Clinical / Counselling Psychologist or Allied Health Professional

Essential

• Doctorate in Clinical / Counselling Psychology or equivalence (statement of equivalence and able to demonstrate eligibility for BPS CPsychol (Chartered Psychologist) or allied professional with experience in MBT
• HCPC registration or equivalent (for Allied Health Professionals)

Desirable

• Training in MBT
• Further training in a therapeutic modality relevant to personality disorder

Essential

• Experience in working with patients with complex personality presentations (i.e. 'Personality Disorder') and/or risk of self-harm.
• Experience of delivering therapeutic interventions to individuals with Complex Emotional Needs.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team offering support to adults with severe and enduring mental health problems.
• Experience of group work.

Desirable

• Experience of delivering training/consultation and providing clinical supervision.
• Work within at least two therapeutic modalities.
• Experience of the application of psychology/therapy in different cultural contexts

Essential

• Skills in psychological assessment, intervention and management, including the use of theoretical models to develop formulations upon which to base choice of treatment.
• Skills in the effective communication of technical and/or clinically sensitive information to a wide variety of recipients in a range of settings within and outside the NHS, including the ability to produce comprehensive and coherent letters, reports and associated documentation.
• Skills in the assessment of risk for patients with mental health problems and specifically for patients with complex Emotional Needs
• Capacity to work calmly and thoughtfully when working with traumatic psychological issues, demonstrating an awareness of the sensitivity and unpredictability of patients with complex needs, and a capacity to tolerate the strong emotions evoked by such work
• Knowledge and understanding of diagnosis of Personality Disorder.
• Evidence of CPD
• Competence in advanced IT packages including keyboard skills.
• Ability to provide a culturally-competent and non-stigmatising service including an awareness of the potential impact of discrimination and disadvantage on mental health.
• Knowledge of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult - to - treat groups (e.g. complex needs, self harm, personality disorder/psychosis, dual diagnosis, persons with additional disabilities etc).

Desirable

• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Some knowledge and understanding of psychoanalytic models and developmental processes associated with Personality Disorder (eg: Transference Focused Psychotherapy (TFP), Mentalization-based Treatment (MBT).

Essential

• Ability to manage effectively verbal aggression and abuse from service users, carers etc, and the risk of physical aggression.
• Demonstrably respectful approach to service users, carers, colleagues, other professionals and professional contacts. Willingness to negotiate and ability to handle confrontation effectively and professional