Assistant Psychologist - Clinical Research - Feeling Safer

Integrated Care System; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Oxford is seeking an Assistant Psychologist to deliver specialized psychological therapy as part of the Feeling Safer trial. This role involves establishing supportive relationships with patients, enhancing their engagement, and assisting in participant recruitment for ongoing clinical research. Candidates should have a psychology degree and experience working within NHS mental health settings. The position offers a salary range of £31,049 to £37,796 per annum.

Benefits

Excellent opportunities for career progression

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

NHS Discount across various retailers

Qualifications

• Experience in psychological research.
• Experience working within NHS mental health clinical teams.
• Experience with patients having psychosis.

Responsibilities

• Deliver the Feeling Safer intervention for treating psychosis.
• Recruit participants for the clinical trial.
• Produce clinical reports based on treatment delivery.

Skills

Engagement with patients

Knowledge of psychosis

Understanding of clinical trials methodology

Education

Degree in Psychology (2.1 or above)

Job description

Assistant Psychologist - Clinical Research - Feeling Safer

We are recruiting for anAssistant Psychologist to help deliver specialist psychological therapy for people with psychosis: Feeling Safer.

You'll join centre of excellence in the development and delivery of psychological interventions for psychosis: the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis clinical research group. It is a thriving and supportive clinical research group, based in the University and Oxford Health, that aims to carry out work to the highest standards for patients.

You'll be delivering psychological therapy as part of the Feeling Safer trial - a large multi-site randomised controlled trial testing a 6-month supported online programme for the treatment of persecutory delusions. You'll be part of a new, specialist remote clinic and will work clinically across a number of NHS trusts. Training will be provided in the treatment and you'll support recruitment of participants to the trial.

You'll be joining the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis (O-CAP) clinical research group based in the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford. We are a large clinical research team (40 people) working to understand why mental health problems happen and how they can be best treated psychologically. It is a thriving and supportive clinical research group that aims to carry out work to the highest standards for patients.

Main duties of the job

• To deliver the Feeling Safer intervention in line with the treatment manuals and study protocols, under the supervision of a clinical psychologist/psychological therapist, as part of the Feeling Safer trial.
• To establish a trusting and supportive relationship with those taking part in the Feeling Safer therapy. High levels of engagement with participants will be expected from the post-holder.
• To contribute to the screening and recruitment of patients with psychosis and young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting community mental health teams and hospital wards. There are monthly recruitment targets.
• To attend and contribute to study fidelity rating meetings, supervision, and regular training sessions with other study staff members.
• To produce brief clinical reports based on the treatment delivery as part of the trial.
• Therapy will primarily be delivered remotely, though there may be times when travel is required which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport (we also use a local car share scheme).

Please refer to the job description attached for a comprehensive list of duties.

About us

Oxford Health is a great place to work and to be able to showcase the best of yourself when making an application please read the "candidate guide to making an application" and ensure your supporting statement is tailored to the role you are applying for and addresses any essential criteria.

As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible.Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive:"Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are:"Caring, safe and excellent"

At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
• Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Job responsibilities

The interventions will be provided in the context of randomised controlled clinical trials - including an evaluation of a new six-month guided online programme for the treatment of persecutory delusions: Feeling Safer. Patients can access Feeling Safer whenever they choose via smartphone/computer with support from a range of mental health workers. We hope this will substantially improve outcomes for people with persecutory delusions.

You'll work clinically across a number of NHS trusts, delivering the intervention remotely to patients and also help recruit patients to take part in the study.

The primary base will be in the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis (O-CAP) team in the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford.

Interested applicants will find the type of work described in these two publications:

Freeman, D., Isham, L., Waite, F. (2025). A 6-month supported online program for the treatment of persecutory delusions: Feeling Safer. Psychological Medicine,55, e179.

Freeman, D., Emsley, R., Rosebrock, L., Waite, F. (2025). Efficacy of a 6-month supported online programme (Feeling Safer) for the treatment of persecutory delusions: protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open;15:e104580.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree in Psychology 2.1 or above

Experience

• Experience of psychological research
• Experience of working within NHS mental health clinical teams
• Experience working with patients with psychosis or young people at ultra-high-risk of psychosis
• Experience of working within the guidelines of the Data Protection Act and an understand of the code of ethics and confidentiality in research

Knowledge & Skills

• Ability to engage young people and patients having experiences such as paranoia, hearing voices, anxiety and depression
• Interest and knowledge of psychosis
• Knowledge of clinical trials methodology and experimental psychology.

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.

£31,049 to £37,796 a yearper annum | pro rata