Are you passionate about supporting those who have experienced perinatal loss? Then now is the time to come and work for the Essex Maternal Mental Health Service, By Your Side, as an Assistant Psychologist. We are looking for a highly motivated Assistant Psychologist with a genuine interest in Maternal Mental Health and with experience of facilitating/co facilitating psychoeducational groups.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 4 Assistant Psychologist to join the Essex Maternal Mental Health Service ( MMHS), By Your Side which integrates maternity and psychological therapy for women and/or birthing parents experiencing mental health difficulties arising from, or directly related to, their maternity experience.
By Your Side provides therapeutic service for accessing the 5 maternity units across Essex to women and/or birthing parents who has a moderate to severe mental health response after suffering a perinatal loss, this includes:
Miscarriage (including recurrent/multiple miscarriages)
Still birth
Termination
Neonatal death (in the UK this is the death of a live-born baby that occurs within 28 days of birth)
The By Your Side clinical team includes clinical psychologists, psychological therapists and specialist maternal mental health midwives. The ability to work flexibly and positively in multidisciplinary teams is therefore essential.
The work requires flexibility, pragmatism, and creativity. The role is predominantly online, however there is an exception to travel across Essex once per month as and when needed.
Our dedicated team is based across Essex using a hybrid work model, and work Monday to Friday, 9-5pm – with flexible working available if required.
You will also interface with the wider maternity context, including the Perinatal Mental Health Service and the voluntary and charity sector provisions. There will be a need to evaluate the performance of the team over the time.
The post holder will work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team and be responsible for facilitating/co-facilitating a group intervention and supporting clinicians in their work. The post holder will also support the wider multi-disciplinary team with service governance and quality improvement projects and assist with service development, promotion and evaluation. There will also be the opportunity to undertake some clinical duties, such as running regular focus groups with Lived Experience Ambassadors.
This an exciting time to join the team as we continue growing and developing to deliver a high-quality, trauma-informed supportive service for bereaved individuals.
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
The role requires:
To work as an integrated member of the multidisciplinary team within the Essex Maternal Mental Health Service (MMHS), supporting and enhancing the psychological care of women within the Service this includes providing support the wait list management, under the supervision of a qualified Clinical Psychologist
To assist the service in developing and managing a therapeutic group offer.
To support with the co-production of MMHS with families with lived experiences and local communities and to be committed to working to reduce health inequalities.
To assist in clinically related administration to a diverse range of incoming referrals from professionals and stakeholders, build data reporting infrastructures and processes including outcomes, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, developing training materials and teaching.
To joint-working with other services within Maternity, Perinatal Mental Health Team, Primary Care, GPs, Health Visitors, Voluntary & Charity organisations and IAPT services within the maternal mental health pathway as appropriate.
There will be regular clinical, managerial & professional supervision from the Clinical Lead/Principal Practitioner Psychologist.
The MMHS will form part of the broader community perinatal mental health service offer as well as siting within the EPUT Psychological Service Directorate. You will be part of a larger team of psychologists and psychological therapists specialising in perinatal mental health and you will receive support from the Clinical Lead. We are able to offer high quality supervision in a range of models and to support access to training and continuing professional development for the successful candidate. EPUT provides solid career development and invests in staff development and wellbeing. As a trust we have close links to the University of Essex and University of Hertfordshire Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training Programme offering opportunities for trainee placements in the service and curriculum teaching.
Please see attached Job description and specification for details regarding the responsibilities and tasks of this role.
This advert closes on Tuesday 1 Apr 2025