Senior Assistant Psychologist

Wye Valley NHS Trust; Hereford; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in Hereford is looking for an Assistant Psychologist to support qualified Clinical Psychology staff. The role involves psychological assessments, therapy, and contributing to multidisciplinary teams assisting brain injury survivors. Candidates should have a 2:1 degree in Psychology and ideally some experience in healthcare settings. Opportunities for training are supported, making it a great role for professional development.

Qualifications

• Eligibility for Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society is required.
• Previous experience in neurological conditions is desirable.
• Experience in clinical supervision of practice is valuable.

Responsibilities

• Assist qualified psychology staff with psychological assessments and treatments.
• Work with a multidisciplinary team to support brain injury survivors.
• Participate in research and service development activities.

Skills

Effective communication skills

Understanding of Acquired Brain Injury

Teaching skills

Education

Good honours degree in psychology (2:1 or above)

Academic qualifications to Masters or Doctorate Level

Training in Neuropsychology/Health Psychology

Tools

Advanced information technology skills

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for the post-holder to assist qualified Clinical Psychology staff by providing psychological and neuropsychological assessments, individual psychological therapy, research, audit and service development; under weekly clinical supervision. They will also play a key part in organising and co-facilitating well-established out-patient neuro-rehabilitation groups, alongside opportunities to input into other areas of the Health Psychology service, such as, stroke and long-term conditions. Opportunities for training CPD are supported as far as possible.

The post involves working closely with colleagues from other disciplines as a specialist MDT. It requires considerable attention to detail and organisational abilities as well as excellent communication skills both with colleagues and with service users who may have communication and/or cognitive impairments.

A good first honours degree in Psychology (2:1 or above) and eligibility for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society, is required. Previous experience of working within neurological conditions which may include the administration and scoring of neuropsychological assessments is also desirable for this role.

We reserve the right to close applications early in the event of a high level of response to this advertisement.

Main duties of the job

This is an exciting opportunity to work closely alongside qualified clinical psychologists within the Health Psychology Department, to deliver psychological input to a specialist Multi-Disciplinary Team supporting acquired brain injury survivors.

The main functions and duties of this role will include:

To assist qualified applied psychology staff by providing psychological and

neuropsychological assessments, treatments, staff training, research and development activity and administrative support across the county-wide Herefordshire Acquired Brain Injury, Stroke, and Health Psychology services.

To work both independently and within multidisciplinary teams to achieve objectives agreed and reviewed at regular intervals by a qualified clinical/counselling psychologist, in accordance with British Psychological Society and HCPC guidance.

About us

Wye Valley NHS Trust is a member of an NHS Foundation Group with South WarwickshireUniversity NHS FT, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute NHS Hospitals Trust.

Located on the border with Wales in the shadow of the Black Mountains, we provide acute and community services across Herefordshire and into parts of Powys and run Hereford County Hospital and the community hospitals in Bromyard, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye.

We are a progressive and forward looking trust with ambitious plans to improve quality and integrate patient pathways through close collaborative working with our partners to deliver the quality of care wed want for our family and friends.

More than 3,000 people work for the Trust they tell us its a great place to work, blending the busyness of a DGH with the benefits of working in a beautiful rural and unspoilt county like Herefordshire.

We can offer a great work-life balance and have a fine tradition of working with staff to help them achieve their full potential.

Russell Hardy, Trust Chairman: "The strength of the Trust is its amazing staff; a great place to work, a great place to develop your career and a great place to reach your potential."

Our values -Care, Accountability, Respect and Excellence - are at the heart of all we do. We believe in providing the right care in the right place at the right time.

Job responsibilities

For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

• oA good honours degree in psychology (2:1 or above). Eligibility for Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society.
• oOther related academic qualifications to Masters or Doctorate Level.
• oFurther training in Neuropsychology/Health Psychology.
• oRecognised formal training in positive physical interventions and breakaway skills.
• oTraining/qualifications in advanced information technology skills.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

• oA good understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with an Acquired Brain Injury/health-related presentation.
• oEffective communication skills, both orally and in written format, including the ability to communicate complex, technical and clinically sensitive information to non-psychologists, including other professionals, relatives and other carers, and individual clients who may have emotional blocks and severe difficulties with communication and understanding.
• oAbility to exercise both appropriate assertion and diplomacy, according to the particular situation, with professional colleagues, carers, relatives, and clients.
• oGood presentation and teaching skills for both formal large group situations and small informal settings.
• oKnowledge of underlying theories, procedures and practices of Health Psychology and/or Neuropsychology.

Experience

• oExperience of working as an Assistant Psychologist, or equivalent role working in the delivery of psychological services in a healthcare environment (paid and/or voluntary).
• oExperience of delivering psychological/ therapeutic interventions.
• oExperience of clinical supervision of practice.
• oExperience of multi-disciplinary team working.
• oExperience of working with people with an Acquired Brain Injury or health-related presentations.
• oExperience of multi-agency working
• oResearch 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.