourage the critical evaluation of practice and take part in ongoing research that may lead to publication. b) utilise theory, current literature and research to support evidence-based practice in direct clinical work, and in consultations with other clinicians and staff groups. c) keep up to date with advanced and specialist research in the field of individual and couple psychosexual psychotherapy regarding the understanding of human sexuality and development, and the principles of psychosexual practice. d) communicate, disseminate and share research information, as appropriate, with other clinicians, so that clinical practice is appropriately informed by current developments in the field. e) utilise research in the writing of academic papers, as an aspect of advanced and highly specialist continuing professional development.
KR 9. Clinical Governance: a) assist in the development, maintenance and dissemination of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD, training and development programmes. b) initiate and participate in audit, service evaluation and clinical outcome measures with colleagues within the service and the Trust to help develop and improve services to patients. c) work in accordance with the principles of psychosexual psychotherapy and within the parameters of good practice, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the clinical Governance Framework, and, where necessary, seek advice regarding these matters. d) maintain high standards of clinical and professional practice by undergoing continuous professional development in accordance with the requirements of the HCPC/COSRT/BABCP and the Trusts terms and conditions and the service’s Clinical Governance Framework.
KR 10. Assist in the continuing development of a high quality, responsive and accessible service, including advising clinicians and managers on aspects of psychosexual therapy when these interface with national and local organisational Trust issues.
KR 11. Contribute significantly to policy development and implementation within the Service.
