About this role
Job summary
Assistant Psychologist Band 4
3 x Permanent Full-Time Posts (37.5 hours per week)
Acute & Urgent Care Directorate, Harplands Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for three permanent full-time Assistant Psychologists (1.0 WTE each) to join the Psychology Team within the Acute & Urgent Care (A&UC) Directorate at Harplands Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent.
The successful applicants will be appointed to one of three posts:
1 WTE Assistant Psychologist based within the Crisis Care Centre (CCC), 1 WTE Assistant Psychologist based on Ward 3, with one day per week providing clinical input to the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). 1 WTE Assistant Psychologist based on Ward 1&2 Applicants will have the opportunity to express a preference for posts at interview, although appointments will be made according to service needs & candidate strengths.
This is an excellent opportunity for aspiring psychologists seeking to develop their assessment, formulation & intervention skills within dynamic acute mental health services. The posts offer a broad range of experiences across crisis & inpatient settings, including opportunities for direct clinical work, group facilitation, service development, audit & research activity.
The successful applicants will work under the supervision of qualified Psychologists & as part of multidisciplinary teams including Assistant & Trainee Psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, occupational therapists, peers & support workers.
Main duties of the job
To support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the Specialty, across all sectors of care; providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with the qualifiedpsychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures. To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
About us
As a Trust we remain bold and ambitious with plans for both service and system collaborative transformation over the coming years to improve the health and wellbeing of our local people through high quality care.
We pride ourselves onensuring our team has their wellbeing put first and as such provide a range of wellness opportunities including flexible working.
We are committed to the Greener NHS national ambition to becoming the world's first 'carbon net zero' national health system by 2045 (Greener NHS (england.nhs.uk). As part of this, sustainability is embedded in our strategy as one of our four key enablers. In order to deliver on this commitment, we recognise that we need a workforce that is as passionate as we are about achieving these goals, for the benefit of our service users, workforce, local communities and the planet alike.
The Trust is committed to ensuring that a diverse workforce is representative and inclusive at all levels. We would very much welcome applications from all under-represented groups including women, people with disabilities, people from global majority backgrounds, and those from the lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities.
The Trust is committed to the Step into Health scheme and actively encourages applicants from the Armed Forces Communities to apply.
Job description Job responsibilities
The post holder will provide supervised psychological assessment, intervention and support as part of a multidisciplinary team, working within their level of competence and under the direction of qualified psychologists.
Key responsibilities include:
Clinical support: Conducts protocol-based assessments, gathers information, assists with psychological formulations, scoring and interpretation of assessments, and delivers supervised psychological interventions such as CBT. Patient communication and care: Handles complex and sensitive clinical information, contributes to care planning and maintains high standards of clinical documentation and reporting. MDT working: Works collaboratively with psychologists and other professionals, attends MDT meetings and contributes psychological information to support patient care. Teaching and consultation: Assists qualified psychologists with staff training, workshops and presentations, and provides psychologically informed advice to other MDT members under supervision. Service development: Supports service improvement projects, attends relevant meetings, assists with coordination of volunteers and manages allocated psychological resources and equipment. Research and audit: Undertakes literature reviews, collects and analyses research data, supports audit and research projects, and contributes to evidence-based practice using statistical and IT software. IT and administration: Uses a range of IT systems for clinical records, data analysis, reports, presentations, psychometric testing and communication, alongside general administrative duties. Professional development: Works in accordance with BPS, HCPC and Trust requirements, receives regular clinical supervision, participates in appraisal and CPD, and maintains professional competence. Other duties: Prepares clinical and educational materials and undertakes other duties appropriate to the grade as required. The role is a broad Assistant Psychologist position combining supervised clinical work, psychological assessment and intervention, MDT support, teaching, research/audit, service development, administration and ongoing professional development.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
Desirable
Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
Experience Essential
Experience of work with people with mental health problems or disabilities, or other relevant problems or disabilities (e.g. learning disabilities, organic impairment).
Desirable
Paid work in a setting providing direct care. Experience of working in inpatient setting. Experience of working with people with serious mental illness and/or physical illness Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
Knowledge Essential
High level of interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to work and effectively communicate complex or sensitive information in highly emotive and emotionally charged settings involving conflict and significant personal distress. An understanding of statistical analysis commensurate with an honour's degree in psychology
Desirable
Experience using computers and associated software for purposes of data analysis and reporting, including databases and statistical programmes such as SPSS. An ability to write articulate and comprehensible reports, letters and other correspondence
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust
Address Harplands Hospital
Stoke on Trent
ST4 6TH
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.combined.nhs.uk/working-together/join-our-team/ (Opens in a new tab)