Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is a trailblazer for the NHS Community Mental Health Framework and as such we are dismantling the traditional barriers to accessing interventions, treatment and support. We have greatly expanded our mental health staffing in the Trust, working from within community settings through to specialist NHS mental health settings, to enable people to access the right interventions, at the right time and in the right place. We are advertising for two Assistant Psychology posts (full-time) who will be an integral part of delivering psychologically informed care to adults struggling with their mental health.
As an Assistant Psychologist joining the Mendip team, you will be working into our neighbourhood teams within Open Mental Health and our Community Mental Health teams. As such, you will be spanning what has more traditionally been referred to as primary and secondary care. You'll be offering a broad range of activities (assisting in assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation etc.). Somerset Foundation Trust has a network of Psychology Assistants, and therefore there are opportunities for peer support. The Assistant Psychologists will actively engage and work with a number of individuals with mild to moderate mental and emotional health issues as well as linking with and supporting other mental health services.
Main duties of the job
These post holders will, with the support and supervision of Clinical Psychologists, be working with a developing service which is challenging the traditional boundaries placed by the differentiation between primary and secondary care, with the ethos of 'no wrong door'. We are an innovative Trust and this post will be well suited to someone who is interested in improving services to deliver effective, compassionate, and trauma-informed care.
We recognize that Assistant Psychologists are looking to further their career in the Psychology professions and promote opportunities for development whenever possible. We are looking for applicants who are resilient, reflective, and motivated to work psychologically with these client groups and with an interest in developing the service further.
This post will be attractive to applicants who would like to develop professionally across a broad range of psychological competencies. We are recruiting Assistant Psychologists at band 5 to reflect the applicants' skills in undertaking planned brief interventions drawing on evidence-based models of care, as well as having experience of working with risk and complexity.
About us
As an organisation, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust offers employees a wide range of benefits including flexible working, NHS pension scheme, generous annual leave allowance, and a commitment to career development. You will be eligible for our Blue Light Card and a wide range of NHS exclusive shopping & leisure discounts. We are proud of our skilled, diverse workforce and as an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds. Working in Somerset enables you to enjoy the idyllic countryside, areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London. There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. Somerset offers the countryside and the cosmopolitan -- there is truly something for everyone!
Job responsibilities
See detailed job description for an overview of the main responsibilities of this exciting and innovative post.
Please note once we have received a sufficient number of applications, this post may close sooner than the advertised date.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* First degree in psychology (first or upper second). Eligibility for Graduate Membership of The BPS. Demonstrable experience of working directly with a vulnerable client group, including experience of working psychologically with people with mental health problems. Experience of undertaking planned psychological interventions with adults who are experiencing mental health problems.
* Further qualification in an appropriate subject.
Experience
* Experience of working in community settings.
* Experience of working with people with mild to moderate mental health problems.
* Experience of developing therapeutic relationships with people who can be hard to engage.
Additional Criteria
* Have you held an assistant psychology or equivalent post (e.g. PWP) previously.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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