Assistant Psychologist

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Psychologist to join our expanding psychology team within Trafford Living Well .

Psychology is highly valued and integrated into the ethos of Living Well and the wider network of community partnerships. The successful candidates will be supported by three Clinical Psychologists within the team and we would welcome applicants who bring curiosity and creativity as we develop the psychology offer within this service.

Trafford Living Well are a trauma informed, compassionate and recovery focused service. We value the skills and strengths our staff and individuals accessing the service bring and we work to build on these. Living Well has co-produced values and principles that all staff and individuals share. As a result, our model operates within a biopsychosocial framework and is a humanistic and person-centred model of support. Our core values are based on creating open, honest, safe spaces where all people's strengths are valued.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as an Assistant Psychologist, under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist, in the delivery of psychology services for individuals accessing Trafford Living Well. This will primarily involve offering short term psychosocial interventions (1:1 approx. 6 sessions), aswell as supporting with the development and delivery of group programs to individuals accessing the service.

The role will also require working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified Clinical Psychologist and within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures. The successful applicant will also assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects/ service evaluation, teaching and project work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the accompanying job description and person specification for a full breakdown of the main responsibilities.

Qualifications

Essential

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology or equivalent.

Desirable

• Further training in relevant areas of clinical practice such as psychosocial interventions (PSI) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with people with mental health and/ or social care needs
• Experience of, and an understanding of, working in a multidisciplinary, multi-agency or complex care organisation.
• Experience of delivering psychosocial/psychological interventions to individuals with mental health difficulties.

Desirable

• Experience of group work
• Experience of thorough risk assessment

Knowledge

Essential

• Demonstratable knowledge of mental health difficulties.
• Knowledge of the range of psychological assessments and interventions used when working with people with mental health difficulties within Living Well
• Knowledge of limits of competence and when to seek out supervision and support.

Desirable

• Knowledge and/or awareness of recent national changes within Adult Community Mental Health Services in the NHS (e.g., Community Transformation).

Skills

Essential

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to communicate complex information to professionals and service users.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to engage with a range of staff groups within the service and to engage clients and their families with a range of complex needs.
• Ability to use supervision effectively to plan clinical work and manage personal responses to distress.

Desirable

• Ability to manage own time effectively with a number of different parts of the role which will require prioritisation at different times.
• Previous experience in the facilitating or completion of service audits, evaluation, development or research.