Assistant Psychologist - NHS

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to become part of a dedicated growing team that makes a difference to service users, families and carers and the wider services and partner organisations with whom you will work.

Depending on the interests of the post-holder there are excellent opportunities to carry out service evaluation, training, service innovation and improvement, and to develop links with partner organisations.

Previous experience in Autism Diagnostic assessments alongside knowledge of use of specialist interview and assessment tools is desirable but not essential. You will receive all necessary training and support to enable you to fulfil the role effectively and to also maintain your own Psychological and emotional well-being.

Main duties of the job

As a Specialist Clinical Psychologist in the team, you will contribute to the clinical work of the Adult Autism diagnostic and post-diagnostic pathway. As a growing service we will support you with development opportunities in this exciting dynamic field.

There will be specific responsibilities and duties within the team (see more detailed job description).

CLASS is a research-based service that has contributed significantly to the development of screening and assessment tools in adult autism over the last 25 years and continues to offer research and service development opportunities, including work with researchers and clinical academics in several universities.

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

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

across all sectors of care; providing psychological assessment and psychological

interventions (psychoeducation) under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist.

Working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures.

To conduct structured developmental interviews with parents and carers prior to assessment.

To carry out structured observational assessments to support the formal diagnosis assessment process.

To engage with autistic individuals, their parents, carers and relevant others in coproduction activities to improve the quality and experience of care in the service.

To support the MDT in the development and delivery of a post-diagnostic psychoeducation programme.

To assist in clinically related administration, collection and analysis of clinical data, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.

The role will include appropriate information sharing with service users, their families, GPs and other key stakeholders and partner agencies.

Data collection is an essential part of the role in order to provide monitoring, evaluation of the service, and demonstrate compliance with key performance indicators.

Person specification

Education and 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.
• Experience of working with people who have long-term difficulties/needs
• Experience of working as part of a team.
• Experience of using supervision

• Experience of working with autistic people or those with other neurodevelopmental conditions.
• Experience of teaching/training staff groups
• Experience of engagement & coproduction with people with lived experience

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 neuro diverse profiles, including autism without a learning disabilities
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to the context of autistic people.

• Able to deliver prompt, high standard of report writing.
• An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
• Skills in assessment of risk

Knowledge & Understanding

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

• Knowledge of ADOS-2
• Knowledge of 3di
• Knowledge of WAIS & WASI

Physical Requirements

• Routine and regular use of computer and virtual platforms such as MS Teams, NHS Attend Anywhere
• Post holder must be able to travel within the locality to meet the needs of the service and to Trust sites across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire therefore must be independently mobile

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.