Job summary
Hours Per Week.
We areseeking candidates to apply for an Assistant Psychologist post in Kirklees,West Yorkshire (Huddersfield / Dewsbury) in community psychiatric rehab andrecovery services. This post would be working as part of an MDT with aqualified Clinical Psychologist and Nursing, Occupational Therapy and HealthCare Assistant colleagues. This post may be of particular interest tocandidates with experience of working in a support worker role in health &social care services in community and/ or inpatients who are looking to takethe next step in their psychology career, as well as current AssistantPsychologists seeking a new challenge.
The teambase is in Honley in Huddersfield, but the post covers the Kirklees area. Asthis is a community-based post it is a requirement to drive and have access toa car for work in this post. Our Trust encouragesflexible working - the post is Monday to Friday but there would be someflexibility for the successful candidate if wished for to work earlier or laterthan a 9 to 5 pattern, including meeting service need.
We reservethe right to close this application prior to the advertised date, shouldsufficient applications have been received.
For full job description, please see attached supporting documents.
All employees of the Trust are stronglyencouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect patients
Main duties of the job
The Community rehabilitationteam supports service-users who have previously required an admission to apsychiatric inpatient bed, at the point they are moving on from hospital backinto the community either in their own homes or supported services. Manyservice-users we work with have diagnoses such as psychosis, bi-polar, severedepression/ anxiety as well as histories of trauma.
Our team works to promotemental health recovery and sustained improvements in quality of life. The postinvolves direct assessment, formulation and intervention work withservice-users, joint working with the qualified psychologist and MDT colleaguesas well as indirect working with families and staff teams. You may also beinvolved in audit, service development and clinical governance projects. Theservice has close links with the clinical psychology doctorate course at Leedsand regularly take trainees on placement.
You will besupervised by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist in the team, and our Trustalso has a range of continuing professional development opportunities from oneday workshops to fully accredited courses.
Over reliance on AI-generatedcontent in application forms is strongly discouraged and we will conduct a thorough screening process before selectingcandidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance yourapplication, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.
About us
Weare a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental healthand learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale,Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and arethe lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.
Our mission isto help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do thisby providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employstaff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make adifference to the lives of service users, families and carers.
We encourageand welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we valuediversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.
Beinga foundation Trust means were accountable to ourmembers, who can have a say in how were run. Around 14,300 local people(including staff) are members of our Trust.
Joinus and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improvingthe mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet andhelp each year.
Weare committedto safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people andvulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share thiscommitment.
We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Thisjob description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The post holder will be required to undertakeother duties commensurate with the grade as directed.
The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with thepost holder when necessary and in line with the service developments.
To support and enhance the professional psychological care of clientswithin the service, across all sectors of care; providing psychologicalassessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a HCPCregistered Practitioner Psychologist, working independently according to a planagreed with a HCPC Registered Practitioner Psychologist and within the overallframework of the teams policies and procedures. To assist in clinically relatedadministration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development ofaudit and or research projects, teaching and project work.
To undertake protocol based psychologicalassessments of clients applying psychological theory, includingneuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct andindirect structured observations and semi structured interviews with clients,family members and others involved in the clients care.
To assist in the formulation and delivery ofcare plans involving the psychological treatment and or management of aclients problems, under the supervision of a HCPCregistered Practitioner Psychologist.
To assist in the coordination and running oftherapeutic groups or clinical projects.
To work with other staff to assess communitypatients and review their care in preparation for multi disciplinary reviews.
To assist in the development of a psychologicalbased framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of theservice, across all settings where care takes place.
To attend and contribute to appropriate multi disciplinary meetings.
Person Specification
Training
Desirable
1. Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and or research design and analysis
Personal Attributes
Essential
2. An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
3. An ability to interact effectively with people with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
4. Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
5. Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
6. Able to travel throughout the catchment area, without unnecessary delays.
7. A Current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability.
Desirable
8. An interest in working with people with mental health problems.
9. A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology.
Experience
Essential
10. Practical experience of working with people with mental health problems and or learning disabilities and or psychological or behavioural or neurological problems.
Desirable
11. Experience of paid work in direct care provision, particularly in the care group of the specialty of this post.
12. Experience of administering and scoring neuropsychological assessments.
Qualifications
Essential
13. An Honours degree in Psychology (2:1)
14. Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Physical Attributes
Essential
15. Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years, subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and or pregnancy.
Special Knowledge and Skills
Essential
16. High level communication skills written and verbal including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
17. Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
18. Ability to communicate information which may be perceived as contentious to patients, carers and colleagues in a manner that promotes understanding and acceptance.
19. An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and or other disabilities.
20. An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to health and social service contexts.
21. An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
Desirable
22. Experience using computers for databases or data analysis.
23. Experience using microcomputers for databases or data analysis especially SPSS for Windows.
24. High standard of report writing.