Psychological professional

The Sussex Health and Care Partnership have developed a Sussex-wide clinical assessment model for patients with post COVID symptoms which launched in January 2021 as the Post Covid Assessment Service . The initial remit of the service was to assess patients still experiencing symptoms 12 weeks after initial COVID infection to identify their ongoing care and support needs. The existing community providers were identified as the lead providers; Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust in West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, and High Weald, Lewes, Havens; and East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust in the rest of East Sussex, working collaboratively with wider system partners and stakeholders, and with shared strategic oversight and clinical leadership at SHCP.

Following publication of the NHS Long COVID Plan and the announcement of additional funding in June 2021, the system has developed a fully staffed Long COVID service plan to enhance the service offer, covering the whole pathway from primary and community to specialist care. This included enhancing the remit of PCAS to provide support as well as assessment, with additional clinical expertise, so that it became the Post COVID Assessment and Support Service (PCASS). PCASS includes the community rehabilitation and treatment pathways which focus on fatigue management, cognition, and vocational rehabilitation. Some of the treatment and rehabilitation pathways will be delivered within PCASS.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will:

a) Provide psychology input and support in PCASS. This will include the development of the ongoing rehabilitation pathways.

b) Work autonomously as a clinician within the PCASS; providing psychological assessment and treatment to patients with psychological and cognitive problems arising from factors associated with Post COVID-19 Syndrome, and other long term or 'unexplained' conditions.

c) Ensure a comprehensive assessment which may include psychological and neuro-psychological tests (where appropriate within professional competency), self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with patients.

d) Formulate and devise psychological treatment plans, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the patient's problems, and employ methods based upon evidence of efficacy.

e) Adjust and refine psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex. Our 6,000 staff serve a population of 1.3 million providing essential medical, nursing, and therapeutic care to adults and children.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community, helping people plan, manage, adapt to changes in their health, supporting avoidable hospital admissions and reducing hospital stay times.

We have opportunities for everyone across our wide variety of services including medical, clinical, support and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, scoring highly in compassionate culture & leadership, and staff wellbeing support


• Variety of working environments across the community, in patients' homes, within our community hospitals and bases across the county


• Supportive flexible working patterns such as: part time, flexi time, annualised hours, and flexi retirement options


• Excellent training and development opportunities


• Research opportunities


• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove and Brighton


• Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks


• Level 3 accredited Disability Confident Leader, committed to creating inclusive workplaces


• Veteran Aware Trust, achieving accreditation from Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA)


• Located in stunning Sussex, with easy access to the South Downs and the coast


• Access to a wide range of benefits and discounts for NHS staff