Higher Assistant Psychologist - York - ref. d6275415

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care —our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We’re committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won’t rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Higher Assistant Psychologist to join our Community Mental Health Service for Older People in York and Selby. Our South-West Community Mental Health Team covers a broad geographical area spanning urban and rural areas including York, Tadcaster, Sherburn and Selby.

Main duties of the job

Where appropriate and under supervision, the post-holder will work autonomously to provide direct psychological well-being interventions and carer support for service users and families. Supporting training, audit and research and team and service development projects will be additional key aspects of this role.

A degree in psychology is essential and applicants must be eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society. Prior experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist with people with mental health problems and/or cognitive impairments, particularly with older people and in NHS settings, would be highly desirable.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate dedication to teamworking and involving service users in their care and as well as emotional resilience and a capacity to maintain a compassionate and respectful approach toward our clients, staff and families/carers at all times, even in stressful situations.

You will be well supported with regular clinical and professional supervision as well as access to CPD and peer support, in accordance with local and national standards around the employment of Assistant Psychologists.

Working for our organisation

Applicants must ensure that prior to applying they have agreement from their current line manager if seeking to be released on a secondment basis.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Psychological Professions are a growing part of our workforce and have a strong reputation within Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. Psychological Professions have a robust and distinct professional leadership structure and carry out service and strategic level work in supporting organisational change, developing psychologically informed teams, and embedding research and outcome measures, within a person-centred and trauma-informed approach.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Degree in psychology
• Eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
• Numeracy, Literacy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)

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

Knoweldge

• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental ill health or learning disabilities.
• An understanding of the application of psychology to health care.
• Understanding of confidentiality.
• Knowledge of the British Psychological Society Code of Conduct.
• An ability to apply psychological knowledge to the population described in the job advert
• Knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures
• Awareness of systemic barriers to accessing psychological services/healthcare for minoritized communities

Experience

• Experience working as a psychology assistant
• Previous involvement in clinical audit, research or service evaluation
• Experience using statistical software packages e.g. SPSS
• Experience of using psychometric assessments
• Experience working with people using services in psychological, mental health and/or social care settings. This may include, for example, personal experience or supporting a family member to access services
• Experience of communicating sensitive information
• Experience of work interacting with the public
• Experience in discussing and responding to issues related to cultural diversity, intersectionality and inclusivity, including working with vulnerable groups (e.g. those for whom English is not their first language).

• Experience working in a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of increasing access to psychological services/healthcare for minoritized communities

Skills

• Ability to relate therapeutically to the needs of clients and in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
• Ability to work collaboratively with members of the MDT to provide an effective service.
• Utilise psychometric tests competently
• Statistical analysis
• Record keeping
• Ability to lead a therapy group session (within Page 8 of 10 agreed timescale)
• Plan and organise effectively to meet required timescales.
• Use approved breakaway techniques

Personal Attributes

• Able to work in accordance with the Staff Compact and Trust Values and Behaviours
• Compassionate in meeting the needs of vulnerable people and their families and carers.
• Able to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in distressing or emotive circumstances
• Ability to work on own in a variety of settings using initiative and making decisions appropriately
• Able to work flexibly and co-operatively as part of a team
• Committed to continual quality and service improvement
• Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and/or learning disabilities
• Committed to promoting a positive image of the service
• Self-aware and committed to continual personal development. Able to accept and respond positively to feedback from clinical supervision

• Intention to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology.

Other requirements

• Ability to travel independently in accordance with Trust policies and service need.
• This post is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check

If the contract type on the vacancy states 'Fixed Term' this would mean the vacancy is being advertised to address a temporary need for the duration stipulated on the advert, however, in the event that permanent funding is secured for the post the successful applicant will be confirmed in post on a permanent basis.

Internal applicants must ensure that prior to applying they have agreement from their current line manager that they can be released on a secondment basis.

Trust Welcome Day

Here at Tees, Esk and Wear Valley Foundation NHS Trust we want you to have a positive experience when you start your new role with us. To ensure you have great welcome, for all new starters joining the Trust, we offer two start dates per month on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of that Month.

For certain clinical roles, your Welcome Day could then be followed by up to 9 days face to face training. If this is applicable to you, further information will be provided ahead of your Welcome Day.

Right to Work in the UK

Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Browse: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Your current immigration status will not be considered as part of the shortlisting or interview process.

Please note that not everyone needs a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa. If you are applying for a vacancy in health or adult social care, you may be eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead.

We are able to offer sponsorship for a Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visa, subject to candidate and position eligibility. Please review the job eligibility guidance for skilled workers here: Skilled Worker visa: Your job - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and for the Health and Care Worker visa here: Skilled Worker visa: eligible healthcare and education jobs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you are in the UK already on a visa, please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post.

AI in Recruitment

This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Newly Qualified Nurses

All band 5 nursing positions are only open to those candidates who already have their NMC registration in place and have successfully completed a preceptorship programme. Please note: Newly qualified applicants or those due to qualify will be recruited via a separate process, for more information about this process please contact: [email protected]

TEWV encourages and supports all staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID19.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the protection of staff, service users and visitors to the Trust from second hand smoke and currently operates a no smoking policy which ensures all buildings and grounds are smoke free.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from individuals who have experience of mental ill health or learning disabilities. Our service users and carers tell us our staff should be consistently concerned with maintaining and improving care with pride, empathy and compassion.

We have computers facilities available in our libraries (Durham, Middlesbrough, and Darlington) to support applicants. If you would like to access to a laptop for your application, please contact the library team to arrange a time to visit, please email: [email protected] .We will always endeavour to make this available however we cannot guarantee that we will be able accommodate this before the vacancy closes.

This job advert may close as soon as sufficient suitable applications have been received. If interested please apply for this post as soon as possible.

If this section is not fully completed your application may not be processed.

If your application is successful, the information you give on your application form will be used to create and be retained on your electronic staff record and to provide access to core Trust systems.

Please note that if the post you are applying for requires a DBS check, you will be required to also subscribe to the DBS Update Service, if successful, and thereafter renew your subscription each year. The Trust will reimburse the subscription fee.

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, that as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.