NHS FORTH VALLEY
Application pack
Guidance for completing the NHS Scotland
application form
If you need this, or any of the attached forms in large print
or other formats please call our recruitment office on
01786 431186.
General guidance
 if you have any questions or need some help with completing
the form, please call 01786 431186. Please have the job
reference number handy if possible
 use black ink and please write in BLOCK CAPITALS. This
makes the form much easier to read and clearer if we need
to photocopy it
 the job reference number can be copied from the job advert
 the job location will be on the job advert
 the candidate number will be written in by us once you have
returned the form to our office
 the people who look through your completed form short
listing team to see if you have the skills and abilities needed
for the job, will only see ‘Part C’ of the form. They will only
see your candidate number and all personal details will be
anonymous
 Please do not send in a CV instead of, or as well as, the
application form. We do not consider CVs during the
selection process
 Please fill in all sections of the application form. If some
parts are not relevant, write ‘not applicable’ or ‘N/A’ in that
space
 Do not put your name or any identifying information on your
application as this information needs to remain anonymous.
Should you require more space to complete any section,
please do this on additional sheets of paper securing them to
the relevant sections.
Personal Details section
 this gives us your contact details such as name and address.
Under ‘title’ you would put either Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr or just leave
blank if you prefer
 we may need to contact you at some time throughout the
recruitment process. Please let us know the most suitable
method of contacting you, for example a text message, email
or phone call
Declarations
 only if this is asked for in the details/information pack
about the job, you must tell us about all convictions and
cautions regardless of how long ago the offence may have
occurred. Convictions from other countries must also be
notified. If in doubt please call our office at the help line
number on page one of this guidance
 please note that having a conviction will not automatically
disqualify you from getting a job with us.
Careful
consideration will be given to the relevance of the offence to
the particular post in question.
However, if you are
appointed, and it is found that you did not reveal a previous
conviction your employment may be terminated
 remember to read, consider and sign the declaration at the
bottom of page(2)
 NHS Forth Valley complies fully with the Code of Practice,
issued by Scottish Ministers, regarding the correct handling,
holding and destroying of Disclosure information. Please
contact the Recruitment Services Department if you would
like to request copies of our policies on Recruitment of Ex
Offenders or Handling, Holding and Destroying disclosure
information.
Qualifications section
 please tell us of any qualifications you have. This can
include school standard grades, GCSEs, highers, or work
based qualifications such as SVQs or NVQs
 remember to write down any ‘non formal’ qualifications or
certificates that you think are relevant to the job you are
applying for
Present (or most recent) post section
 if you are currently out of work, please write this in the ‘job
title’ space
 please write your start date in month/year format MM/YYYY
 please tell us briefly about your duties (what you do or did in
your job). You could tell us your role, the main tasks, and
any responsibility for supervising others. There is not a lot of
space here so continue on a separate sheet if you need to
Employment History section
 this is where you write down all the jobs you have done
previously
 remember that if a job you have done in the past supports or
is similar to the job you are applying for, please tell us more
about it in your ‘support of application’ statement on page 6
of the application form – use a separate sheet if you need
more space
References section
 referees are people who know you at work. Please give the
full names and addresses of 2 referees, one of whom must
be your present or most recent employer and can confirm
your job details
 you should check that the people you have put on your
form are happy to be referees
 your referees will not be contacted unless you are a
‘preferred candidate’ after interview. A preferred candidate is
someone who is the preferred choice for the job, subject to
satisfactory checks where appropriate
Driving Licence
 you only need to complete this if the job requires you to
drive.
Please check the job description or person
specification. For example, some jobs with the Ambulance
Service require you to be able to drive class C1 and D1
vehicles
Where did you see the advert section
 please try to remember where you heard about this job, and
tick the relevant box. The information you give will help us
find out how good our advertising is
Equal opportunities monitoring
 please note that all details on this section (Part D) will remain
totally anonymous. It will be detached from the rest of the
form as soon as we get it and remain anonymous
 we want to ensure that there are no barriers to joining our
workforce.
As an employer, NHSScotland is as fully
inclusive as possible. One way we can ensure this is to
analyse all the data provided in this section and ensure that
job opportunities are being accessed by as wide a
community as possible.
Please email your completed application form to
FV-UHB.Recruitment@nhs.net
Postal Applications
If you post your application form, please ensure that the
correct amount of postage is paid, as this may result in a
delay in your application reaching us and we will be unable to
progress your application if it is received after the closing
date. Postage costs can be obtained from the Post Office or
visiting http://www.royalmail.com/price-finder
Please note there are no reception facilities at Euro House.
PLEASE NOTE FAILURE TO COMPLETE AND RETURN THIS FORM WILL
RESULT IN YOUR APPLICATION NOT BEING PROCESSED
Internal Candidate Mandatory Declaration
This post is open to current NHS Forth Valley employees ONLY.
Please confirm you are currently employed by NHS Forth Valley by ticking this
box and completing the fields below.
Job Reference: _________________________________
Payroll No:
__________________________________
Print Name:
___________________________________
Signature:
___________________________________
Date:
____________________________________
COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS CAN BE EMAILED TO
FV-UHB.Recruitment@nhs.net
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE NO RECEPTION FACILITIES AT EURO
HOUSE.
First save this form under another name. To complete this form, point
your mouse arrow on to the highlighted portions OR use your tab key to
move between the highlighted fields and start typing. You must
complete the application form in full as we do not accept CVs.
PART A
Application for (Job Title)
Job Reference
No:
Location:
Candidate ID No:
No applicant will be unfairly discriminated against. We are particularly alert to
eliminating discrimination on account of age, cultural/religious/political belief, disability,
ethnicity, gender, race, relationship status, sexual orientation, and/or Trade Union
membership or stewardship.
Only 'Part C' of this form will be made available to short-listing panels. Parts A,
B and C would then be used by the interviewing panel if you are selected for
interview.
Personal Details
Surname:
Forename:
Name known:
by (if different)
Address:
Title:
Post Code:
Contact Telephone Numbers:
Day:
Evening:
Mobile:
E–mail:
address (if we
may
this):
If
we use
need
to, the best way for us to contact you is by:
Work Permit
Do you need a work permit to take up this post?
Yes
No
Working in the UK
Are you eligible to work in the UK?
Yes
No
Job Reference No:
Job Reference
Number:
Candidate
ID No:
Declarations
PART B
Convictions
NHS Scotland is exempt from the 1974 Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exclusions &
Exceptions) (Scotland) Order 2003. This means that unless stated in the job
description, person specification or application pack, you must tell us about any
previous convictions either classed as ‘spent’ or ‘unspent’. If you are offered employment,
any failure to disclose such convictions could result in dismissal or disciplinary action. Any
information you give will be considered only in relation to the post for which this application
form refers. Information will be verified by Disclosure Scotland for relevant posts.
I declare that I have:
(a) No previous convictions
(b) Previous convictions – details of which are:
Please read the following statements. You will be asked to sign a declaration if you are
appointed:

I have completed Parts A to D of this application form and the details I have
supplied are, to the best of my knowledge, true and complete;

I understand that if appointed to this post the information on this form will be kept
as part of my personal file record;

I authorise you to obtain references to support this application if I am identified as a
preferred candidate;

I understand that details of educational qualifications, membership of professional
bodies and referee reports may be verified through the establishments and
individuals I have indicated;

I consent to my details being kept confidentially and used for specific and lawful
purposes as specified in the Data Protection Act 1998;

I declare that I have no previous convictions, or have identified any I have above.
Read, agreed and understood (check box)
Date:
Application for (Job Title):
PART C
Job Reference No:
Location:
Candidate ID No:
Qualifications Achieved
Subjects
Type of Qualification
eg. Standard Grade, GCSE, Higher, BSc
Qualifications Currently Studying or Working Towards
Type of Qualification
Subjects
eg. Standard Grade, GCSE,
Higher, BSc
Membership of Professional or Regulatory Bodies
Full name of organisation(s)
Registration Number
Grade Achieved
Grade
Anticipated
Date
Anticipated
Renewal Date
Job Reference No:
Candidate ID No:
Present (or most recent) Post
PART C
Job Title:
Grade:
Date of Starting Grade:
Employer:
Dates of Employment:
From:
To:
Reason for Leaving (if applicable):
Notice Period:
Current Salary:
Role Purpose / Summary of Responsibilities
Employment History
Start with your most recent employment first and work down the page. If a job supports
the position applied for, please say more about it in your Application Support Statement.
Job Title
Employer
Date From
Date To
Job Reference No:
Candidate ID No:
Referees
PART C
Your referees will include your present (or most recent) employer. Please identify below
the person in your organisation (for current NHS staff this is your direct line manager) who
is authorised to confirm your employment and the details given in your application. Please
identify a second referee who may have closer knowledge of your skills, knowledge and
abilities and who may offer opinion on your suitability for this post. You should not use
family members or friends. Our pre-employment screening also includes, where
appropriate, health and fitness for work, criminal records, qualifications and professional
registration. Note that references will only be taken up for Preferred Candidates
following interview.
Name 1:
Designation:
Address:
Post Code:
Telephone:
Name 2:
Email:
Designation:
Address:
Post Code:
Telephone:
Email:
Disability
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and Amended Regulations 2005 defines disability as
follows: “any physical or mental impairment which has a substantial adverse effect on a
person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities”. NHS Scotland is “Positive About
Disabled People”, and as such we provide job opportunities for disabled people. NHS
Scotland operates a Job Interview Guarantee (JIG), which means that if you have a
disability, and meet the minimum criteria outlined within the person specification, you
will be guaranteed an interview. However, some disabled people prefer not to take this
option, so please tick your preference if you are a disabled candidate.
Do you want to participate in the guarantee scheme?
Yes
No
Please specify any special requirements you require if attending for interview,
eg. Induction Loop, Wheelchair Access, Signer
Driving Licence (see Job Description - only complete if a driving licence is essential)
Do you have a driving licence?
If yes, which categories are you entitled to drive,
eg. B, BE, C
Yes
No
Job Reference No:
PART C
Candidate ID No:
Statement in Support of Application – please tell us your personal qualities, skills and
attributes, experience and any major achievements and show how they match those
needed for this job.
Where did you see the Advertisement for this Post?
Newspaper (which one?)
Professional Journal (which one?)
Vacancy Bulletin
SHOW (NHS Scotland Website)
Job Centre Plus
Other (please specify)
Job Reference No:
Candidate ID No:
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
PART D
We want to ensure that our job opportunities are open to all. The only way we can ensure
there is equal opportunity is to monitor applications we receive and compare the profile of
people who apply with those appointed. Therefore this form asks you for your ethnic
origin, gender, disability, religion, sexuality and age. The information you provide in
this part of the form (Part D) is confidential and is not used in the selection process.
It will be separated from the rest of the form when we receive it.
1) If you are currently an employee of this NHS Board, will getting this job be a
promotion?
Yes
No
2) You are:
Female
Male
3) Have you undergone, are you undergoing or do you intend to undergo gender
reassignment? For example, this includes having changed your sex (gender)?
Yes
No
Prefer not to say
4) What is your age?
I am
years old, and my date of birth is:
5) Do you have a physical or mental health condition or disability that:


Yes

has a substantial effect on your ability to carry out day to day activities?
has lasted or is expected to last 12 months or more?
No
Prefer not to say
If you answered ‘yes’ please tick if it is either of the following:
Learning Disability
Long standing illness
Mental health condition
Physical impairment
Sensory impairment
Other (please describe):

Again, if yes, please describe any particular arrangements you would need for your
work location:
(Continued on next page)
Job Reference No:
PART D
Candidate ID No:
6) What is your ethnic group?
Choose one section from A to F, then tick the appropriate box to indicate your cultural
background
A: White
Scottish
Irish
Other British
Any other White background
B: Mixed
Any mixed background
C: Asian; Asian Scottish; Asian British
Pakistani
Indian
Bangladeshi
Chinese
Any other Asian background
D: Black; Black Scottish; Black British
Caribbean
African
Any other Black background
E: Other ethnic background
Any other background
F: Prefer not to answer
7) To which religion, religious denomination or body do you actively belong?
(Christianity) - Church of Scotland
Hinduism
(Christianity) - Roman Catholic
Sikhism
Christianity (other)
Judaism
Other faith / belief
Islam
Buddhism
No religion (none)
Prefer not to answer
8) Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation?
Bisexual
Gay Man
Heterosexual
Lesbian/Gay Woman
Other
Prefer not to answer
NHS Forth Valley
Adult Psychology Service
Clinical Psychologist in Primary Care
Part-time 22.5 hours per week, Fixed Term/Secondment Opportunity for
2 years
Band 8a, Salary: £39,239 - £47,088 per annum pro rata
Ref: 1113638
We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic clinical psychologist to a 0.6 WTE
post providing psychology input to our Primary Care service. The post will
provide a great opportunity to be part of a team of Clinical Psychologists,
Clinical Associates in Psychological Therapy and Counsellors. This team
offers specialist psychological intervention to a range of clients referred mainly
by GPs and psychiatrists.
We adopt a matched care model offering computerised CBT, courses in
mindfulness and stress control as well as individual therapy. In addition to
therapeutic work there will be opportunities for consultancy and service
development.
The department provides a friendly and supportive
environment in which to work.
The post is based in the Psychology Department in Falkirk.
For informal enquiries about the post contact Sally Rankine tel. 01324
614347.
The duties of this post require the successful candidate to be a member
of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. More information
on this scheme can be found at www.disclosurescotland.co.uk
Application forms and job descriptions are available on the NHS Forth
Valley Intranet site or by visiting www.show.scot.nhs.uk Alternatively
by quoting relevant post title and reference number and e-mailing FVUHB.Recruitment@nhs.net or by telephoning the recruitment answerline
on 01786 447488.
Closing Date:
Thursday 12th December 2013 at 12 noon.
For insertion:
Redeployment – Tuesday 19th November 2013
Internal – Wednesday 20th November 2013
SHOW – Wednesday 20th November 2013
Job Centre – Wednesday 20th November 2013
NHS FORTH VALLEY
JOB DESCRIPTION
1. JOB IDENTIFICATION
Job Title:
Clinical Psychologist, Primary Care - North/South Forth Valley
Responsible to: Head of Adult Clinical Psychology Service NHS Forth Valley
Department:
Adult Psychology Service
Job Reference:
P-LHCCS-PSY-019
2. JOB PURPOSE
To provide a clinical psychology service within the highly specialised area of adult mental health
(primary care) to clients referred by GPs in Forth Valley.
To provide highly specialist psychological assessment and therapy and offer advice and
consultation on clients’ psychological care to other psychologists, other health and social care
professionals and to other, non-professional carers.
To provide clinical and professional supervision to assistant psychologists and qualified and
unqualified clinical psychologists.
3. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION AND ROLE OF DEPARTMENT
HEAD OF SERVICE
HEAD OF PRIMARY CARE
THIS POST
TRAINEE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
ASSISTANT PSYCHOLOGISTS
MSc PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPISTS
The Adult Psychology Service provides psychological advice and help for the population of
NHS Forth Valley. It provides input at the levels of Health Promotion, Primary, Secondary and
Tertiary care. Patients are assessed and treated, training is given and advice tendered to:
Learning Disability Teams, Mental Health Teams including Community CMHTs and
Rehabilitation, and Primary Health Care Teams. Members of the Service see individual patients
and their families within team settings and also within the outpatient psychology bases in Larbert
and Stirling University.
The Service contributes to work with voluntary agencies and members serve on joint groups
with the three Local Authorities and with voluntary agencies.
Training is being broadened and Forth Valley contributes to the East and West of Scotland
Doctoral Training Courses. Members of the Service contribute to national training also through
NHS Education for Scotland initiatives and working groups.
As well as Clinical Psychologists who make up the bulk of staff, there are also Forensic Clinical
Psychologists, Counsellors and solution focussed therapists within the Service.
4. DIMENSIONS

To provide of a high quality specialist clinical psychology service to clients referred by GPs
and others to the Adult Psychology Primary Care Service, Forth Valley, across all sectors of
care.

To advise members of the team who provide psychologically based care and treatment.

To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the
systematic governance of psychological practice within the service/team.

To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research.

To be involved in proposing and implementing policy changes within the Adult Psychology
Primary Care Service.
5. KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Clinical
 To exercise full autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and
discharge of clients.
 To provide highly specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the services
specified above, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of highly
complex, often emotive, sensitive and contentious data from a variety of sources including
psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and
indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members
and others involved in the client’s care.

To formulate and implement specialist care plans for the formal psychological treatment
and/or management of a client’s mental health problems, based upon an appropriate
conceptual framework of the client’s problems, and employing methods based upon
evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings. Often there will be various
different therapeutic approaches that need to be considered with the ultimate choice being a
matter of exercising expert opinion.

To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals,
carers and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis,
adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models
and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.

To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical
and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental
processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.

To provide expert psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals
contributing directly to clients’ formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan. To use tact and
diplomacy as and when advice conflicts with other expert opinion.

To act as care co-ordinator, where appropriate, ensuring the provision of a care package
relevant to the client’s needs, co-ordinating the work of others involved with care, arranging
client’s care reviews as necessary.
The sections below cover three main components of psychological work common to most
qualified posts: assessment, formulation and intervention.
Assessment







Psychological assessment involves collecting information about a patient’s thoughts,
behaviours, emotions, physical symptoms, relationships and lifestyle.
Highly developed empathic skills are necessary, especially with patients who may have
difficulty with developing trust (e.g. because of a history of abuse).
Assessment requires sustained concentration to ensure information is accurately
understood. The psychologist also needs to attend to a patient’s demeanour and body
language. They also need to be aware of their own reactions to the patient as this can
give important information about how the person may be feeling and also how they may
relate to other people.
At times it will be necessary to intervene during the assessment (e.g. if a person is clearly
becoming distressed or disassociated). In addition the psychologist will give active
feedback and advice during the session.
The type of information required is always personal and in many cases it is very
distressing and emotional (e.g. child abuse, relationship breakdown, post-traumatic
stress disorder).
Information gained from third parties (e.g. GPs, paid carers, family members) may conflict
with the patient’s own view and a high level of interpersonal / communication skill is
needed to manage this conflict effectively. At times patients may be hostile or
antagonistic (e.g. in cases of anger management, child abuse, substance abuse or family
breakdown).
Neuropsychological assessment requires the ability to manipulate a range of physical
objects in conditions where speed and accuracy are important, whilst simultaneously
recording a patient’s responses. These physical skills are developed during doctoral
training and clinical experience.
Formulation




Psychological formulation is the process by which a clinical psychologist combines the
wide range of information they have obtained during assessment with their psychological
knowledge and experience.
Different psychological theories and therapies place different emphasis on different
aspects. For instance psychodynamic theories stress the importance of both early
relationships and unconscious processes in the development of later psychological
difficulties whereas cognitive behavioural theories tend to focus more on how current
thoughts, beliefs and attitudes can have an impact on what we do and how we feel.
Formulation is like a jigsaw puzzle, but one where there are several possible solutions,
depending on which psychological theory or theories you use. There are many possible
answers and expert opinion will often differ on which is the best one to choose.
The choice of formulation and subsequent intervention is a judgment requiring many
competing factors to be considered, including knowledge of the patient, awareness of our
own strengths and weaknesses and practical considerations of time available and patient
preference.
Intervention

There is a wide range of psychological interventions (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy).

Within each broad treatment there are an even larger range of specific techniques. For
instance cognitive behavioural treatment can involve the use of anxiety management
techniques (including breathing strategies), activity scheduling, thought diaries and
behavioural experiments.

Clinical psychologists exercise autonomous clinical judgement in choosing which types of
intervention and techniques to use. These choices often have to be reviewed on a
regular basis, with adjustments made according to how patients progress.

Most of the skills used in assessment and formulation are used during the intervention
stage. Motivational and persuasive skills become particularly important during
intervention, especially for patients with depression or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Teaching, Training, And Supervision

To provide clinical and professional supervision to assistant psychologists and qualified and
unqualified clinical psychologists, ensuring that they acquire the necessary clinical and
research skills to doctoral level where appropriate, contributing to the assessment and
evaluation of those competencies.

To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a
range of agencies and settings, where appropriate.

To gain additional highly specialist experience and skills relevant to clinical psychology
and/or the service (as agreed with the professional psychology manager) up to two sessions
per week [pro rata].

To develop skills in the area of professional post-graduate teaching, training and supervision
and to provide supervision to other multi-disciplinary staff’s psychological work, as
appropriate.

To receive regular clinical professional supervision from a senior clinical psychologist and,
where appropriate, other senior professional colleagues.
Management, Recruitment, Policy And Service Development

To contribute to the development, evaluation and monitoring of the team’s operational
policies and services, through the deployment of professional skills in research, service
evaluation and audit.

To advise both service and professional management on those aspects of the service and
wider organisation where psychological organisational matters need addressing (e.g. stress
at work policy).

To manage the clinical, academic and research workloads of assistant and trainee clinical
psychologists, managing the conflicting demands of university and NHS policies and
procedures. Including planning and organising the content of placements, reviewing
progress and adjusting plans as necessary.

To be involved, when required in short-listing and interviewing assistant psychologists.

To plan and organise a broad range of complex activities including direct patient care,
innovative treatment programmes, teaching, training and consultancy.
Research, Audit and Service Evaluation

To review, on an ongoing basis, the evidence base and underlying psychological theories
pertaining to a range of relevant psychological problems in order to utilise the most effective
approaches.

To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice
in individual work and work with other team members.

To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking
research. To seek publication and be involved in other methods of dissemination of relevant
research findings.

To undertake project management, including complex audits and service evaluation, with
colleagues within the service to help develop service provision.

To use and where appropriate develop validated psychometric measures to assess the
outcome of clinical work.

To implement complex audit and service evaluation, with colleagues and across the service
to facilitate the development and improvement of services.

To supervise and manage research projects undertaken by Trainee Clinical Psychologists as
part of formal doctorate professional training and Assistant Psychologists.
General

To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of
practice, through active participation in internal and external Continuing Professional
Development training and development programmes, in consultation with the post-holder’s
professional and service manager(s).

To contribute to the development and articulation of best practice in psychology across the
service, by continuing to develop the skills of a reflexive and reflective scientist practitioner,
taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal, and maintaining an active
engagement with current developments in the field of clinical psychology and related
disciplines.

To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in
relation to both the specific client group and mental health.
6. SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT

Maintains a high level of specialist expertise in the use of psychological tests and
assessment methods, which require doctoral training, and incorporates developments in
these as they are introduced in clinical practice.

Has a working knowledge of computer-based technology including patient information
management systems, word processing, spreadsheets, database and statistics applications,
e-mail and Internet.

Undertakes computer analysis of audit and research results (including information compiled
by self and others) using statistical packages taught during undergraduate and doctoral
degrees.

Conforms to the Service’s systems of information management for patient records, activity
data, and mileage and expenses information.

Maintains the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and
recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in
accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust
policies and procedures.
7. ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK

Autonomous responsibility for caseload management, patient assessment, intervention and
discharge.

In common with all clinical psychologists responsible for receiving clinical supervision in
accordance with good practice guidelines.

Annual appraisal and ongoing professional advice provided by
Psychology.

To assign and review clinical work of Trainee Clinical Psychologists, MSc Psychological
Therapists and Assistant Psychologists. To be responsible for regular and formal review and
appraisal of Trainee Clinical Psychologists and MSc Psychological Therapists.
Head of
Primary Care
8. COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Liases with GPs and consultants in relevant specialities (e.g. psychiatry and neurology)
offering expert psychological advice.

Legal work and court attendance as necessary, as expert witness.

Working with staff from other disciplines in the planning and implementation of psychological
programmes.

Regular provision of highly specialist, often sensitive, contentious and emotive written
psychological reports on patients to GPs and other referrers.

Communicating with patients who are suffering from psychological problems such as anxiety,
depression, anger and the consequences of childhood sexual abuse on a both physical (e.g.
cognitive impairment, lack of concentration) and psychological causes (e.g. unwillingness to
hear painful or personally challenging information).

The post holder communicates psychological opinion to GPs on a regular basis verbally or by
letter.
9A. PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB

Sitting in a constrained position for extended periods of time daily (typically 60 minutes) during
interviews while actively listening. This occurs on a regular basis (typically 4 to 6 times a day).

Neuropsychological assessment requires the ability to manipulate a range of physical objects
in conditions where a high degree of speed and accuracy are important, whilst simultaneously
recording a client’s / patient’s responses. These physical skills are developed during doctoral
training and clinical experience.

The only physical effort required is carrying heavy case notes to and from clinics in health
centres.
9B. MENTAL/EMOTIONAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB

Several times a day, the post holder is expected to concentrate intensely for periods of
typically 60 minutes, in a highly emotionally charged atmosphere, with clients who are often
extremely distressed and displaying emotions such as depression, anxiety and anger.

At times, particularly when working with people with couples with relationship difficulties or
individual with anger problems there is exposure to verbal aggression. Physical aggression is
only rarely encountered.

To deal with frequent, daily exposure to highly distressing and emotional circumstances, for
example childhood sexual abuse, current violence or abuse, suicidal thoughts, recent trauma
(e.g. road traffic accidents, combat), which arise from the demanding and challenging nature
of the work with this population.
10. KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB
The post holder requires to have:
First academic degree at Honours level in Psychology

Doctorate or equivalent in Clinical Psychology, which includes supervised clinical practice and
advanced research training as a requirement.

Formal post-doctorate training in the clinical supervision of Doctoral trainee Clinical
Psychologists.

Demonstrate further highly specialist experience through having worked a minimum of 18
months within a specialised area of clinical psychology.

In order to remain eligible to practice the post holder must complete 40 hours of continuing
professional development each year. Elements include short courses and continuing peer
review.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job title: - CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST (Grade 8A) – NORTH AND SOUTH
OF FORTH VALLEY
TRAINING &
QUALIFICATI
ONS
ESSENTIAL
DESIRABLE
Post-graduate doctoral level
training in clinical psychology (or
its equivalent for those trained
prior to 1996) as accredited by
the BPS, including specifically
models of psychopathology,
clinical psychometrics and
neuropsychology, two or more
distinct psychological therapies.
Post-doctoral training in one
or more additional specialised
areas of psychological
practice.
EXPERIENCE
Assessed experience of working
as a qualified clinical
psychologist for at least 18
months at a highly specialist
level.
Experience of working with a
wide variety of client groups,
across the whole life course and
presenting with the full range of
clinical severity across the full
range of care settings including
outpatient, community, primary
care, in-patient and residential
care settings. Also maintaining a
high degree of professionalism in
the face of highly emotive and
distressing problems, verbal
abuse and the threat of physical
abuse.
Experience of representing
psychology within the context
of multi-disciplinary care.
Experience of assessing and
treating clients across the full
range of care settings.
Experience of the application
of psychology in different
cultural contexts.
Experience of exercising full
clinical responsibility for clients’
psychological care and
treatment, both as a
professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the
context of a multidisciplinary care
plan.
KNOWLEDG
E AND
SKILLS
Experience of teaching, training
and/or professional and clinical
supervision.
Skills in the use of complex
methods of psychological
assessment, intervention and
management frequently requiring
sustained and intense
concentration.
Well-developed knowledge of
the theory and practice of
specialised psychological
therapies in specific difficult to
treat groups (e.g. personality
disorder, dual diagnoses,
people with additional
Well developed skills in the ability disabilities etc).
to communicate effectively, orally
and in writing, highly technical,
Knowledge of the theory and
and clinically sensitive
practice of highly specialised
information to clients, their
psychological therapies and
families, carers and other
assessment methodologies.
professional colleagues both
within and outside the NHS.
Skills in providing consultation to
other professional and nonprofessional groups.
Doctoral level knowledge of
research design and
methodology, including complex
multivariate data analysis as
practised within the field of
clinical psychology.
Knowledge of legislation in
relation to the client group and
mental health.
Evidence of continuing
professional development as
recommended by the BPS.
OTHER
Formal training in supervision of
other psychologists.
Ability to identify provide and
promote appropriate means of
support to carers and staff
exposed to highly distressing
situations and severely
challenging behaviours.
Ability to identify, and employ, as
appropriate, clinical governance
mechanisms for the support and
maintenance of clinical practice
in the face of regular exposure to
highly emotive material and
challenging behaviour.
Ability to develop and use
complex multi-media materials
for presentations in public,
professional and academic
settings.
Personal experience of
mental health problems.
Experience of working within
a multicultural framework.
NHS FORTH VALLEY
Terms and Conditions:
The terms and conditions of service are those laid
down by the Agenda for Change Handbook.
Salary Scale:
Band 8a, £39,239 - £47,088 per annum pro rata
Staff taking up a new appointment with NHS Forth
Valley will normally enter the scale at the minimum
of the pay band/range. Any appointments above
the lowest point of the pay band/range will be
subject to verification of previous NHS service, or
experience outside the NHS, which is given in
recognition of relevant complete years of
experience.
Hours:
Part-time 22.5 hours per week
Employees may be required to vary the pattern of
their working week subject to the exigencies of the
service.
H.C.S.W Mandatory
Induction standards
(if applicable)
Your performance must comply with the
“Mandatory
Induction Standards for Healthcare Support
Workers in
Scotland” 2009; and with the Code of Conduct
for Healthcare Support Workers, both as amended
from time to time. These documents can be found
at
www.workinginhealth.com/standards/healthcaresup
portworkers
Duration:
Fixed term for 2 years (due to funding)
Annual Leave:
27 days rising to 29 days after 5 years service and
to 33 days after 10 years service plus 8 public
holidays (pro rata).
or
202.5 hours rising to 217.5 hours after 5 years
service and to 247.5 hours after 10 years service
plus 60 hours public holiday (pro-rata).
Superannuation:
The post is superannuable under the Scottish
Public Pensions Agency Scheme and your
remuneration will be subject to deduction unless
you choose to opt out of the scheme.
Right to Work in the UK
NHS Forth Valley has an obligation to ensure it
does not employ any worker who has not been
granted the relevant permission to work in the UK.
This permission is without exception granted by the
UK Border Agency. We are required to check the
entitlement to work in the UK for all prospective
employees, regardless of nationality or job
category.
Medical Examination:
No appointment can be confirmed until a
satisfactory medical examination has been
undergone.
Protecting Vulnerable
Groups Scheme
From 28th February 2011 the Scottish Government
introduced a new membership scheme to replace
and
improve upon the current disclosure arrangements
for people who work with vulnerable groups. If the
duties of this post involve regulated work with
children and young people and/or protected adults,
the successful candidate will be required to be a
member of the PVG Scheme and consent to NHS
Forth Valley obtaining a Scheme Record or a
Scheme Record Update if they are already a
member of the Scheme. More information on the
PVG
Scheme
can
be
found
at
www.disclosurescotland.co.uk
(if applicable)
Police Act
Disclosure Check:
(if applicable)
If the duties of this post require the declaration and
validation of criminal convictions, the successful
candidate will be required to complete a standard or
enhanced Police Act Disclosure Scotland check
prior to any offer of appointment being made. In
the event of employment, any failure to disclose
such convictions could result in the withdrawal of
any offer, disciplinary action or dismissal by NHS
Forth Valley.
Secondments
Employees of NHS Forth Valley who are interested
in
pursuing a secondment opportunity should initially
discuss the implications of this with their immediate
line manager in order to gain their support. Please
refer to the secondment policy of the NHS Forth
Valley intranet for more information.
(if applicable)
NHS Knowledge and
Skills Framework
The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF)
defines and also describes the knowledge and
skills that NHS employees need to apply in their
work in order to deliver quality services. It provides
a single, consistent, and comprehensive framework
on which to base review and development for all
employees.
KSF will apply to all NHS employees except
doctors, dentists and senior and executive level
managers. The purpose of the KSF is:
 To support the effective learning and
development of all staff, providing the
resources to do so.
 To support the development of individuals in
the post to which they are employed, so that
they are effective at work and are clear
about what is required of them.
 To promote equality and diversity.
Confidentiality:
In the course of your duties you may have access
to confidential information concerning patients or
staff.
Unauthorized disclosure or removal of
information may lead to consideration of
disciplinary action.
Equality in Employment:
NHS Forth Valley fully supports the principle of
equality in employment and opposes all forms of
unlawful and / or unfair discrimination which cannot
be shown to be justified. NHS Forth Valley is
committed to ensuring equality of treatment for
both present and potential employees.
Tobacco Policy:
It is the policy of NHS Forth Valley to discourage the
habit of smoking within the organization and to
provide a smoke free environment.
The NHS Forth Valley policy is to establish no
smoking as the norm and smoking is not permitted
anywhere within NHS Forth Valley premises
including residences and grounds.
The Occupational Health Service will assist
members of staff who wish to stop smoking by
providing or facilitating the following services:





Information on smoking and ways to stop
Personal support
Health Education materials and helpline
numbers
Nicotine replacement therapy
Smoking Cessation support
Copies of the Tobacco Policy are available from
HR Advisors or via the NHS Forth Valley Intranet.
Health & Safety:
All employees have a responsibility for their own
health & safety and the health & safety of others
who may be affected by what they do. Employees
also have a duty to co-operate with their employer
by following NHS Forth Valley policies and
procedures and safe systems of work; by using
equipment safely and by bringing any shortcomings
in health and safety arrangements to the attention
of their employer. Where something is provided in
the interests of health & safety employees must not
interfere or misuse it. All employees have a legal
responsibility to report any shortcomings in terms
of this in their area. Managers and supervisors
have a responsibility for monitoring health & safety
arrangements and ensuring staff are following
policies and procedures and safe systems of work.
Partnership Agreement:
Contributing to the development of partnership
working by: supporting NHS Forth Valley in
delivering its goals and objectives; supporting
continuous improvement in own performance and
the performance of the department, directorate and
NHS Forth Valley; attending training, development
and other activities aimed at improving own skills
and for the benefit of the organisation and patient
care.
Nursery Facilities:
There is an independently run on-site nursery at
Stirling Community Hospital. With places open to
staff and the general public. For further information
please contact:
Chapter One Childcare (SCH site): 01786 465112
Parking Permits:
Limited staff parking permits are available for Forth
Valley Royal Hospital. Staff need to apply for these
and further details of how to apply will be available
should you be successful in obtaining a post based
at FVRH.
Upon receipt of your application you will be added
to the waiting list for consideration, it may take
some time for approval and you may need to
consider alternative methods of travel to work
pending approval of any parking permit.
Information on public transport and bus times to
the hospital are available at:
http://www.nhsforthvalley.com/__documents/carparking-application-fvrh.pdf
Completed application forms should be returned to:
Email – FV-UHB.Recruitment@nhs.net
Or
PostRecruitment Office
Eurohouse
Wellgreen Place
Stirling
FK8 2DJ
Postal Applications
If you post your application form, please ensure that the correct amount
of postage is paid, as this may result in a delay in your application
reaching us and we will be unable to progress your application if it is
received after the closing date. Postage costs can be obtained from the
Post Office or visiting http://www.royalmail.com/price-finder
Please note there are no reception facilities at Euro House.
Closing Date:
Thursday 12th December 2013 at 12 noon.
Ref No:
1113638