Assistant Psychologist - Complex Emotional Needs Service

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Gloucester is seeking an Assistant Psychologist for a 12-month fixed term role. The successful candidate will join a multi-disciplinary team focused on supporting individuals with complex emotional needs through various projects, including peer support, psychoeducation, and training initiatives. Excellent interpersonal skills and a passion for positive change are essential. The position offers training and prospects for professional growth.

Qualifications

• Training and support to work within various projects delivered by the team.
• Experience with complex emotional needs.

Responsibilities

• Support peer-therapy groups through OATS project.
• Provide psychoeducation to families in the Family and Friends program.
• Engage in Frequent Engagement Response activities.
• Help build resilience through provided training.
• Maintain placements for high-risk individuals through PIE.
• Offer one-to-one support to individuals receiving care.

Job description

This role is offered on a fixed term/secondment basis for 12 months.

Internal applicants who wish to be considered for a secondment opportunity should discuss with their line manager the suitability of a possible secondment.

The service is not limited to people with a confirmed diagnosis, although it is aimed at supporting people who are likely to have difficulties coping with overwhelming emotions, who may experience times of life threatening distress. Importantly, people with complex emotional needs also have strengths and have a good prognosis for recovery.

This is an exciting opportunity for excellent people who are passionate about creating positive changes for people described as experiencing ‘Complex Emotional Needs’.

The service commenced in October 2021 and is now busy with a range of activities including reflective practice sessions, especially within the voluntary care sector; carers support and broad systemic interventions.

We are a close and supportive multi‑disciplinary team and we’re proud of our work, making small sustainable changes in service responses across Gloucestershire.

All of our work is underpinned by co‑production, being trauma informed and working alongside colleagues with lived experience.

The successful candidate would be a highly valued member of the multi‑disciplinary team which includes a Clinical Psychology Lead for Complex Emotional Needs, a Psychiatrist, Senior Specialist Practitioners and Lived Experience Practitioners.

The service is committed to achieving the principles of an ‘enabling environment’ becoming a positive and rewarding place to work and study, where people thrive, succeed and achieve positive outcomes.

Responsibilities

An Assistant Psychologist within our team will have training and support to be able to work within the following six projects that the team delivers:

• OATS – Open Access Therapeutic Support – A peer‑therapy group co‑delivered with a voluntary care sector partner.
• Family and Friends – Psychoeducation to families within a 12‑week peer group and one‑to‑one where indicated.
• FERN – Frequent Engagement Response Network – A small sub‑team within CEN focusing on improving responses to people presenting regularly to 999 services.
• Training – We offer a number of training courses across the integrated care system to help build resilience and compassion within services to people with complex emotional needs.
• Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) – Much of our work involves supporting care providers to maintain placements for people who may present with high levels of risk and complexity.
• Peer Support – Our lived experience team provide one‑to‑one support to people receiving care from other teams within GHC.

The qualification, training and experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description / Person Specification.

About

We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working across 55 sites and within people’s homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.

Contact

For further details or informal visits:
Jo Greenwood, Clinical Development Lead
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]

Dr Laura Price, Lead Psychologist for CEN
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]