Assistant Psychologist

Cheswold Park Hospital; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Part time

Job summary

A specialist NHS Trust in Wakefield is seeking an Assistant Psychologist for a 30-hour, fixed-term position. You will participate in a pivotal trial using Mentalisation-Based Therapy while supporting a team that aids children experiencing mental health challenges. The candidate must have an Honours degree in Psychology and a passion for research within the mental health field. The role offers flexible working hours and valuable professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Further training and development opportunities

Supportive working environment

Qualifications

• Further post-graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, or research design.
• Practical experience of working with people with mental health problems.
• Experience in administering and scoring neuropsychological assessments.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychological assessment and interventions under supervision.
• Assist in audit and research projects including data collection and analysis.
• Aid in the development of service frameworks to benefit clients.

Skills

High level communication skills

Ability to work independently

Experience with mental health problems

Data analysis skills

Education

Honours degree in Psychology (2:1)

Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society

Tools

SPSS

Databases

Job description

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Psychologist to join our ever‑evolving Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. This role offers the chance to be part of a team that prides itself on providing forensic mental health services to children within the community and secure settings who display forensic behaviour. The service offers several pathways, supporting children aged 0‑18 working closely with families, carers and professional systems to achieve the best possible outcomes and support healthy transitions in the community.

A key part of this role will involve participating in a National FCAMHS Randomised Controlled Trial using Mentalisation‑Based Therapy with young people presenting with violence and/or aggression. The role will include data collation, analysis and reporting to inform the research and there may be opportunities to engage in other audit and data analyses to inform service delivery and development across the pathways.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID‑19 to protect patients.

Main Duties of the Job

A key part of this role will involve being part of a National FCAMHS Randomised Controlled Trial using Mentalisation‑Based Therapy with young people presenting with violence and/or aggression. You will support the Research by collating data and informing the analysis and reporting requirements for the service. You will have the opportunity to expand your portfolio with experience across the FCAMHS pathways.

You will be supported by the Principal Psychologist and the wider Psychology network, as well as the Research Team that provides support to the Research implementation. Further training and development opportunities within FCAMHS and specific to the Research are available.

Post Details

Post is 30hrs and interim for 2 years.

Location: Wakefield; essential travel across the region is required. Working hours: 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Flexible working arrangements may be considered.

At the time of advertising, this role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates; thus, the Trust cannot sponsor a visa for this role at present.

About Us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust delivering community, mental health and learning disability services across Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the West Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities. We employ staff in both clinical and non‑clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary. Please apply as soon as possible.

Details

Date posted: 20 November 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: 4

Salary: £27,485 to £30,162 a year pro‑rata

Contract: Fixed term (24 months)

Working pattern: Part‑time, flexible working

Reference number: C9378-F0687

Job locations: Newton Lodge and Bretton Centre, Fieldhead Hospital, Ouchthorpe Lane, Wakefield, WF1 3SP

Job Responsibilities

This postholder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as directed. The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with the postholder when necessary and in line with service developments.

Key tasks include:

• Provide psychological assessment and interventions under the supervision of a HCPC registered practitioner psychologist, working independently as agreed with a HCPC registered practitioner psychologist and within the framework of the team’s policies and procedures.
• Assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit/research projects, teaching and project work.

Clinical Responsibilities

• To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients applying psychological theory, including neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi‑structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client’s care.
• To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s problems, under the supervision of a HCPC registered practitioner psychologist.
• To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups or clinical projects.
• To work with other staff to assess community patients and review their care in preparation for multidisciplinary reviews.
• To assist in the development of a psychological based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.
• To attend and contribute to appropriate multidisciplinary meetings.
• To respect diversity. To treat everyone with dignity and respect and act in ways that acknowledge and recognise peoples expressed beliefs, preferences and choices.

IT Responsibilities (clinical)

• To use highly developed IT skills.
• To access knowledge through Internet searches (e.g. Psych.Lit, Medline) to keep up to date with clinical and professional development.
• For the preparation and presentation of materials of effective teaching and training (e.g. PowerPoint, graphic representations) to record and analyse data for research and audit (e.g. databases, spreadsheets, statistical analysis packages e.g. SPSS).
• To create graphs or charts to collate or summarise data on individual interventions or treatment programmes.
• To assist in producing visual or material or user friendly information for interventions with clients.

Teaching, training and supervision

• In common with all HCPC Registered Practitioner Psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
• To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.
• To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
• To contribute to the training and support of other staff, working within the Service in psychological care.

Management, recruitment and service development

• To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects with the service as required.
• To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.

Research and service evaluation

• To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
• To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
• To undertake searches of evidence‑based literature and research to assist HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. Over reliance on AI‑generated content in application forms is strongly discouraged and we will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.

Person Specification

Physical Attributes

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Qualifications

• An Honours degree in Psychology (2:1).
• Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.

Training

• Further post‑graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.

Special Knowledge & Skills

• High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
• Ability to communicate information which may be perceived as contentious to patients, carers and colleagues in a manner that promotes understanding and acceptance.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or other disabilities.
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to health and social service contexts.
• An understanding of psychology applied to health care.

Desirable Knowledge & Skills

• Experience using computers for databases or data‑analysis.
• Experience using microcomputers for databases or data analysis especially SPSS for Windows.
• High standard of report writing.

Personal Attributes

• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
• An ability to interact effectively with people with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
• Able to travel throughout the catchment area, without unnecessary delays.
• A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability).

Desirable Personal Attributes

• An interest in working with people with mental health problems.
• A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology.

Experience

• Practical experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or learning disabilities and/or psychological/behavioural/neurological problems.

Desirable Experience

• Experience of paid work in direct care provision, particularly in the care group of the specialty of this post.
• Experience of administering and scoring neuropsychological assessments.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Details

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Newton Lodge and Bretton Centre, Fieldhead Hospital

Ouchthorpe Lane

Wakefield, WF1 3SP

Website: https://www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk

Contact Information

Helen Bradbrook, [e-mail]

01924 316066