Senior Assistant Psychologist

• Clinical work: Support therapeutic interventions, assessments, care plans, and psychologically informed formulation.
• Communication and multidisciplinary working: Contribute to clinical and multidisciplinary meetings, communicating sensitively with service users, families, carers, professionals and partner agencies.
• Training, supervision and professional development: Engage in supervision, follow professional guidance, maintain CPD, develop role-related skills, and support staff training in psychological care.
• Service development: Support service development projects, including work across mental health and sexual violence services, and contribute to relevant meetings.
• Research, audit and evaluation: Assist with audit and research, including literature searches, data collection, analysis, and report preparation.
• Governance and professional standards: Maintain high standards of clinical record keeping, report writing and professional self-governance, working in line with Trust policies, professional codes, legislation, local and national guidance, and mandatory training requirements.
• Flexibility within role: Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade as required, in discussion with the Lead Psychologist, and contribute to ongoing review of the role through the PDR process.

Essential

• Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
• Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.

Essential

• Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
• Experience of running therapeutic groups within Adult Mental Health
• Knowledge of evidence based practice
• Previous Experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist

Desirable

• Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
• Experience with client group relevant to post.
• Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
• Experience of providing individual interventions
• Previous experience of delivering teaching / training
• Leadership / supervision experience

Essential

• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
• Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
• Demonstrates knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
• An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare

Essential

• High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
• An ability to interact appropriately with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
• Ability to work reliably and consistently on tasks agreed and managed at regular intervals by Supervisor
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.

Desirable

• A high standard of report writing

Essential

• Ability to contain and work with high levels of distress and to manage the emotional impact of the work.
• Able to manage own stress in difficult conditions and to identify when additional personal support may be necessary.
• Good organisational and time management skills
• Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.