The Psychologist will work directly with the multi-disciplinary team and report into the Director of Nursing.
Summary
To work as a practitioner in providing psychology advice and guidance, goal setting, and achievement of goals to residents of Brampton Care Home. These may be residents of the ABI program or in the Residential Care Home
To maintain up to date records in line with professional standards.
To use evidence-based practise and specialist skills to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
To liaise with other health care professionals, carers and relatives. To provide education and training as required.
To actively lead the organisation of the health and social requirements of residents with neurological conditions and other complex trauma residents, as well as residents in the Nursing Home
To participate in CPD and other developmental activities.
To be part of the MDT and participate in the achievement of CARF accreditation for the residential rehabilitation service the person-centred long-term care accreditation and HIQA compliance.
Values
To put residents first in everything you do and put each resident’s needs at the centre of all decisions. To accept that some people need more help, and that not all goals will be realised, however, to strive to achieve the best possible results for each of your residents in all circumstances.
To value each person as an individual, respect their aspirations, beliefs, commitments, and seek to understand their priorities, needs, abilities and limitations. To take what others have to say seriously. To be honest about your point of view and what you can and cannot do.
To strive to improve health and well-being and people’s experiences of psychology. To value excellence and professionalism wherever you find it – in the everyday things that make people’s lives better as much as in clinical practice, service improvements and innovation.
To earn the trust placed in you by insisting on quality and striving to get the basics right every time: safety, confidentiality, good communication, professionalism and dependable service. To welcome feedback, learn from your mistakes and build on your successes.
To respond with kindness to each person’s needs, anxieties, pain, and desires. To search for the things you can do, however small, to increase each person’s quality of life.
Organisational
To demonstrate effective time management and organisational skills during management of own workload and to be able to adapt to an unpredictable work pattern on a daily basis.
To ensure timely communication of assessment findings, treatment, outcomes.
To keep accurate and up-to-date resident records, reports and statistics at all times in line with departmental, professional and legal standards.
To be responsible for complying with all mandatory training requirements.
To contribute to service developments.
To accompany residents in activities of daily living (public transport, local amenities), which involves close supervision and responsibility in an open environment.
To drive moderately to long distances.
Mental
To frequently use intense concentration for in excess of one hour for report writing, therapy assessments, treatments and teaching.
To communicate frequently with residents, carers and other healthcare professionals, about resident related issues often of a complex and sensitive nature.
Emotional
Frequently give encouragement and motivation to often poorly motivated and depressed residents and residents with severe communication, cognitive, memory and behavioural problems.
Often deal with residents with long-term illness, young residents with severe complex disability and residents with progressive and terminal illness.
Often having to discuss sensitive issues such as limited expectation from psychological interventions. To be able to convey sympathetically unwelcome news regarding functional progress and diagnosis and at times be the first person to give this information.
Sometimes dealing with death and bereavement.
Sometimes during the course of a week, deal with staffing issues such as organising cover due to staff sickness and supporting staff through resident related issues / incidents.
Very occasionally deal with complaints.
Working Conditions
On a daily basis work in isolation in a variety of settings including resident’s homes.
Occasionally deal with unpleasant smells and body fluids.
Occasionally deal with physically and verbally aggressive behaviour associated with brain injury and neurological pathology.
Staff Management
To provide supervision, advice and support to junior staff, therapy assistants, students and colleagues.
Where appropriate to be responsible for planning and organising associate and junior staff workload effectively with regards to resident management and use of therapist’s time.
Where appropriate to contribute to performance management and the appraisal process of junior staff and therapy assistants.
Oversee report writing of junior and associate staff and other non-clinical roles as appropriate.
To provide specialist spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals, to promote understanding.
Job Responsibilities
Providing specialised neuropsychological input to residents with a variety of neurological and complex conditions.
Monitoring, evaluating and modifying treatments in order to maximise progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
Ensuring comprehensive assessment, costing and rehabilitation of potential reports.
Provide support, consultation and advice on relevant psychological issues to residents and carers.
Contribute to goal planning an ensure that information is communicated on a frequent basis.
Demonstrate high level of clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice.
Frequently encourage residents and motivate them to reach their full potential.
Job Requirements:
A Bachelor's Degree and postgraduate in a related area and validated/accredited by the Department of Health.
PSI Accreditation and experience with ABI/Neurological challenges.
Undertake the required trainings for employment and your continued personal development.
The above list of roles and responsibilities is not meant to be an exhaustive outline of all duties held within the role, but instead reflect the core elements of what sets the Psychologist role apart. By signing this agreement, you are confirming that you are aware that there may be additional duties required during the performance of the role.
