Higher Assistant Psychologist
Hello!
We are so delighted you are considering coming to work with us at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).
We know the power of looking into an organisation, one you might want to work in, or one where you are going to get help, and being able to say, ‘I’ve seen somewhere I can fit in and be myself.’ We’re on a journey to make the Trust an inclusive employer, representative of the community we serve and we want more of our community to consider applying for jobs with us.
Opportunities for you
Spanning east to west coasts from Northumberland to Cumbria and from the Scottish Borders down to Middlesbrough we’ve got exciting new opportunities available at every level and in every area.
We offer flexible working, helping work fit around family and caring responsibilities, or training and development needs and there’s lots on offer in the way of benefits, such as, lease cars, childcare schemes, staff discounts, season tickets for travel and a cycle to work scheme.All this in a vibrant workplace supported by the following staff networks.
- Cultural diversity staff network
- Disabled staff network
- LGBT+ staff network
We also have a number of staff support groups which are open to any staff to attend. These Include:
- Armed Forces and Veterans Staff Association
- Mind, Health and Wellbeing Community
- Menopause toolkit and cafes and staff carer support group
We offer fantastic personal development opportunities through our Collective Leadership Programme and other Organisational Development initiatives. Whatever you are looking for, you will be joining a supportive, friendly team, offering varied and interesting roles, with opportunities for career progression.
Always improving
CNTW is regulated by the national healthcare regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our last two inspections have rated us as an outstanding organisation. We’re always seeking to improve as an organisation. Do you want to be part of that?
Please note that it is a requirement of this Trust that all external applicants pay for their own DBS certification if a DBS check is required for the post. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first monthly pay
Job overview
This post will help us deliver a new treatment for people suffering with paranoia, suspicious thoughts and mistrust of others.
We are seeking a suitably motivated Higher Assistant Psychologist.
This post will provide excellent experience of engaging individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis; delivery of a specialist CBT intervention (Feeling Safer) with close supervision from a clinical psychologist; working within NHS services; and clinical trials methodology.The post would suit individuals interested in going on to pursue a career in clinical psychology or clinical research.
This is an exciting opportunity to deliver Feeling Safer to patients. A multi-centre randomised controlled trial treating NHS patients diagnosed with psychosis and with a current persecutory delusion will be undertaken to test the Feeling Safer treatment.Patients will be randomised to one of four conditions; (1) Feeling Safer in addition to treatment as usual, supported by peer support workers, (2) Feeling Safer in addition to treatment as usual, supported by assistant psychologists/graduate mental health workers, (3) Feeling Safer in addition to treatment as usual, supported by a clinical psychologist providing CBT therapy, (4) treatment as usual.
Patients, Feeling Safer deliverers, and other mental health staff will also be interviewed to learn more about the therapy and how it may be used in the NHS.
Main duties of the job
Training will be provided in the Feeling Safer treatment. No experience with delivering therapy is required.
Main duties include delivering this new treatment. You will work closely with the trial manager, site PI, and colleagues across other sites to ensure you are trained, and competent in supporting the delivery of feeling safer. You will see participants in the trial, help them implement the skills and knowledge acquired from the Feeling Safer package.You will attend clinical supervision and support the trial more broadly with helping promote the study to local teams.
Working for our organisation
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.
You will join a group of researchers, and clinicians actively trying to increase access to better treatments for people with Psychosis. As part of the Hub for Advancing Research in Psychosis, you will work alongside colleagues running a number of studies helping to improve our understanding and treatment of symptoms of psychosis.
You will be supported in your career development with appropriate CPD and regular supervision.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- To deliver the Feeling Safer intervention in line with the treatment manual and study protocol, under the supervision of a clinical psychologist/psychological therapist, as part of the Feeling Safer trial.
- To establish a trusting and supportive relationship with those taking part in the Feeling Safer therapy. High levels of engagement with participants will be expected from the post-holder.
- To contribute to the screening and recruitment of patients with psychosis. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting community mental health teams and hospital wards. There are monthly recruitment targets.
- To attend and contribute to study fidelity rating meetings, supervision, and regular training sessions with other study staff members.
- You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
- Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
- To produce brief clinical reports based on the treatment delivery as part of the trial.
- You will need to follow standard operational procedures for the trial and NHS Trust policy regarding safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children.
- To ensure high quality record keeping on the electronic patient record system and study specific session records.
- You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
- 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
- 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.
Closing date : 27^th May 2025
We welcome your application.
Person specification
Education and Qualification
Essential criteria- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
- Experience of working with people with psychological distress
Skills and Competencies
Essential criteria- 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.
- Experience of delivery of psychological therapies
Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.
Please ensure to check out all of the supporting documents linked to this advert, for useful information about working for us, information from our Chief Executive and much more.