We are looking for an enthusiastic and well-motivated Assistant Psychologist, to work within the Adult Learning Disability Service as part of the Community Team in North Essex. The post holder will be part of a supportive psychology team and the position is ideal for a graduate who is interested in applying for clinical training. The post is a full time, permanent contract and will be based in Lexden (Colchester).

The post holder will support the qualified Clinical Psychologists with a range of assessment and intervention work, as part of an inter-disciplinary team (comprising of Psychologists, Community Nurses, Psychiatrists, Arts Therapists and Allied Health Professionals). This includes one to one therapy, work with families and staff teams, plus psychometric and autism assessments.

There may be opportunities for participating in training, research and service development work.

The post is primarily community based but there might be some work within our inpatient unit (Lexden site).

The post holder will be professionally supervised by a Clinical Psychologist. We have close links with local training programmes (Essex and Hertfordshire) and regularly offer placements to Trainees.

Remote working is possible for a limited part of the week but ability to drive and having access to a car is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving).

Main duties of the job

Your role as an Assistant Psychologist within the Community Learning Disability service will include:

• Assessment of service users, formulation and treatment planning under supervision
• Delivery of clinical interventions in a range of formats (individual and group)
• Liaising externally as appropriate, e.g. with GPs and other services
• Keeping timely and accurate notes
• Supporting the team generally and contributing as a team member, via team meetings
• Attending clinical and line management supervision and reflecting on your practice
• Participating in audits and research projects as appropriate and supervised by your manager.
• To be involved in service development projects.
• Carrying out other duties to support the work of the qualified psychologists

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just fivemental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

Our family of over 3500 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Essex, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.

The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Our Trust values are:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!

Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?

Then please read on...

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibility

Clinical responsibility remains with the Clinical Supervisor.

The Assistant Psychologist will be required to assist in planning, delivering and monitoring psychology interventions under their direction.

This will include direct and indirect work with service users and their families contributing to the assessment of behavioural and psychological functioning gathering, analysing and reporting relevant data and information and assisting in compiling and writing psychological reports.

The work of the assistant psychologist under the supervision of a qualified Clinical Psychologist may, from time to time, include any of the following:

• To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of service users applying psychological measures, including psychometric assessments, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service users, family member and others involved in the service users care.
• To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all users of the service, across all settings where care takes place.
• To assist in the formulation and delivery of intervention plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a service users problems, under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist.
• To assist in the co-ordination and running of intervention groups, activities, social skills groups, and to be an integrated member of the multi-disciplinary team.
• To work with other staff to assess service users in preparation for multidisciplinary reviews.
• To attend and contribute to appropriate team and multiple discipline meetings.
• To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and HPFT policies and procedures.
• To maintain contemporaneous psychological records using the Trust electronic database (Paris).
• To prepare test materials and visual aids, as required.
• To perform other duties, appropriate to their grade, that may be required from time to time by the supervising Clinical Psychologist.
• To work flexibly but responsive to service user needs as agreed with the supervising Clinical Psychologist and in discussion with the relevant manager.

Leadership and staff management responsibility

The post holder will not have staff management responsibilities for recruitment, appraising and disciplinary matters.

However, the post holder will be expected to receive clinical and line management supervision with the supervising Clinical Psychologist and to develop leadership and personal skills and knowledge appropriate to their role.

• In common with all Assistant Psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision, in accordance with professional practice guidelines.

• To have regular meetings with the supervising clinical psychologist in relation to day-to-day management.
• To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.
• To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
• To attend induction in HPFT so as to become familiar with the policies, guidelines, and culture of both organisations.
• To contribute to the development and maintenance of professional standards through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes in consultation with the supervising Clinical Psychologist.

Financial responsibility

The post holder will not have responsibility for financial matters.

Service development and improvement

The Assistant Psychologist will be required to contribute and assist under the supervision of the clinical psychologist in the improvement of the Psychology and Adult Learning Disabilities Service. The Assistant Psychologist will be encouraged to offer suggestions for improving services.

Research, service evaluation and development: To assist in clinical related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.

• To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
• To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes, including Word, Excel, SPSS.
• To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist clinical psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
• To gather, analyse and report a limited range of data and information in regard to service evaluation and development.
• To assist the supervising clinical psychologist to prepare, disseminate and maintain accurate information about psychological services.
• To attend and contribute to meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
• To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.

Communication

The Assistant Psychologist will be required to communicate with a range of people on a range of matters in a form that is appropriate to them and the situation.

This will include developing and maintaining communication with people about difficult matters and/or in difficult situations.

Therefore, the Assistant Psychologist will need to be able to effectively communicate using a range of skills to manage barriers to effective communication and adhere to requirements relating to current legislation, policies, and procedures.

NB: our assistant psychologist positions are highly sought after and we may close the vacancy early, due to high numbers of applications.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• An upper second class honours degree in psychology or higher
• Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
• An interest in working with people with learning disability, autism, mental health problems or other disabilities.

Previous experience

Essential

• Experience of, or work with people with learning disabilities or mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
• Understanding of psychology applied to a learning disability context.

Desirable

• Experience of paid work in direct care provision
• Experience and competence in using cognitive-behavioural therapeutic techniques or other relevant approaches.

Skills / knowledge / ability

Essential

• An ability to interact with people with autism spectrum disorders and learning disabilities.
• Interact effectively with staff from all disciplines

Communication skills

Essential

• High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate sensitive information to service users, cares and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.

Desirable

• Experience using computers for databases or data-analysis.
• High standard of report writing.
• Competence using IT and media equipment

Analytical skills

Essential

• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a learning disability and autism spectrum context.
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
• The Assistant Psychologist will need to be able to recognise and report situations where there might be a need for protection.

Physical Skills / Effort

Essential

• To be competent in IT and have the relevant skills necessary to carry out the activities of the post. Such as entering clinical notes on the electronic patient record system utilising computers for data collection and management.
• Driving license, car use and ability to drive between sites when necessary for meetings and/or clinical sessions is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1985).
• Ability to transport psychological tests, other equipment and materials or resources between sites as required.
• The post holder need to be aware of managing risk in a variety of settings and the physical abilities to work safely in an environment where there may be risk of physical violence.

Desirable

• Ability to administer cognitive assessments.

Mental / Emotional Effort

Essential

• An ability to maintain concentration and focus despite varied pressures and interruptions.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with learning disability and autism spectrum disorders and an ability to sustain empathy and personal engagement.
• Ability to work closely with a staff team, without becoming overly personally involved with the staff team.
• Ability and willingness to work outside office hours when required by the role.

Employer details

Employer name

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lexden Hospital

London Road

Colchester, Essex

CO3 4DB

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

367-LD&F-8665