Assistant Psychologist

Kent PLC; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust in Maidstone is seeking an Assistant Psychologist to support younger adult inpatient wards under supervision.

You will conduct structured assessments, develop formulations, and contribute to care plans in collaboration with multidisciplinary colleagues, promoting trauma-informed, person-centred care and ongoing professional development through regular supervision.

Qualifications

• Under supervision of a qualified psychologist.
• Experience with assessments and formulation in mental health settings.
• Ability to develop person-centred care plans and implement interventions.

Responsibilities

• Deliver psychological care: conduct structured assessments and develop formulations for individuals and groups.
• Lead psychology groups and 1:1 interventions; assist in PBS plan development for ward patients.
• Embed trauma-informed principles into daily routines and ward culture.
• Collaborate within the MDT to create, implement and review support strategies.
• Engage in regular clinical supervision; prepare cases, reflect on practice and integrate feedback.
• Work autonomously within boundaries while following supervising psychologist's guidance.

Skills

Structured assessments

Formulations

Group facilitation

Trauma-informed care

MDT collaboration

Clinical supervision

Autonomy within boundaries

Job description

We are looking for a enthusiastic and reflective Assistant Psychologist to join our team on the younger adult inpatient wards. In this role, you will work closely with patients experiencing severe and enduring mental health difficulties, bringing a psychologically informed and trauma-aware approach to everyday care. All clinical duties--including assessments and interventions--are delivered under the full oversight and supervision of a qualified psychologist, who retains overall clinical responsibility for your caseload. Working as an integral member of our multidisciplinary team, you will collaborate with colleagues to support our service users on their journey toward recovery and wellbeing.,

• Deliver Psychological Care: Conduct structured assessments, develop person-centred formulations, and design tailored care plans for both individual and group settings.
• Facilitate Interventions: Lead psychology groups, deliver brief 1:1 interventions, and assist in developing Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plans for ward patients.
• Support Ward Culture: Work closely with the inpatient team to embed trauma-informed principles into the care environment and daily routines.
• Collaborate within the MDT: Partner with senior staff, multidisciplinary colleagues, and service users to create, implement, and review effective, individualised support strategies.
• Reflect and Grow: Actively engage in regular clinical supervision--preparing cases, reflecting on your practice, and integrating feedback into your ongoing professional development.
• Work Autonomously within Boundaries: Apply your initiative to carry out direct and indirect therapeutic work while adhering safely to guidance and protocols set by the supervising psychologist.
  We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD. Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve. Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident. Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.