Job overview
In our quest to deliver patient-focused quality care we are looking to recruit highly motivated, innovative and enthusiastic Assistant Psychologists to join our forward thinking, friendly and expanding Health and Justice Services. We are recruiting into an Assistant Psychologist Talent Pool which begins with a Bank contract which will then enable candidates to be available for opportunities to fill vacancies when they arise in our services. By joining our Health and Justice services, you will not only look after the healthcare needs of the prisoners, but who also have the opportunity to have a real impact on promoting health and well-being.
Working in partnership with the criminal justice system and other agencies, we provide responsive, dependable and high-quality primary care and mental health services to existing offenders (and those at risk of offending) in the communities we serve, to improve their health status and to encourage social inclusion.
PLEASE NOTE ANY CANDIDATE WISHING TO APPLY FOR ANY OF OUR ROLES WILL BE SUBJECT TO VETTING CLEARANCE, WHICH REQUIRES YOU TO HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT IN THE UK FOR A MINIMUM OF 3 YEARS. CANDIDATES WHO DO NOT MEET THIS CRITERIA NEED NOT APPLY.
Main duties of the job
Supporting and enhancing professional psychological practice within the service. Providing support, co-ordination and administration to clinical, training and research functions within the scope appropriate to level of training and competence, and undertaking related tasks to enhance assessment, intervention and evaluation within the team or care group. To work independently according to a plan agreed and reviewed through regular supervision by a qualified applied HPC registered Psychologist.
Why not see what our staff say about working within our award winning teamshttps://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/health-and-justice/find-out-what-its-work-health-and-justice
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications. Please apply as soon as possible.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
PLEASE REFER TO JD & PERSON SPEC FOR FULL MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
Please note these may vary depending on which role you fulfill.
We will be hosting a whole day recruitment event in person to enable us to recruit into this role on 11th September 2026 at:The Gordon Hospital :: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust This will take the form of a presentation about the roles within the services followed by assessment centres and interviews. Please be aware that the recruitment event is a whole day event.
There will also be a briefing discussion online on 3rd September at 4pm.
In your supporting information, please structure your answers with the below headings:
- Education and training
- Work experience
- Personal attributes
- Why do you want to work in Health and Justice
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times
- To be able to provide and receive complex sensitive or contentious information in a potentially highly emotive atmosphere. To be able to work with resistance to ideas
- High standard of report writing
- To assimilate complex information and use reflective/analytic thinking, to apply psychological perspectives in work in a healthcare setting
- Ability to work independently and know when to ask for and use supervision, identifying when there is need for advice and using supervision at agreed intervals
- To have highly developed IT skills and good working knowledge of statistical packages
Abilities
Essential
- Need to maintain frequent high levels of concentration for long periods in managing agreed projects alone or with team members
- Ability to tolerate and remain calm in the face of high levels of emotional distress and emotional demands
- Ability to tolerate occasional exposure to verbal abuse and hostility
Experience
Essential
- Relevant clinical and research skills
- Experience of working as part of a team
- Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
- Experience of the use of psychometric tests
- Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS
Desirable
- Further training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 4 Assistant Psychologist roles in Surrey / London
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Assistant Psychologist - Health & Justice with Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust in Health & Justice. It is listed as a Band 4 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is Specialist Bank Rates for Health and Justice. The contract type is Bank. The application deadline is 25 Aug 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (17 Aug 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.