Assistant Psychologist

Transformation Unit; Hellingly; Remote; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an Assistant Psychologist (Band 4) to join the Psychological Professionals team at the Hellingly Centre. The post is a full-time, one-year contract across two secure wards, with opportunities for involvement in audits, service development and research dissemination.

You will work under supervision in a multidisciplinary inpatient setting, delivering assessments and psychological therapies while developing forensic and neuropsychological skills.

Qualifications

• Honours degree in Psychology (2:1 or above) or equivalent.
• Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS.
• Experience in health/mental health settings is desirable.
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Undertake assessments and interventions (neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, interviews).
• Assist in development of psychologically based frameworks of care.
• Formulate and deliver care plans for patients in secure settings.
• Assist in coordinating and running therapeutic groups.
• Compile risk histories to inform care plans and risk management.
• Support MDT/PP meetings and ongoing supervision.

Skills

Complex needs experience

Teamwork

Clinical skills

Health care knowledge

Education

Honours degree in Psychology (2:1 or above)

Job description

Main area Forensic Healthcare Grade NHS AFC: Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (9am - 5pm Monday to Friday) Job ref 354-FH-20650

Employer Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Hellingly Centre Town Hellingly Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 25/10/2026 17:00

Assistant Psychologist

NHS AFC: Band 4

Come and join us

We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.

At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.

We actively promote blexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.

We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn’t based on your real experience.

Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we’ll explore your examples further at interview, so it’s important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page .

We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for an Assistant Psychologist (Band 4, full time, one-year contract with potential to extend) to join our Psychological Professionals (PP) team based at the Hellingly Centre, which is part of Sussex NHS Foundation Trust Forensic Healthcare Service.

The role is across two secure wards. Assessments and interventions offered include those focused on mental health and those focused on offending behaviour. There will be opportunities to be involved in audit, service development, and evaluation of the outcomes of our work with the possibility of submitting for publication.

You will join a dedicated multidisciplinary inpatient team and a friendly Psychological Professions team that includes a varied range of practitioners and specialisms to learn from. The team prides itself in being supportive, with regular opportunities to think together in team meetings, reflective practice and team days. You will receive regular supervision from a practitioner psychologist.

Main duties of the job

As part of our experienced psychological therapies team, you will work alongside a clinical or forensic psychologist, supporting face-to-face assessments and psychological therapies for two wards at the Hellingly Centre. There will be the opportunity to develop your forensic and neuropsychological assessment skills. There will also be the opportunity to be involved in group programmes such as DBT-informed groups or offending behaviour groups. You will attend MDT and PP meetings. You will be supported in thinking about how to achieve next steps in your career goals.

Key tasks:

• Assessment of individuals and groups.
• Assisting qualified applied psychologists carry out interventions with individuals or in groups.
• Audit and service evaluation.
• Assisting qualified applied psychologists in delivering training for other professionals.

Working for our organisation

Proximity to the South Downs, the sea, the vibrant city of Brighton and Hove whilst only a train ride from London!

We have a thriving, friendly and highly skilled psychological professions department. We strive toward compassionate leadership and flexible support. We offer the opportunity to learn about the very best psychological therapies, in a safe therapeutic environment, with a challenging and often traumatised and marginalised client group.

The Hellingly Centre is a medium secure unit for people between the ages of 18-65 who have mental health problems and who have become involved with the criminal justice system. We offer assessment and treatment for people whose conditions cannot safely be treated other than in a secure environment. There are four medium secure inpatient wards, housed in a modern unit in the beautiful surroundings of the Sussex countryside.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main responsibilities:

• To undertake assessments and interventions (including neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews of clients, family members and others involved in the client's care).
• To assist in the development of psychologically based frameworks of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service.
• To formulate and deliver care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s problems within settings where there may be a hostile atmosphere, challenging behaviour or high levels of expressed emotion.
• To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
• To compile risk histories to inform care plans, risk and crisis plans.
• To work with other team members to improve care practices and the quality of life of clients.
• To d esign and implement agreed elements of audit and research projects.
• To undertake projects relating to service development and evaluation.
• To set up databases, spreadsheets and using advanced IT skills in evaluation audit and research.
• To support assessment and treatment interventions undertaken by the service.
• To undertake direct and indirect clinical work that is managed and goals agreed and reviewed through regular supervision by a qualified applied HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist.

Scope and Authority:

Key knowledge and skills:

• Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS
• Experience of working with people with complex needs
• Relevant clinical and research skills
• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
• Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
• Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
• An understanding of psychology applied to health care
• Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust.

Please see the job description for full details of duties, responsibilities and requirements.

For further information or to talk about the post please call 0300 304 0818 and ask to speak to Michelle Terry, Senior Forensic Psychologist or Jane Roberts, Consultant Forensic Psychologist (or email [e-mail] or [e-mail] )

Person specification

Qualifications

• Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS

Knowledge/Experience

• Experience of working with people with complex needs
• Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
• Relevant clinical and research skills
• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
• Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
• Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
• An understanding of psychology applied to health care

SPFT is committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and from disabled candidates, as these groups are currently underrepresented.

Successful candidates are normally appointed to the bottom of the pay scale unless previous NHS experience in a similar role can be evidenced.

SPFT takes its responsibilities for safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk very seriously. We expect all staff and bank workers to share this commitment and complete the relevant safeguarding training for their role.

If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful. However, we’ll always do our best to keep you informed as we know how much time and care goes into applying for a role.

In the event of a high number of applications, we may close this vacancy early.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust does not charge any fees for job applications, recruitment processes, sponsorship arrangements or employment offers.

All vacancies, applications and recruitment communications are managed through the Trust's official careers website and published contact details.

These are the only authorised channels for applying for roles, receiving recruitment communications and verifying job offers.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

Due to high numbers of applications this vacancy may close before the advertised closing date. We will not be able to accept late applications to this post.