About this role
Job summary
We are recruiting an Assistant Psychologist post (AP) to help evaluate the benefit of a new talking therapy.
The currently advertised post is for 11 months up until the end of July 2027.
This is multi-centre randomised controlled trial of a psychological intervention to improve sleep in people at risk of transition to psychosis or those in their first episode of psychosis. Sleeping better is funded by a grant led by Professor Daniel Freeman, and Dr. Felicity Waite from the University of Oxford.
The post-holder will be based with Robert Dudley's research team in the St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle and will work in CNTW NHS Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
The post will help deliver a large-scale Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a new psychological treatment for people with psychosis and sleep difficulties. The post will be based in St Nicholas Hospital but will involve travel across the Trust. The post holder will act as a research assistant and work with the trial therapist and the site lead to help evaluate the treatment trial
The ideal candidate will have experience in research and or clinical settings. It may help if you have experience of working with people who have experienced difficulties with paranoia and unusual experiences like hallucinations. They should have the ability to organize and manage multiple interlinked components of the project and their work. They will need to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills and be able to conduct interviews and assessment with potentially vulnerable individuals. Most importantly, they will need to be enthusiastic about the research area and have a high level of motivation and commitment.
About us
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
NHS Employees identified as at risk of compulsory redundancy and those eligible for the NENC Re-Deployment careers hub will receive prior consideration.
Job description Job responsibilities
The main role of the trial assistant will be as outlined below:
Screening, recruitment, and assessment of patients for the sleeping better or feeling safer controlled trial of psychological treatment. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting teams. There are monthly recruitment targets. Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport. Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database. You will need to produce regular reports on the recruitment process (including managing the recruitment database) and assessments. You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases. Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including training at the lead site, Oxford. Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 23rd June 2026
Closing date : 7th July 2026
Likely interview dates: 20th July 2026
We welcome your application.
Please note - this vacancy may close early once a suitable number of applications are received.
Person Specification
Skills and Competencies 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 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. Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows. Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology. An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
Desirable
A high standard of report writing.
Knowledge and Experience Essential
Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities. Experience as an assistant/research psychologist. Knowledge of evidence based practice
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 or group interventions.
Education and Qualification 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.
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.
Employer details Employer name Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust
Address St Nicholas Hospital
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 3XT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)