Assistant Psychologist

Job overview

There are currently five posts available across the Bracton Centre and Memorial Hospital. The posts are will cover the following areas and will involve split roles at the discretion of the team:

• Burgess Clinic: a male medium secure acute inpatient ward at the Bracton Centre.

• Crofton Clinic a male medium secure acute inpatient ward at the Bracton Centre.

• Danson Clinic: a male medium secure rehabilitation inpatient ward at the Bracton Centre.

• Heath Clinic: a male rehabilitation ward at the Bracton Centre, offering intensive support as part of the South London Partnership Assertive Rehabilitation Pathway.

• Birchwood Clinic: a male medium secure pre-discharge inpatient ward at the Bracton Centre

• Joydens Clinic: a female low secure inpatient ward at the Bracton Centre.

• William Morris Centre: The WMC is the central hub of the Oxleas Community Forensic Psychological Therapies Service and provides assessment and group psychological therapy for outpatients within the boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, and Greenwich.

• Hazelwood Clinic: a male low secure acute inpatient ward at Memorial Hospital.
• Greenwood Clinic: a male low secure rehabilitation inpatient ward at Memorial Hospital.

Applications are made for a role within the service, preferences for specific roles will be taken into consideration however allocation to roles will be decided by the team following interview.

Main duties of the job

To support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients. To provide psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, work 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.

In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.

To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.

To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

All roles will involve additional responsibilities to meet the wider need of the psychological therapies team (e.g. carer involvement, Trauma Informed Care initiatives).

Management responsibilities

To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects with the service as required.

To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.

To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.

To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients applying psychological theory, including neuro-psychological 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.

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, in both community and in-patient/residential settings.

To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups or clinical projects.

To work with other staff to assess or support service users in residential and day service settings and contribute to multidisciplinary discussions or care guidelines as agreed with the clinical psychologist providing supervision.

To assist in the development of a psychological based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.

To create graphs or charts to collate or summarise data on individual interventions or treatment programmes.

To assist in producing visual or material or user-friendly information for interventions with clients.

To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.

To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.

Liaises with other psychology members of the team and other disciplines and agencies responsible for clients’ care.

Typically, this role does not involve unsociable hours, however flexibility is expected to meet the needs of the service and evening and weekend work is expected, as required.