Band 5 Apprentice Clinical Associate Psychologist - Op Courage

Job overview

We are delighted to invite applications for an Apprentice Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP) to join the South West Op COURAGE Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Service.  This is an exciting opportunity to train within a nationally recognised specialist service supporting former Armed Forces personnel and their families.

You will be enrolled on the Clinical Associate Psychologist Master’s programme at the University of Bath, combining academic study with supervised clinical practice. The 18 month course, funded by Health Education England, commences in September 2026.  On successful completion of the CAP Apprenticeship you will become a band 6 CAP.

This role will require working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, drawing on your training to provide valuable psychosocial support. The role will be based in Wiltshire (at an appropriate AWP base, providing in-person input at Salisbury and surrounding areas, as well as remote input across the region.

To be eligible to apply you must have at least a 2:2 honours degree in psychology from a British Psychological Society accredited course and should be eligible for the BPS Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) and you will need to have, or have applied for, Graduate Membership. In addition, you will need to evidence significant experience of working in a person-facing role with people experiencing serious mental health difficulties, such as PTSD, or other relevant clinical presentation in an NHS or voluntary sector setting.

Main duties of the job

This role aligns with the Band 5 Apprentice CAP Job Description profile. Locally, the postholder will:

• Complement the work of Clinical Psychologist, providing comprehensive assessments with the veterans.
• Delivering evidence-based psychosocial interventions, both individually and in groups, in line with the CAP and internal service training.
• Contribute to the MDT by attending regular online meetings.
• Attend regular face to face zone and whole-team meetings.
• Engage in opportunities to support audit and research activities.
• Maintain record keeping in line with the service requirements
• Adhere to AWP Lone Working policy and the Op Courage Lone Working Local Operating Policy.
• Adhere to and fulfil all University course commitments and requirements
• Engage in regular Clinical and line management supervision to support your development and ensure the high quality of care delivered to the veterans

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Responsibilities

To undertake structured interviews, psychological assessments and observations of individuals and groups.

To assist in the development of psychological formulations of complex clinical problems and the development and delivery of care plans, which include psychological treatment and/or management of the service user problems including risk assessments.

To determine appropriate psychological intervention, taking into account a range of potentially conflicting clinical information and dynamics under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.

To carry out psychological and psychometric tests, to develop interview and observation skills and to assess service user/patient needs.

To design, implement, modify an appropriate, bespoke psychological interventions with service users and groups under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.

To communicate confidential and personal information concerning psychological needs, obtained through assessments and interventions, to colleagues within and outside of the Trust and to the service user and their families/carers.

To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.

To provide emotional support to service users and carers/family members.

To keep appropriate records of work and inform relevant others through letters or reports defined within the polices for AWP

To work as a member of a multidisciplinary ward /or community team.

To follow a person-focused and evidence based approach with service users and their families/carers.

To work in a partnership with service users.

To work in accordance with National NHS and placement providers’ policies and regulations, as well as those of relevant professional bodies.

The post holder will be required to work in situations where there are barriers to acceptance and exposure to aggression.

Apprenticeship Programme

As this is an apprenticeship position, you will be required to meet the entry and eligibility criteria for apprenticeships are dictated by the National Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and the UK government. Within the funding rules it stipulates that to be eligible for an apprenticeship:

• (1)    You must have been an ordinary resident of the UK/EU country for at least 3 years prior to the start date of the apprenticeship (which does not include time on a student visa) (2)    You must have enough time remaining on your current visa to cover the full duration of the apprenticeship programme. (3)    Not completing another government funded programme of learning at the same time as the apprenticeship

We will be required to check the above eligibility criteria before an unconditional offer of employment, which includes the apprenticeship programme, can be made.

We as a Trust have no jurisdiction on the funding rules set by the ESFA or Government therefore unable to employ ineligible applicants into this apprenticeship position.

Alongside the academic work you will learn clinical skills working as part of the team to enable you to complete assessments, formulations and treatment, drawing on CBT, Motivational Interviewing and Family Interventions, both in group and individual formats.  You will be part of our MDT, participating in relevant meetings and processes, and working in a trauma informed way.

We are a hybrid service, providing both in person and remote support. This role will involve attendance at the University, face to face appointments across Wiltshire, and monthly in-person team meetings.

Please see the local information sheet for more details and if you would like an informal discussion please contact Dr Liam Williams (07783657967). We look forward to hearing from you.