Assistant Psychologist - Mental Health Wards

Oxford Health NHS Trust; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare organisation is seeking committed individuals for the role of Assistant Psychologist in Aylesbury. You will work alongside qualified practitioners to deliver psychological interventions in mental health wards. This part-time position (30 hours/week) is suited for psychology graduates aiming to advance their careers in mental health. The role offers opportunities for professional growth and training.

Benefits

27 days annual leave, rising to 33 days with service

NHS Discount across various retailers

Lease car scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Ability to assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans.
• Experience in group work and multidisciplinary communication.
• Interest in developing a career in mental health.

Responsibilities

• Assist in care plans under supervision.
• Deliver group work as part of therapeutic programme.
• Attend and contribute to multidisciplinary meetings.

Skills

Experience with individuals experiencing mental health difficulties

Teamwork

Psychological intervention delivery

Communication skills

Education

Degree in Psychology

Job description

Assistant Psychologist - Mental Health Wards

Are you passionate about working alongside individuals experiencing acute mental health difficulties? Are you looking to develop your skillsets further in a supportive setting?

We are seeking three committed and motivated individuals to join as Assistant Psychologists across the adult wards in Buckinghamshire. Please note these roles are offered on an 18 month fixed term contract on a part-time basis of 30 hours per week.

We have two acute mental health wards (female and male) and one mental health rehabilitation ward (mixed) - previous applicants have gained places on doctorate training, or gone on to other assistant psychologist roles across the trust.

Under the supervision of qualified psychological practitioners, you will have the opportunity to deliver a range of psychological interventions both on an individual basis as well as within groups.

This is for anyone who is keen to develop a career in mental health and to gain key skills which will help further their development. This role is ideally suited to a graduate in Psychology, who has experience working with people with disabilities or within mental health.

Main duties of the job

Key roles of the Assistant Psychologist will include:

• To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving psychological intervention, under the supervision of the qualified Practitioner Psychologist / Clinical Psychologist.
• Deliver group work as part of the wards therapeutic programme.
• Encourage the development of the psychological skill set of the multidisciplinary team through contribution to training / teaching / supervision / consultation and reflective practice.
• Curation of appropriate psychological resources.
• Attendance and contribution to appropriate multi- disciplinary meetings.

Please use the JD provided as an attachment to see a full detailed description of the main responsibilities.

About us

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East 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

We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the supporting statement element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.

The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview, and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their application. We kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of their experience and must take care to ensure the use of AI tools does not generate an application that does not accurately reflect their knowledge, skills and values.

Person Specification

Question 1

• Describe a time when you supported someone experiencing significant psychological distress. - What approaches did you use, and what did you learn from the experience?

Question 2

• Give an example of when you worked as part of a multidisciplinary team to support someone with complex needs. - What role did you play, how did you communicate with colleagues, and what did you learn about effective teamwork?

Question 3

• Tell us about your knowledge and/or experience of assisting clinicians to run psychological therapy groups; what things do you have to consider? - You may wish to comment on your role, how you supported group members, challenges that can arise, and what you learned from the experience.

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.