Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Assistant Psychologist
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Job Overview
The postholder will support and enhance the provision of the NW ICPS, and provide administrative and clinical support for the delivery of the pan-London Women's Pathway.
The postholder will join a service which, together with Probation Service London (PSL) colleagues and people on probation, provides specialist consultation, advice and training to NHS and PSL and other agencies, as well as delivering a desistance-focused stabilisation phase of the ICPS to people on probation who present with complex personality difficulties and a high risk of harm to others. There will also be a requirement for the postholder to support the delivery of an enhanced treatment pathway through carrying out administrative tasks and maintaining appropriate records.
This is primarily a community-based post that spans the North West areas of London, covering the following boroughs: Camden & Islington; Enfield & Haringey; Brent; Harrow & Barnet; Hammersmith & Fulham; Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster; Ealing & Hillingdon. However, the work supporting the Women’s Pathway spans London and there may be a need to travel to other boroughs.
Main Duties of the Job
- To undertake projects relating to service development using skills in evaluation, audit and research.
- To set up and maintain databases/spreadsheets and, using advanced IT skills, to use these to support with screening, consultation and monitoring of service users.
- To support consultation, assessment and treatment interventions undertaken by the service as appropriate to level of competence and training.
- To undertake direct and indirect clinical work (such as SPJ assessments) as required under live or regular supervision from a qualified Psychological Therapist.
- To plan, organise and co-facilitate psycho-educational workshops and groups with appropriately qualified professional staff.
- To liaise with a range of services (including health, social care and voluntary agencies) relevant to the working area and contribute to the development of the ethos of strong partnerships within the OPD pathway.
Working for Our Organisation
This is a community-based post that primarily spans the North West areas of London, covering the following boroughs: Camden & Islington; Enfield & Haringey; Brent; Harrow & Barnet; Hammersmith & Fulham; Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster; Ealing & Hillingdon. However, the work supporting the Women’s Pathway spans London and there may be a need to travel to other boroughs.
Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities
Clinical
- To support Psychological Therapists with assessments and interventions (for example risk assessments, semi-structured interviews, self-report measures and neuropsychological tests), as appropriate to level of training, competence and under live or regular supervision from a qualified Psychological Therapist.
- To provide administrative and clinical support for the delivery of the pan-London Women’s Pathway.
- To formulate and deliver care, training or research plans within settings where there may be a hostile atmosphere, challenging behaviour or high levels of expressed emotion.
- To support the delivery of evidence-based psychological interventions for clients.
- To assist in the development of psychologically based frameworks of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service.
- To conduct literature searches, collate audit and outcome evidence, analyse relevant data and produce reports to inform and enhance care delivered by the service.
- To work with other team members to improve care, training and research practices and the quality of life of clients.
- To attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings.
- To carry out other clinical and administrative tasks as appropriate to the post holder’s grade.
- To be up to date with both de-escalation, physical breakaway and PMVA techniques appropriate to the service environment.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Research and Service Evaluation
- To initiate, implement and contribute to the evaluation, monitoring and development of the service, including audit and service evaluation, with colleagues within and across the service, to help enhance service delivery.
- To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
- To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research in order to promote evidence-based clinical practice. This will contribute to the clinical work of Psychological Therapists and other team members.
- To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
Administration
- To develop and manage systems for efficient administration and co-ordination of care, training or research.
- To establish and maintain records and statistics concerning the service.
- To be acquainted with, implement and maintain all relevant Trust and Psychology and Psychological Therapies policies and procedures.
- To report immediately any incidents affecting staff, users or visitors on health service property in accordance with Trust policies.
- To maintain and manage systems for stock control of Psychology materials, including books, tests, test materials and other equipment.
- To manage diaries, work plans and project plans as required.
IT Responsibilities
- To develop and manage systems for efficient administration and co-ordination of care, training or research.
- To establish and maintain records and statistics concerning the service.
- To be acquainted with, implement and maintain all relevant Trust and Psychology and Psychological Therapies policies and procedures.
- To carry out other administrative tasks as appropriate to the post holder’s grade.
Professional Issues
- To abide by the BPS Code of Ethics and Conduct.
- To maintain confidentiality in line with Trust policy.
- To participate in clinical and professional audit.
- To participate in and contribute to Quality Assurance initiatives.
- To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
General
- To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through the active participation in internal and external Continuing Professional Development training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder’s line manager and service manager[s].
- To contribute to the development and articulation of best practice across the service by continuing to develop relevant professional skills through regular engagement with supervision and line management from a qualified Psychological Therapist.
- To participate fully in the Trust’s performance review and personal development planning process on an annual basis.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping (including electronic data entry and recording) and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.
- To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific client group and mental health.
- To maintain confidentiality and information governance in line with Trust policy.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
RIDER CLAUSE
This is an outline of the postholder’s duties and responsibilities. It is not intended as an exhaustive list and may change from time to time in order to meet the changing needs of the Trust and Department.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Honours degree at 2:2 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS.
Desirable criteria
- Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis.
Knowledge/Experience
Essential criteria
- Relevant clinical and research skills.
- Experience of working as part of a team.
- Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context.
- An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with people with complex needs.
- Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and / or work with people with complex needs.
- Experience of the use of psychometric tests.
- Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact.
- Experience of in-patient settings.
- Experience of teaching other health professionals.
- Lived experience of mental health issues.
Skills
Essential criteria
- To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times.
- To be able to provide and receive complex sensitive or contentious information in a potentially highly emotive atmosphere. To be able to work with resistance to ideas.
- High standard of report writing.
- To assimilate complex information and use reflective/analytic thinking, to apply psychological perspectives in work in a healthcare setting.
- Ability to be flexible and cope with multiple demands. Capable of using initiative and organise work to agreed goals.
- Ability to work independently and know when to ask for and use supervision, identifying when there is need for advice and using supervision at agreed intervals.
- Information technology skills. To have highly developed IT skills and good working knowledge of statistical packages.
- Requires manual dexterity and good eye-hand coordination to administer neuropsychological tests and use computer keyboards.
- Able to carry out PMVA interventions.
Abilities
Essential criteria
- Need to maintain frequent high levels of concentration for long periods in managing agreed projects alone or with team members.
- Ability to tolerate and remain calm in the face of high levels of emotional distress and emotional demands.
- Ability to tolerate occasional exposure to verbal abuse and hostility.
- Ability to use a PC.
- To sit for extended periods of time in constrained positions in order to complete PC-based projects and other project tasks.
Approach/Values
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care group and those of the Trust.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the practices of Human Rights in the delivery of this role.
- Team working.
- Ability to travel across sites.
- Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required.
Other
Essential criteria
- Achievement and sustainment of probation security vetting clearance.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location