Clinical Associate in Psychology Apprentice - Inpatient Psychology

Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Colchester (VT); On-site; USD 29,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days holiday + bank holidays

NHS Pension

Staff discounts

Season ticket loans

Job summary

Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is offering a Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP) apprenticeship on adult inpatient wards in North East Essex (Colchester). The 18‑month programme combines work-based experience with academic study to achieve a Masters level CAP qualification.

It starts late January/early February 2027 and may lead to a Band 6 CAP role upon qualification. The role involves direct work with service users and short-term crisis interventions, supported by senior

Qualifications

• Requires a Psychology degree.
• Interest in CAP apprenticeship pathway.

Responsibilities

• Direct and indirect work with service users on inpatient wards.
• 1-1 work and group interventions.
• Develop assessment, formulation and intervention skills.

Education

Psychology degree

Job description

Clinical Associate in Psychology Apprentice - Inpatient Psychology

A Vacancy at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

We are recruiting aClinical Associate in Psychology (CAP) apprentice to join our adult inpatient wards in North East Essex (Colchester)

We are very excited to welcome applicants for this award-winning new type of psychology role! Clinical Associates in Psychology will have completed a degree in Psychology and will fill an identified skills gap between assistant psychologists and qualified Psychological Practitioners.Successful applicants will offer evidence based psychological interventions on our adult inpatient wards.

These posts are fixed term post for 18 months (18 month apprenticeship, with the possibility of an additional month to support induction), which allow the completion of the CAP Master qualification. The expected start date of this training islate January / early February 2027.If successful in their training, CAPs can apply for a Band 6 CAP role upon qualification.

The CAP role is a new psychology career path in its own right. Therefore the selection process will aim to recruit those suitable for and committed to completing the training for this role. This advert may close early due to receiving a high number of applicants.

This vacancy may close early due to a high number of anticipated applications.

The CAP Apprenticeship is an eighteen month full-time training divided between work-based experience (up to 4 days per week) and academic teaching and study, which leads to a Masters level qualification.

The main duties of this job involve both direct and indirect work, including 1-1 work with service users and group interventions.The apprentice will developexcellent assessment, formulation and intervention skills as well as an ability to work short-term with Service Users who present in distress in hospital. Thesuccessful applicant will provide high quality, evidence based psychological interventions, often working with people who have long-standing or complex difficulties in our inpatient settings.

CAPs are trained to work with a particular service user group and in this case with adults with mental health problems. This post will be based on adult psychiatric inpatient wards in South East Essex, working alongside qualified Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Assistant Psychologists as part of a psychological services contribution to the multidisciplinary team.

We are keen to hear from applicants with a Psychology degree who have a commitment to working in the local area and who are passionate about working in acute inpatient care.

Psychological Services operate as a distinct Care Unit, and have been established as one of six Clinical Care Units across the Trust. We have services well-integrated into MDTs throughout all the Care Units, as well as having distinct services within our Care Unit, such as the Eating Disorders Service, Parent Infant MH, Maternal Mental Health and Neurodiversity services.

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.

• Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
• Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
• If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
• Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

To learn more about working within our Services at EPUT, please view our recruitment videos, where members of the team share their experiences and insights into their roles and what it is like working within our Psychological Services, here at EPUT.

Please view our video link here:Psychological Services

We, the Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team aim to understand the impact of trauma and adverse experiences on an individual’s crisis presentation within the hospital setting. We work together with our MDT colleagues and wideCare unit colleagues to ensure our Service Users experience purposeful inpatient admissions.

Working in an inpatient setting allows you to be part of a patient’s individual recovery journey, working with them directly but also indirectly for example by supporting our staff teams, shaping the service we all work in and developing this further. We are committed to tailor making interventions and care to individuals’ needs and very much value the clinical and professional development of our psychological services team members.

EPUT’s Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team cover 6 inpatient sites across Essex. Each site has a Principle Lead overseeing the area/areas. Our team is comprised of Principle/Senior Practitioners, Arts Psychotherapists, trainees and CAPS. We acknowledge the excellent day-to-day work of our staff team and also pride ourselves on new creative practice as evidenced by recent innovations; such as our Out of Hour’s access to psychological groups scheme and our nationally recognised staff training packages.

We ensure our staff have access to CPD, reflective practice and peer support. Our CAPs are supported by Psychologists who are dedicated to the support and development of CAPs in our team.

If you would like to be a part of shaping and contributing to innovation in inpatient care, are a champion of quality initiatives and have an interest in delivering interventions for people with who are in crisis then we are keen to interview you.

For more information please see attached Job Description and Person specification.

This advert closes on Sunday 22 Nov 2026