Croydon Talking Therapies is seeking an experienced and innovative Step 2 Performance Lead to join our senior leadership team. This is a pivotal Band 8b role responsible for driving performance, quality, and clinical excellence across our Step 2 (Low Intensity) service.
You will provide strategic and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based interventions in line with national NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT) standards and key performance indicators (KPIs), including access, recovery rates, reliable improvement, and waiting times.
This is an exciting opportunity for a senior clinician with both CBT and PWP qualifications who is passionate about service improvement, workforce development, and delivering outstanding patient outcomes.
Develop the strategy to enable the Step 2 team to meet the nationally set targets around reliable recovery and reliable improvement
Plan and manage treatment capacity and demand to ensure that the nationally set targets around completed treatments and waiting times are met
To line manage the Step 2 8a Team Leads, and the Step 2 team, supporting their well-being and development and managing their performance
Lead with the help of the 8a Step 2 Team Leads the monthly step 2 meetings and LI supervisors meetings
To work collaboratively with the service lead to plan the future development of the service, and to lead specific service developments and new initiatives
To work with service users, referrers and other providers to improve existing services to clients and to develop new care pathways and services
To support the service lead in maintaining a strong, committed and motivated team
To work autonomously as a Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures.
To provide high quality specialist CBT supervision
The post-holder will work within the Croydon NHS Talking Therapies Service. The service consists of approximately 100 WTE clinical and administration staff providing a service across Croydon. The main service bases are at the Bethlem Royal Hospital and Central Croydon. This is a borough of high social and psychological needs with considerable cultural diversity. The service sees clients with a wide range of common mental health problems and varying levels of severity. Many clients present with multiple problems including social, housing and employment issues. The postholder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.
We operate a stepped care service model offering on-line CBT, guided self-help, groups and workshops as well as individual therapy (CBT and a range of other approaches) and offer treatment to Lambeth residents suffering from long term conditions. We offer clinical services on week days from 8am until 7:30pm. We have close links with our sister IAPT services within SLaM, with the IAPT training courses at the Institute of Psychiatry and University College London (UCL) and CADAT. The post holder will be required to work at least one late shift from 11:30 - 19:30.
Key Responsibilities:
PLANNING, MANAGING AND EVALUATING THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES WITHIN LAMBETH TALKING THERAPIES
Assessing the service need for a service area, and current and future capacity requirements
Monitoring and evaluating service activity and outcomes
Ensuring the effective use of resources through the design and refinement of efficient systems and processes of service delivery and the ongoing adoption of new ways of delivering car
TEAM MANAGEMENT
To agree job plans, performance targets and development goals with your team through the appraisal process, and monitor and support staff in their achievement
To foster a supportive and performance focussed team ethos through your interaction and communication with the team, your own behaviour, team meetings and supervision
To take responsibility for the wellbeing of your team, setting up formal and informal systems to identify issues and addressing them
SERVICE LEADERSHIP
To share responsibility for the direction and development of the service, taking an active role in the monthly service management meeting, leading team and whole team meetings
To provide regular reports on the activity and performance of your service area, and any issues that need attention
To identify aspects of the service which could be improved and initiate and implement service development projects.
CLINICAL
To provide expertise in a highly specialist clinical area which will contribute to the treatment of clients presenting with anxiety disorders or depression within an IAPT framework.
To deliver NICE recommended, formulation driven psychological interventions for depression and anxiety disorders, adapting interventions for the specific needs and clinical setting. Assess and integrate issues surrounding social support, voluntary work and employment into therapy.
TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION
To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist/psychotherapist according to BABCP/BPS/HCPC and Trust guidelines.
To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within Lambeth IAPT by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology, CBT, IAPT and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.
To provide professional managerial, and clinical supervision to HI CBT therapists, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, trainees, assistant psychologist and other junior staff members for all aspects of their work. This must include live supervision of therapist’s work.
RESEARCH & SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
Assist in the development and maintenance of a strong research culture that values the use of outcome measures as a way of improving clinical practice.
Encourage the critical evaluation of practice, and undertake research
Use theory and literature to support evidence-based practice in clinical work, supervision, teaching and consultations
Communicate and disseminate research and service evaluation information so that clinical practice is appropriately informe
PROFESSIONAL
Work as an autonomous professional and maintain standards of practice adhering to HPC or BABCP guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
To ensure Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS/BABCP/UKCP and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.
Be aware of advances in CBT, other psychological therapies and the IAPT programme.
GENERAL
To participate in business and professional meetings within the IAPT service and Croydon Directorate.
To lead investigations into Serious Untoward Events in other SLAM services as required
To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (such as challenging behaviour or abuse etc) and to support others involved in such situations.
