Assistant Psychologist - Perinatal | Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Are you interested to work with families in the perinatal period to improve outcomes for parents, babies and local communities?

We have a number of focused workstreams across our service, focussed onimproving perinatal health outcomes for marginalised communitiesanddevelopingculturally responsive pathways.

As a result, we wouldwelcomeapplications from those with either lived or work experience of working with health inequalities.

To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work. Overall, this will require work on a one-to-one and/or group basis, in a highly emotive atmosphere, necessitating the maintenance of a high degree of professionalism at all times.

The post holder will demonstrate an attitude which respects and values service users and their careers, in line with the Culture of Compassionate Care.

• Promote safe practices
• Value the aims of service users
• Work in partnership and offer meaningful choice
• Be optimistic about the possibilities of meaningful change
• Value social inclusion

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

We’re currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

1. To support Qualified Psychologists by undertaking psychological assessments of clients applying psychologically based psychometric tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client’s care.
2. To undertake psychological assessments of service users under the supervision of a qualified psychologist which may include, as appropriate, a range of psychometric tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service users, carers and others involved in the client’s care.
3. To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in a range of settings as appropriate.
4. To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
5. To work with other disciplines to assess inpatients, outpatients, day patients or residents and review their care in preparation for multi-disciplinary reviews.
6. To assist in the development of a psychological framework of understanding and care to all service users of the service, across all care settings.
7. To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings as directed by the qualified psychologists.
8. To use a degree of initiative and work independently with service users on planned work, and to exercise judgement based on good practice (NICE) and local operating procedures.
9. To work with potentially distressing material in relation to service users’ personal histories and presentation, including risk to self and others.
10. In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines and trust policy.
11. To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties
12. Where appropriate, and under the supervision of qualified staff, contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.
13. To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.
14. To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed as required.
15. To be competent in the use of basic IT packages, such as Microsoft word.
16. Develop a skill base in the administration and analysis of a range of psychometric packages as directed.
17. To assist in the design and implementation of audit, effectiveness, and research projects.
18. To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of full reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
19. To review evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified psychologists and work with other team members in their clinical responsibilities as necessary.
20. To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.

1. To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in appropriate CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the postholder’s professional and team/operational manager(s).
2. 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 Trust policies and procedures.
3. To prepare test materials and visual aids as required and to maintain stock of same where necessary.
4. To undertake specific administrative duties as required.
5. To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade, which may be required by their Psychological Services Manager.

• The post holder will be expected to work in a wide range of settings and will have a primary base depending on the need of the service.
• Some sessions may involve working in other geographical areas both within and external to the Trust.
• Post holders must have a capacity to provide services in constrained or adverse conditions and may be required to sit in constrained positions for clinical sessions
• Travel is an integral part of the post.

• Commit to the vision of supporting Mersey Care in becoming a leading organisation in the provision of community services, mental health care, addiction services and learning disability care, and in doing so fully utilise their skills and experience to support the objectives of the Trust.
• Role model the values of the Trust – Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Respectfulness, Enthusiasm and Support– in all activities and interactions with employees, service users and other stakeholders
• Challenge the stigma associated with mental health and learning difficulties.
• Comply with the Duty of Candour, defined by Francis as: 'The volunteering of all relevant information to persons who have or may have been harmed by the provision of services, whether or not the information has been requested and whether or not a complaint or a report about that provision has been made.’
• Work across professional and organisational boundaries to improve services for all.
• Maintain their specific knowledge base and develop new skills.
• Value the contribution of the patient / service user voice.
• Operate within any organisational codes of practice or those from a relevant professional body.
• Respect equality and diversity across all areas of working practice and communications with staff, service users and other stakeholders.
• Take responsibility for the accurate and timely collection and recording of data and ensuring all personally identifiable information is protected and used only for the purposes for which it was intended.
• Comply with all health and safety legislation and local policies and procedures.
• Adhere to all organisational policies.
• Have knowledge and understanding of technology in the workplace which is sufficient to maintain their efficiency and also how technology can empower service users in a digital environment
• Comply with the NHS Constitution in relation to the staff responsibilities that it sets out for NHS employees.
• Attend a one day Just and Learning & Civility and Respect training workshop
• Be an ambassador for Just & Learning and Civility & Respect following the training
• Positively advocate the just and learning culture within your team
• Be a confident supporter and implementer of the Trust CARES Values including Civility & Respect within your team.
• Support their team/services to create a positive environment for Just and Learning Culture
• Participate in Just and Learning Culture events.
• Bring Just and Learning Culture updates/information to the attention of team members and other MCT colleagues they work with.
• Support and encourage the sharing of concerns about the safety and quality of care with senior leaders with the aim of improving safety and quality.
• Actively participate in creating an open culture within your team so that concerns and difficulties can be discussed safely and respectfully.
• Speaking up in the event that they are exposed to incivility between colleagues in the workplace #iwillspeakup.
• Listening and understanding others who have concerns and taking a collaborative approach to work towards a solution to improve civility and respect.

This advert closes on Wednesday 23 Oct 2024