The post holder will provide high intensity interventions - initially cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in within the weight management service. To accept referrals and agreed protocols within the service and work as part of an MDT.
Adhere to agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered and clinical sessions carried out per week, in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient. To work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities
Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the specialist service.
Assess clients for suitability for psychological interventions in line with the specialist psychological model of care.
Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the department’s referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent, as necessary.
Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for patients within the Weight Management Service.
Use highly developed communication skills in working with people to understand their personal and often very sensitive difficulties, including maladaptive eating behaviours and associated psychological difficulties.
To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment and treatment of patients in the service.
Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying CBT and other psychological formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language, and promoting a holistic approach to care.
Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We’re currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.
Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
Work closely with other members of the multi-disciplinary team ensuring stepped formulation driven care is delivered to maintain a matched-care approach.
Assess and integrate issues surrounding the wider context of people's lives into the overall therapy process.
Carry out clinical audits of service performance, including service user surveys and evaluations, and help to collate and disseminate the results for feedback.
Liaise with other health and social care staff from a range of agencies in the care provided clients.
Provide specialist advice and consultation to other professionals / individuals / groups / committees across the Weight Management Service, Mental Health Trusts, Primary Care Trusts and other voluntary agencies regarding service matters related to the practice and delivery of specific agreed therapeutic modalities and service provision.
Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (e.g., BPS, UKCP, BABCP), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the Department of Health (e.g., NHS plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Clinical Excellence).
Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.
Be aware of and keep up to date with advances in the spheres of CBT and other psychological therapies in the within weight management services.
Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development (CPD).
Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with Manager and Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
Keep up to date all records in relation to CPD and ensure personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
Attend relevant conferences / workshops relevant to, relevant to CBT and Weight Management Services
in line with identified professional objectives.
Participate in service improvement by highlighting issues and implementing changes in practice.
