Assistant Psychologist

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Cottingham; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS healthcare provider in East Yorkshire seeks an Assistant Psychologist to join its cancer psychological service. The successful candidate will engage in one-to-one and group work with patients, collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, and contribute to service developments. Required qualifications include a 2:1 degree in Psychology and relevant clinical experience, preferably in health psychology and with cancer patients. The role offers opportunities for training delivery and research involvement.

Benefits

Opportunity for professional development

Participation in clinical and business meetings

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a clinical setting under supervision.
• Experience in health psychology or an acute setting.
• Experience of working with cancer patients.
• Knowledge of risk assessment processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of patients presenting with cancer distress.
• Work within a multidisciplinary team to provide patient care.
• Undertake research and development activities under supervision.

Skills

Communication skills

Clinical assessment skills

Ability to manage challenging behavior

Planning therapeutic groups

Research experience

Proficiency in MS Office

Education

BSc 2:1 or above in Psychology

Graduate membership of either BPS or ACP

Tools

Electronic patient databases (e.g., Lorenzo)

Job description

Assistant Psychologist – Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity for an assistant psychologist to join an established and innovative cancer psychological service in East Yorkshire. The successful post-holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) with clinical and counselling psychologists and CBT therapists, and will contribute to one-to-one work with patients, co-facilitation of groups, and involvement in service development projects. The post holder will also spend 4 hours per week with the Active Together team to support prehabilitation and rehabilitation for patients on a curative cancer pathway, shaping the development of this service alongside AHP professionals and exercise practitioners.

The closing date is 07 October 2025.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work in the cancer psychological service, undertaking clinically supervised work with patients on a one-to-one basis and within group settings. They will also undertake research and development activities under the supervision of a clinical psychologist and collaborate with other professionals within the MDT. In addition, the post holder will work 4 hours per week in the Active Together project, delivering the psychological aspects of the programme. Active Together is a multimodal prehabilitation and rehabilitation service developed by AWRC at Sheffield Hallam University and funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, designed to prepare people with cancer for, and recover from, treatment, while maintaining healthy lifestyles after diagnosis.

The service operates as a collaboration between Yorkshire Cancer Research and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH), working with researchers from Sheffield Hallam University. The team includes Physiotherapists, Fitness instructors, Dieticians, Psychology, delivering high quality patient-focused care.

About us

The Humber Health Partnership is a large NHS partnership comprising Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH). It serves over 1.65 million people with a budget of over £1.3 billion and employs nearly 20,000 staff. Our hospitals include Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital; Scunthorpe General Hospital; Goole and District Hospital; Hull Royal Infirmary; and Castle Hill Hospital. We are teaching hospitals collaborating with Hull York Medical School and contribute to research across biomedical, primary care, palliative, cardiovascular and respiratory medicine, vascular surgery, cancer surgery and oncology. We are committed to developing a diverse, inclusive, innovative, skilled and caring workforce to deliver excellent care for patients and a great future for our employees, Partnership and community.

Job responsibilities

Main duties and responsibilities of post holder

Patient Care / Clinical Services

The post holder will manage a caseload of patients presenting with cancer distress, delivering level 2 interventions with supervision from a clinical psychologist. They will work as part of an MDT, attend weekly referral meetings, and participate in CPD events, business meetings, service development and clinical supervision. They will have opportunities to be involved in group work and in project and service development work, including virtual reality projects within oncology and a project within the Teenage and Young People (TYA) cancer unit. They will contribute to the Active Together programme, supporting the establishment of psychology provision, and may provide teaching and training to other professionals and facilitate group work. They will sometimes provide specialist advice and training for different audiences under the direction of a clinical psychologist, maintaining agreed standards and accurate records.

Knowledge, Training and Experience

The post holder will apply knowledge from their psychology degree and clinically supervised experience working with patients with physical and mental health conditions.

Leadership / Management Responsibilities and Development

The post holder will be responsible for delivering training to other staff under supervision, e.g. training ward staff on the psychological management of patients.

Communications

They will communicate complex and sensitive information with patients, families and staff through face-to-face meetings, written reports, and multidisciplinary meetings. They will disseminate psychoeducation to staff to improve participation in rehabilitation and manage distressed patients and family members, including handling verbal aggression professionally.

Analytical Skills

They will assess and treat patients on a 1:1 and group basis, using evidence-based approaches and working with a range of patients.

Planning and Organisational Skills

They will plan, prioritise and organise their own clinical and research workload under supervision.

Physical Skills

Standard keyboard skills and ability to use psychometric testing equipment; willingness to travel across sites as necessary.

Service Development and Improvement

They will follow Trust and departmental policies, keep up to date with service and professional policies, procedures and standards, and contribute to service development proposals.

Financial and Physical Resources

They will manage assessment and therapy materials, such as psychometric test materials and electronic resources, returning them to storage in a timely manner.

Information Resources

They will maintain patient records according to Trust and professional guidelines, securely store psychometric materials, produce electronic documents, and write clear reports for different audiences in a timely manner.

Research, Audit and Innovation

They will participate in departmental research under supervision, and prepare and conduct relevant research or audit programmes with a clinical psychologist.

Freedom to Act

They will work within the British Psychological Society code of ethics and Trust policies, receiving weekly supervision and staying informed about developments in clinical psychology, especially psycho-oncology.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualifications

• BSc 2:1 or above in Psychology
• Graduate membership of either BPS or ACP

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Experience of working in a clinical setting under supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist
• Experience in health psychology or an acute setting
• Experience of working with cancer patients
• Experience of using CBT, ACT or CFT for individual therapy
• Knowledge of risk assessment processes
• Knowledge in areas such as exercise, nutrition etc.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent communication, teaching/presenting, and clinical assessment skills; ability to manage challenging behavior
• Experience of planning and co-facilitating therapeutic groups; research experience
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and implications for clinical practice
• Ability to manage own timetable and participate in supervision; ability to manage stress at work
• Motivated to develop clinical and academic skills with evidence of CPD
• Ability to develop and use multimedia materials for presentations with proficiency in MS Office (PowerPoint, Excel)
• Experience of working in a stressful environment with challenging patients
• IT qualification (e.g., ECDL) and experience using electronic patient databases (e.g., Lorenzo)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, and a disclosure check will be required via the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB).

Employer name

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Queens Centre, Castle Hill Hospital, and Cherry Tree Court