About this role
Job summary
DEMENTIA AND FRAILTY (Older People's Mental Health)Band 5 Assistant PsychologistSouth Hub CMHT & Care Home Liaison Team 1.0 wteJob type: Fixed-term until March 2027Community Enablement and Recovery Team (CERT) 1.0 wteJob type: Fixed-term 12 monthsRosemary Suite 0.6 wteJob type: Fixed-term until March 2028All posts based at The Juniper Centre, Moseley, Birmingham
Interviews in-person only.Please consider the details in the Job Description and demonstrate how you meet these requirements in your application, including your supporting statement.We are seeking enthusiastic and experienced assistant psychologists to join our Dementia & Frailty psychology team within BSMHFT, providing mental health services to the culturally and socially diverse population of Birmingham and Solihull.We have three fixed-term vacancies available. The first post will support both our South Hub CMHT and our Care Home Liaison Team (CHLT). The CHLT provides support and interventions for care home residents experiencing a range of mental health issues, and people living with dementia (PLWD), with the aim of preventing placement breakdown and hospital admission. The second post will work within our CERT service which provides intensive community support to older people and PLWD, with the aims of admission prevention and facilitating timely ward discharges. The third post will be based within Rosemary Suite, an inpatient ward providing assessment and treatment for women mainly living with dementia.
Main duties of the job
These roles support older people experiencing mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety and psychosis, and people living with dementia. Some individuals may be highly distressed or display behaviours that can be challenging. Staff are supported by experienced psychology colleagues and a well-established multidisciplinary team with strong clinical and operational partnerships.
The post holder will contribute to direct clinical care for service users, families and carers, while promoting access to evidence-informed psychological approaches. This includes supporting the use of psychologically informed assessments, protocols, guidelines and procedures across the multidisciplinary team. Travel is frequently required for home visits and meetings, particularly within the CERT and Care Home Liaison services operating across Birmingham and Solihull.
Our services are innovative and committed to delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Staff are actively involved in quality improvement initiatives that enhance recovery, reduce restrictive practices and support the least restrictive care and discharge options. You will join a welcoming and supportive psychology service that values research, continuing professional development, high-quality supervision and training. The service regularly hosts trainee clinical psychologists and psychology students and provides opportunities for peer support and learning.
About us
Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.
Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people's lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.
Job description Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job descriptions and person specifications.
In your supporting statement, we ask that you dedicate 300 words describing a specific example of your work with an older person experiencing mental health difficulties or a person living with dementia. What did you learn from this experience, and how has this shaped your clinical practice? If you have not worked with older people or people living with dementia, describe another example from your clinical experience and explain how the knowledge and skills gained would apply to working with these populations.
We highly recommend you submit your application as soon as possible, this post may close earlier than the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Person Specification
Qualification Essential
Degree in Psychology 2.1
Desirable
Post degree qualification in Psychology/Psychological practice
Experience Essential
Experience of working with people with mental health prolems or disability in a health/social care context Experience of working specifically with older people and/or people living with dementia
Desirable
Experience of working in a psychological assessment and/or therapy capacity with service users
Skills Essential
High standard of written communication Awareness of importance of verbal communication Awareness of non-verbal communication
Desirable
Training (formal or informal) in communications skills/therapeutic techniques
Skills Essential
Knowledge of, and commitment to, anti-discriminatory practice
Desirable
Awareness of the supports systems for older people e.g. care homes, packages, voluntary sector
Skills Essential
Description of a specific example of working with older people or people living with dementia (or if no experience with these populations another example from work experiences) Identification of specific learning and shaping of practice (including specific application to working with older people and people living with dementia)
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Address The Juniper Centre, Moseley Hall Hospital site
Alcester Road, Moseley
Birmingham
B13 8JL
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)