Assistant Psychologist

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust; Prestwich; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for an Assistant Psychologist within the inpatient Adult Forensic Mental Health Service at the Riverside Centre, Prestwich. You will join a large psychology team to support assessment, therapy and research activities for service users with complex needs.

Responsibilities include risk assessment, formulation and collaborative work in a multidisciplinary setting, with supervision provided to maintain professional wellbeing

Qualifications

• Enthusiastic and motivated psychology graduates.
• Experience or exposure to forensic/secure settings preferred.
• Willingness to engage in research/audit/QI activities.
• Willingness to undertake training and supervision.

Responsibilities

• Conduct psychological assessments and contribute to formulation for inpatients.
• Provide individual and group therapeutic interventions as part of a MDT.
• Support colleagues and engage in service evaluations and audits.
• Prepare progress notes, reports, risk assessments and management plans.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Psychology

Job description

We are recruiting an Assistant Psychologist to work within the inpatient Adult Forensic Mental Health Service at the Riverside Centre. We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated psychology graduates, to work with people who have complex needs and behaviour that has brought them into secure services.
You will join a large team of experienced colleagues. You will be involved in activities that include assessment, therapeutic interventions and work to support colleagues in the wider service. You will also be involved in research/audit/QI activity in your role here.
We expect applicants to appreciate the kinds of issues and challenges that are faced in working with people who have mental health difficulties and problems related to offending and/or aggression and violence towards others. Histories of significant adversity and trauma, and problems with self-harm, substance misuse, and managing relationships with others are common. Ideally, you will have prior experience in working in a forensic/secure setting and/or a service where you have supported people with complex needs. You will receive all necessary training, supervision and support to enable you to fulfil the role effectively, and to also maintain your own psychological and emotional well-being.
If you feel that you are ready for the opportunities, challenges and rewards that working in a setting like this provides, then this may well be the next role for you! We look forward to your application.
To contribute to the provision of a high-quality, specialist psychology service for individuals with complex clinical and forensic needs located in male medium and low services, or the women's secure blended service
based at Prestwich Hospital Site (including Riverside Centre and the Lowry Unit). The post holder will join a psychology department that comprises clinical, counselling, and forensic psychologists, and an art therapist. The post entails working within a Multi-Disciplinary Team (including Psychiatry, Occupational Therapy, Social Care and Nursing teams), contributing to risk assessment and formulation and providing therapeutic interventions to inpatients. These can be provided on both an individual and group basis, all under the supervision and line management of a qualified psychologist. The post holder will also be expected to contribute to other service-related activities - including service evaluations and audits, as required., To undertake direct work with service users to facilitate psychological understanding of their needs and risks.
To support the psychological assessment, formulation, and treatment of forensic mental health inpatients. This could be informed by one or more therapeutic approaches (e.g., schema therapy, cognitive analytic therapy (CAT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), compassion focused therapy (CFT) etc),
and be in individual or group contexts.
To be able to use and review structured professional judgement tools to develop an understanding of a service user's risk.
To attend and contribute to Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings to assist in development of psychological formulations to support the multi-disciplinary team's understanding of service user's presentation, needs and risk management plans.
To contribute to progress notes, letters, reports, risk assessments and management plans, and other clinical documents.
To work with potentially distressing material in relation to service users' personal histories and offending behaviour, as well as risks to self and others.
Have an understanding of working under supervision and direction, with an awareness of professional limits.
Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7000 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 122 locations.
We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.
Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.
Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity.
Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.