Job summary
JOB SUMMARY
The Assistant Psychologist will be required to support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the service, across all sectors of care; providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a more senior psychologist, working independently according to an agreed plan and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures. To assist in clinically related administration, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects across the service, teaching and project work.
WORKING ENVIRONMENTThe Acute Psychology Service also includes the Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team (CRHTT) and there are opportunities for Acute MH Care Service comprises a purpose-built in-patient unit (34 beds) and a Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team, which works with people in crisis to offer an alternative to in-patient admission. Psychological therapies are seen as integral to the Acute MH Care Service and are highly valued in this setting.
Main duties of the job
Are you an innovative and creative aspiring psychologist who thrives in a fast-paced environment focussed on development and change? We want you to work with us!
Elmleigh Hospital is an acute mental health inpatient Ward. We offer high quality, recovery focused care to adults with a range of mental health needs, across inpatient and crisis services. We work trans-diagnostically with a range of presentations, including psychosis, trauma, and relational difficulties.
You will contribute to the implementation of the Comprehend, Cope and Connect (CCC) approach as we continue to embed this within the service. Our Assistant Psychologist will provide support to both qualified and pre-qualified psychology staff in delivering assessment, formulation and direct interventions.
A key part of the role will be in supporting the development and implementation of our group programme. With appropriate support and supervision, there will be opportunities for direct work with service users within individual and group settings, and you will contribute to the screening and prioritisation of referrals.
You will receive weekly clinical supervision from a qualified psychologist. We work closely alongside other local psychological services, offering a rich network of both qualified and pre-qualified psychologists.
The advert will close once a specified number of candidates have applied.
About us
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a newly established organisation, bringing together expertise from across mental health, learning disabilities, community, and physical health services. We are dedicated to delivering compassionate, high-quality, and accessible care to the diverse communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
With over 13,000 dedicated staff working across more than 300 sites, we place patients and staff at the centre of everything we do. Our goal is to create an integrated healthcare system that improves accessibility and ensures more consistent care for patients. By working together, we aim to improve patient outcomes, drive innovation, and meet the unique needs of the populations we serve.
Our Trust unites services from Southern Health, Solent NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trusts community and mental health teams, as well as Hampshire CAMHS, originally part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. This transformation enables us to deliver more seamless care across the region, ensuring that patients receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are deeply committed to our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence, and offer outstanding opportunities for career development, training, and collaborative working.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.
We are happy to talk Flexible Working, all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.
It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone, if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team, detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology.
2. Entitlement to GBC from the British Psychological Society
Desirable
3. Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
4. Work with adults with severe and enduring mental health problems
Desirable
5. Previous experience of having worked as an Assistant Psychologist under the supervision of a qualified psychologist.
6. Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
7. Experience of clinical audit and/or service based research.
Additional Criteria
Essential
8. High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
9. Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
10. An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
11. An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context
12. An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
13. An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
14. An ability to interact with people with mental health problems and their carers
15. Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
16. Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
Desirable
17. Experience using computers for databases or data-analysis, especially SPSS.
18. High standard of report writing.
19. Broad knowledge and understanding of working within the CCC framework.
20. An interest in working with people with severe and enduring mental health problems or other disabilities.
21. A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology