Job overview
We are looking for two dynamic Assistant Psychologists to work across the community forensic service. Each full time post will be split across two of the four Community Forensic Mental Health Teams (CFMHT) of which the service is comprised.
Main duties of the job
The main duties of the job will include:
- assisting in the development and delivery of interventions (individual, group, systemic etc.) that meet the psychological needs of our service users
- assertive in reach (primarily to inpatient services) and outreach (to community based services / organisations) relevant to supporting / facilitating transitions between services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To support and enhance the professional care of clients within SLaM’s community forensic services, following clinical guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures.
- To assist the Community Forensic Psychology & Psychotherapy department and other members of the community forensic multidisciplinary teams in the development and delivery of a specialist applied psychology service across the SLaM Community Forensic Service.
To assist the psychologists / psychotherapists, other members of the multidisciplinary team, and third sector agencies (e.g. supported accommodation providers) in developing therapeutic environments for community forensic service users.
- To provide clinical work as required by the service under the direct guidance, close clinical and professional supervision of practitioner psychologist(s). Clinical work is likely to involve carrying out psychological assessments, including risk assessments, circumscribed individual interventions, psychoeducational groups and systemic interventions.
- To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
- To work at appropriate levels of independence, following clinical guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, and seeking help from clinical/professional supervisor or manager as required.
- To work with inpatient and community-based services / networks to support and facilitate transitions between services.
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- • Skills in relevant psychological assessment and interventions that enable working independently as a pre-qualified practitioner with clinical supervision (A/I)
- • Well-developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, sensitive or contentious information to clients, families and colleagues (A/I)
- • Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups within own service. (A/I)
- • Skills in providing/supporting teaching and training provided by psychologists or others to other professional groups (A/I)
- • Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data (A/I)
Desirable
- • Experience of data collection, analysis and interpretation (A/I)
- • Post-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits (A/I)
- • Experience of working at Band 4 level (A/I)
Knowledge
Essential
- • Graduate level knowledge of psychological research methodology and statistical analysis (A/I)
- • Good theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and the needs of forensic mental health service users and of methods of assessment and treatment (A/I)
- • Awareness of racial and diversity issues through attendance of relevant training (A/I)
Desirable
- • Knowledge of working with challenging behaviour, offending behaviour, culture & diversity needs or personality difficulties (A/I)
- • Knowledge around risk of harm to self or others (A/I)
- • Knowledge around addictions / substance use (A/I)
Experience
Essential
- • Sufficient post-graduate experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs in forensic mental health services to be able to work clinically without close direct supervision (A/I)
- • Post-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits (A/I)
- • Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience (A/I)
Desirable
- • Experience of working with service users with mental health disorders, personality disorders, and risk of harm to self or others (A/I)
- • Experience of working across a range of clinical settings, including primary, secondary, tertiary (specialist), in-patient (secure, locked, open), prison (A/I)
- • Experience of working at Band 4 level (A/I)
- • Experience of working with addictions / substance use (A/I)
Qualifications
Essential
- • A First-class or Upper-second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology (or related behavioural science) that is accredited by the British Psychological Society and confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society (A/I)
Desirable
- • Relevant specialist training in relation to working with mental health challenges, personality disorders, challenging behaviour, offending behaviour, culture & diversity needs or personality difficulties (A/I)
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Higher Assistant Psychologist with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 5 Healthcare support worker role. The advertised salary is £36,943 - £46,852 per annum inclusive of HCAs (dependent on location) Pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 08 Jul 2026.
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