Assistant Psychologist REDS

Job overview

The REDS (Relational Emotional Difficulties Service) is a psychological treatment service which provides a pathway for people with difficulties regulating their emotions and who consequently may struggle in their relationships.

Our client group ranges from those with traits of personality disorder, to those with a diagnosis of personality disorder of moderate severity. This pathway is psychologically led, and staffed with qualified Psychologists, Therapists, and Assistant Psychologists, in addition to Specialist Liaison Nurses and support staff.

The Assistant Psychologists play a key part in co-facilitating our psycho-educational groups.

Please note that our groups are delivered virtually. Our primary programme is adapted from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.

Previous knowledge or experience of DBT would be an advantage, however it is not essential, and training can be provided.

Another key part of your role is conducting initial on-boarding welcome assessments with patients.

Main duties of the job

This is predominantly a client facing role; therefore, you must be able to demonstrate an ability to show empathy and to handle sometimes highly charged and emotional situations, alongside demonstrating assertiveness and group leadership skills.

A good proportion of your day may be spent with patients, therefore please consider whether you are someone who will be comfortable spending long periods of time in clinical settings.

We are a busy team with a high turnaround of patients, therefore organisational skills are also a must.

Given the demanding nature of the role, this post is offered as a Band 5 (Senior) Assistant Psychologist and is therefore suitable for someone who already has work experience in a mental health setting, ideally as an Assistant Psychologist.

You will be provided with individual supervision from a Clinical Psychologist. This is a supportive team and there are lots of opportunities for learning and development, including formulation and reflective practice sessions, psychology team meetings, therapy break training days, Trust led Schwartz rounds, Assistant Psychologist peer support groups and more.

Working for our organisation

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.

To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.

For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To assist in the co-ordination and delivery of a dialectical behavioural skills service
• To assist in the collection and analysis of data to support the evaluation of the service
• To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
• To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary (MDT) meetings
• To contribute to the provision of advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of other services
• To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members
• To work within local and national policy guidelines pertaining to health and social policy legislation relevant to the service user group.
• To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information and to be aware of any changes in these
• To regularly monitor, review and feedback outcomes to support service improvements under the direction of the supervising Clinical Psychologist.
• Communicate and liaise with other professionals within the team and to work in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies in order to develop good health care for service users
• To ensure that clinical practice is evidence based and consistent with relevant NICE guidelines and Trust policies and procedures

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

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

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.

Experience

• Experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist or experience of working with adults with mental health difficulties
• Experience of working as part of a team
• Experience of delivering groups
• Experience of audit and evaluation

• Experience of DBT, MBT or CBT
• Experience of working with people with personality disorders
• Experience of working with people who have experienced trauma

Skills & Abilities

• High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
• Ability to communicate sensitive information and psychological concepts to patients, carers and colleagues.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to the context of people with mental health problems.

• High standard of report writing.
• An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
• Skills in using spreadsheets for data gathering and presentation of information

Knowledge & Understanding

• Knowledge of the role and purpose of supervision
• Working knowledge and understanding of safeguarding vulnerable adults
• Understanding of risk assessments

• Knowledge of DBT

Physical Requirements

• Routine and regular use of a computer
• Post holder must be able to travel independently within the locality to meet the needs of the service

Other

• Demonstrable commitment to continuing professional development

Here at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) we are dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion. We deliver many of the NHS services that are provided outside of hospital and in the community such as physical, mental health and specialist services.

We are a health and social care organisation, offering a wide range of services, including:

• Integrated physical and mental health services for adults and older people;
• Specialist mental health and learning disability services;
• Children and young people’s mental health services;
• Children’s community services in Peterborough;
• Social care;
• Ground-breaking research

We strongly encourage applications from all sections of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people and members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities. For further information about our positive equality, diversity and Inclusion work, please visit https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/equalityanddiversity.

CPFT is looking to build upon its pool of temporary workers with Temporary Staffing Services (TSS). You will be asked at interview if you would be willing to register with TSS. This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to take on additional hours that are flexible around your personal circumstances.

Please be advised that in line with the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, 2020 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust currently are unable to accept applications from overseas candidates whose country of residence is classed as a ‘Red List’ country.

Applicants who require entry into the UK will be required to provide a valid police certificate from the relevant authority from each country (except the UK) where the applicant has been present for 12 months or more, 10 years before the date of visa application, while aged 18 or over.

If you are successful at interview you will be subject to pre-employment checks, including a DBS (if appropriate), references and Occupational Health. To ensure a smooth process please bring all identity documents to your interview. A list of required identity documents will be attached to your interview invitation.

All communications will be sent to you via TRAC Systems. By applying for this post you are agreeing to CPFT transferring the information contained in this application to TRAC. If you are made an offer, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.