Assistant Psychologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To undertake, under the supervision of a qualified professional, protocol based and evidence based assessments of clients applying psychological awareness, including neuro-psychological tests and information gathering, undertaking screening tools utilized for a Specialist assessment (such as DIVA-5, 3Di and ADOS), self-report measures, rating scales, direct structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.

2. To attend and contribute to the decision making process, and attending weekly multi-disciplinary meetings.

3. To partake in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups where possible.

4. To form and maintain relationships with Psychology colleagues, multidisciplinary staff within CPG community services and Navigo's Mental Health services.

5. To assist, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.

6. To assist in the formulation and delivery of care involving the psychological treatment and/or management of client problems, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional.

Teaching, training and supervision

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

2. To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS as agreed with the psychologist to whom they are accountable.

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

4. To contribute, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.

Management, recruitment and service development

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

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

3. The post holder will be required to attend and contribute, where appropriate, to relevant meetings that the Adult Neurodiversity service are required to attend, and the regular professional meetings of the Adult Psychology Specialty and other Departmental meetings.

IT responsibilities

1. The post holder will input and maintain, appropriate computer and manual clinical records and statistical data and provide this to the Service Manager/Head of Specialty when necessary.

2. The postholder will engage in relevant computer and IT training as required for Systmone.

3. To assist, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in the development, design and implementation of relevant IT projects.

Research and service evaluation

1. As an element of the post, to assist, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.

2. To undertake data collection and, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, the analysis and production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.

3. To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

4. To familiarise themselves with, and to comply with, Navigo's requirements on research governance.

General

1. To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the postholders professional and team/operational manager(s).

2. To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Navigo policies and procedures.

3. To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.

4. To undertake specific administrative duties as required.

5. To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade, which may be required from time to time by their Psychology Manager.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• At least 6 months full-time equivalent paid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities, or neurodiversity, under the supervision of a qualified practitioner psychologist.

Desirable

• Direct psychological care provision for ADHD and or Autistic Spectrum Services.

Qualifications

Essential

• A first class or upper second class honours degree in Psychology.
• Entitlement to Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.

Knowledge

Essential

• High level communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with complex (step3 and 4) mental health problems or other disabilities.
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context
• An understanding of psychology applied to health care.

Desirable

• Experience using microcomputers for databases or data-analysis, especially SPSS for Windows.
• Experience of using and interpreting psychometric tests and other psychological assessments.

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Effective communicator with service users, relatives and all members of the multi-disciplinary health care team involved in primary and secondary care
• Knowledge and understanding of cultural and equal opportunities issues.
• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
• An ability to interact with people with mental health problems disabilities.
• Ability to work reliably and consistently with work agreed and supervised at regular intervals.

Desirable

• An interest in working with people with complex mental health problems or other disabilities.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Navigo Health and Social Care CIC

Address

Val Waterhouse Centre

41-43 Kent Street

Grimsby

DN32 7DH

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://navigocare.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)