Perinatal Assistant Psychologist

Job overview

The Mental Health Division of Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust comprises of three directorates; Adult Mental Health, Mental Health Services for Older People and Specialist Services. More than 2,800 dedicated staff provide vital and integral healthcare services for our patients in a variety of settings, ranging from community through to acute wards, covering a vast geographical area.

We’re investing heavily in our staff, facilities and patient care. As we move into this new chapter, we need a strong, motivated and compassionate workforce to reflect our core values of Honesty, Compassion, Trust, Respect and Teamwork. There has never been a better time to join our growing team.

We have exciting opportunities across different specialities and services, with an emphasis on career development and progression. We want to help our staff reach their full potential, and are committed to providing the support, skills and development needed to succeed.

A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking an experienced Assistant Psychologist to support the Perinatal Mental Health Team and the Perinatal Trauma and Bereavement Team. This post would suit someone who is passionate about working with women and their families in the Perinatal Period (through pregnancy and up to two years postpartum).

The Perinatal Mental Health Team is a multi-disciplinary team working with women experiencing significant mental health difficulties linked with pregnancy or parenthood.  Alongside this team the Perinatal Trauma and Bereavement Team offers psychological support to women experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder linked with birth trauma or the death of a baby in the perinatal period.  This team also works with women who have an intense fear of childbirth.  The post holder will be key in supporting service evaluation and audit within these teams.  They will also have opportunity to co-facilitate therapeutic groups as well as offer some individual therapeutic work.

There are numerous CPD opportunities available, alongside different reflective practice spaces to support clinical work.  We also have good links with local DClinPsy Training Courses.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To explicitly demonstrate a passion for perinatal mental health and be able to articulate why you are keen to take on this role and what you would bring to the team.

To support and carry out a range of psychometric and other assessments with women experiencing mental health problems in the perinatal period under the close supervision of the Senior Clinical Psychologist. These may include standardised assessments, observations, interviews, designing and analysing behaviour or other records completed by staff or carers.

Collation, scoring and analysis of information gathered for Neurodevelopmental assessments.

To support and carry out defined therapeutic interventions with women and their partners/carers under the close supervision of the Senior Clinical Psychologist.  These could be in the patient home or in clinic

To support interventions with staff teams, such as consultation, groups, training, identifying resources, multi-disciplinary working, signposting staff to appropriate services.

To support data collection and analysis, for both clinical and service evaluation, as required and under the direction of the Senior Clinical Psychologist.  This may include collecting and reviewing a variety of data such as psychometric scores, interview data, historical information, literature searches.  It may also involve data analysis and report writing under supervision.

Supporting the service in designing, developing and evaluating its approach to service feedback including young person’s and parent/carer’s views relating to service experience and the views of professionals.

To support the Team in addressing health inequalities present through analysis of available data, networking, hosting focus sessions and feeding back to MDT.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.