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
An opportunity has arisen for a fixed term appointment for twelve months in the Central At Risk Mental State (ARMS) service for Newcastle and Gateshead. The Central ARMS service provides help for young people between 14-25 years old who are at a higher risk of developing psychosis in the future.The aim of the service is to reduce distress, maintain independence, shorten illness, promote recovery and avoid disability. We deliver evidence-based support and care for young people with distressing unusual experiences within a compassionate MDT.
We collaborate closely with fellow services in CNTW and the local area to provide proactive, youth focussed and holistic treatment and support.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for individuals with enthusiasm and an interest in the area of young people's mental health. Applicants must be able to work in a multi-disciplinary team and be willing to learn from the young people we serve as well as other staff and service providers in the community.This would be an excellent opportunity for anyone who is keen to gain experience of working with young people with unusual experiences, like hearing voices or seeing visions, as well as learning how to use standardised assessments. The post holder will be supervised by a Clinical Psychologist in implementing psychosocial interventions, promoting well-being and reducing stigma, ensuring robust collection of service data and monitoring of psychotic symptoms.
The post holder will therefore gain experience in early psychosis, treatment approaches and the importance of reducing stigma and promoting well-being. The service and the psychosis pathway have a strong relationship with researchers in the area, and supporting research may form part of the role.You will support service development, including initiatives to increase access and reduce health inequalities.
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.
This post covers Newcastle and Gateshead and the post holder will need to travel across the locality. The selection process involves formal interview and you will require Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced clearance before commencement of duties.
The successful candidate will provide a central role within the service in the delivery of standardised assessments (CAARMS), psychosocial interventions (CBT-based), supporting the MDT, regular audit and service evaluation activity and health promotion activity.This is a varied role, you will receive support and supervision from the whole team, and weekly supervision from a Clinical Psychologist.
You will deliver interventions to suitable clients to support them to work towards their goals, often using behavioural activation or graded exposure principles. You may also deliver psychoeducation for unusual experiences. You will be responsible for supporting the team to monitor and manage breaches to waiting time targets, as well as supporting the service to evaluate what it is offering to young people.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Service specific training
Staff will attend a range of statutory and mandatory training applicable to all staff in the Trust. Over and above this the service offers specific in house foundation/awareness level training on:
- Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental State (CAARMS) – an assessment tool which helps to identify young people with an ARMS.
- Working with young people to understand their unusual experiences, using an innovative method of delivery.
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 23rd May 2025Closing date : 6^th June 2025
We welcome your application.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
- Further studies in relevant field
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
- Experience of Assistant Psychologist work (paid or voluntary)
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.
- Experience of administering psychometric assessments
- Experience of delivering psychological interventions
- Be able to meet the mobility and geographical requirements of the post
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.