Assistant Psychologist - Intensive Life Skills (ILS)

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust; Telford; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking an Assistant Psychologist to support the multi-disciplinary community mental health team in Telford. The role involves providing psychological assessments and interventions, with a focus on group-based therapy. Candidates should have a strong background in psychology and excellent communication skills. Opportunities for career development and supervision from qualified Clinical Psychologists are provided.

Benefits

Career development opportunities

Excellent NHS Pension scheme

Generous leave policies and flexible working options

Health and Wellbeing resources

Travel expense coverage for community work

Free parking and annual flu vaccinations

Qualifications

• Experience in inpatient or community mental health settings.
• Significant face-to-face experience with mental health or offender clients.

Responsibilities

• Support psychological care by assisting qualified practitioners.
• Provide psychological assessments and interventions, mainly group-based.
• Work autonomously and collaboratively within the team.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Psychological Knowledge

Education

First or Upper Second class degree in psychology

Postgraduate qualification (e.g., Masters)

Job description

Job Overview

Assistant Psychologist Band 4

37.5 hours per week, 6-month fixed-term contract (secondments considered)

Location: Shropshire Intensive Life Skills Team

The Intensive Life Skills service is a multi-disciplinary community mental health team providing assessment and intervention for adults experiencing complex emotional and personality difficulties linked to adverse experiences and trauma.

We are a specialist team using a Structured Clinical Management (SCM) framework, focusing on treatment, recovery, and enablement to improve emotional, social, and practical functioning through group skill-based learning and individual therapy.

You will be interested in working with individuals with complex emotional and personality difficulties and will contribute to enhancing professional psychological care, especially in organizing and delivering group interventions.

Our team emphasizes multidisciplinary care and collaborative decision-making, valuing compassionate, reflective approaches and active service development involving practitioners of all levels. Supervision is prioritized, offered both individually and in groups, alongside ongoing training and development.

Main duties of the job

1. Support and enhance the professional psychological care of service users by assisting qualified practitioners in delivering and evaluating services aligned with Trust, national, and local policies, and user needs.
2. Provide psychological assessments and interventions, mainly group-based, with an expectation to co-facilitate three groups weekly.
3. Work autonomously and collaboratively within the team under supervision from Clinical Psychologists.
4. Assist with clinical administration, service audits, statistics, and research projects.

We are based at Hall Court, Telford, and Severnfield's Health Village, Shrewsbury, serving Shropshire. Travel between sites is expected.

Working for our organization

By joining MPFT, you'll support your community and benefit from:

• Career development opportunities
• Excellent NHS Pension scheme
• Generous leave policies and flexible working options
• Up to 27 days annual leave, increasing with service
• Health and Wellbeing resources
• Travel expense coverage for community work
• Lease or salary sacrifice car schemes, bike options
• Free parking and annual flu vaccinations
• Financial support through Citizens Advice and Hardship Fund

We promote diversity and inclusion, with staff networks to support you.

Early application is encouraged as the vacancy may close early depending on response.

Additional information

Watch our videos to learn why you should join MPFT:

• Why Work for Mental Health Services at MPFT - YouTube
• Development and Progression Within Mental Health Services at MPFT - YouTube

The service utilizes SCM as a core therapeutic model, supplemented by attachment theory, behavioral theory, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, EMDR, NET, Mentalisation-Based Treatment, and DBT-informed interventions, offering diverse experience opportunities.

The successful candidate will support SCM educational groups for clients with emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and relationship difficulties, delivered face-to-face and online. Strong ICT skills and effective communication are essential.

Support with service evaluation and audits will be part of the role, with opportunities to collaborate with psychology colleagues and other team members in delivering interventions.

Supervision from a qualified Clinical Psychologist will be provided, along with other developmental opportunities. The role involves working at both Telford and Shrewsbury locations.

For further information, contact Amanda Crawshaw ([e-mail]) or Stephanie Leach ([e-mail]).

Note: Use of AI in applications will be monitored; disclose if used.

Person specification

Qualifications

• First or Upper Second class degree in psychology or a postgraduate qualification (e.g., Masters)
• Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
• Experience in inpatient or community mental health settings

Experience

• Significant face-to-face experience with mental health or offender clients
• Teamwork experience

Skills & Knowledge

• High-level communication skills, capable of managing emotive and challenging behaviors
• Understanding of needs and difficulties of people with mental health issues or disabilities
• Ability to apply psychological knowledge in mental health contexts