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Assistant Psychologist


Location
Dartford, England
Salary
£30,392 - £33,157 PER ANNUM **RECRUITMENT & RETENTION INCENTIVE INCLUDED**
Profession
Psychologist
Grade
Band 4
Deadline
13 Aug 2026
Contract Type
Fixed term: 12 months (Fix term or Secondment for 12 months)
Posted Date
30 Jul 2026
Medical Protection — the side of locally employed doctors from £83

Job overview

We are looking for a fix term or Secondment cover for 12 months, the post holder will have the opportunity of working alongside the Clinical Psychologist within the service.

The post holder will contribute to the overall psychology provision within the prisons. Clinical duties will include; facilitating psychologically informed therapeutic groups, individual psychology assessments (including neuropsychology assessments), and working with staff teams to support the management of service users. Working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures. To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.

Regular and routine clinical supervision with the Psychologist will be provided as well as access to the wider Trust CPD opportunities, including a specific monthly Assistant Psychologist CPD group.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

Main duties of the job

  • To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder’s professional and team/operational manager(s).
  • To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.
  • To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.
  • To undertake specific administrative duties as required.
  • To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade as might be required by the line manager for the post.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients applying psychological principals, including neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client’s care, under the supervision of a qualified psychologist.
  • To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.
  • To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups or clinical projects. This includes evaluating the efficacy of the groups.
  • To work with other staff to assess or support service users and contribute to multidisciplinary discussions or care guidelines as agreed with the clinical psychologist providing supervision.
  • To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings.
  • To provide feedback to MDT about psychology input.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ:

All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.

You will need to provide:

Proof of right to work documentation

Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID

Proof of address documentation

Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.

Address History:

5 years address history will be needed.

Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.

Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited.

In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be sought from:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en).

Person specification

Skills

Essential

  • Knowledge of evidence-based psychological interventions suitable for challenging behaviour, i.e. Positive Behaviour Support Plans.
  • High level of interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to work and effectively communicate complex or sensitive information in highly emotive and emotionally charged settings involving conflict and significant personal distress.
  • Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.

Desirable

  • Driving License, access to vehicle

Experience

Essential

  • Work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities
  • Experience of facilitating psychologically informed groups

Desirable

  • Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
  • Experience of working with a psychologist
  • Experience of providing psychological interventions
  • Working on an adult inpatient psychiatric ward

Education/Qualifications

Essential

  • An upper second class honours degree (2:1) or higher in psychology.
  • Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society

Desirable

  • Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.

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Applying for this NHS job

This advert is for Assistant Psychologist with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in Dartford, London, England. It is listed as a Band 4 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £30,392 - £33,157 PER ANNUM **RECRUITMENT & RETENTION INCENTIVE INCLUDED**. The contract type is Fixed term: 12 months (Fix term or Secondment for 12 months). The application deadline is 13 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 (30 Jul 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.

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