Job summary
We are seeking a number of Assistant Psychologists to join our busy and developing Personality Disorder Community Service. Your main role will be co-facilitating our psycho-educational groups. Our primary programme is adapted from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. Previous knowledge or experience of DBT would be an advantage, however training will be provided. You will also have a role in welcoming and taking information from patients as they enter the service. Therefore, you will need excellent communication skills and an ability to form a rapport with service users who may present with emotional distress or feelings of anxiety. There are opportunities to become involved in service development and in service evaluation. You will be provided with personal and group clinical supervision. Assistant Psychologists are highly valued members of the team and are fully included in all aspects of the team's work.
Posts will be based in Cambridge (covering predominantly Cambridge, with some travel to Huntingdon) or Peterborough (covering predominantly Peterborough, with some travel to Wisbech). Please can you clearly state in your application if you wish to be considered for both areas, or just one area.
Due to high numbers of applications, this vacancy will be capped at 50 applications and may close early.
Main duties of the job
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of duties.
We are looking for four enthusiastic Assistant Psychologists to join our Personality Disorder Community Service. You will join a large multi-disciplinary team which includes a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, a Senior Clinical Psychologist, a Clinical Psychologist, and two existing Assistant Psychologists. We also host trainee Clinical Psychologists from UEA.
The Assistant Psychologists play a key part in co-facilitating our psycho-educational groups. Our primary programme is adapted from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. Previous knowledge or experience of DBT would be an advantage, however training will be provided. Our groups are co facilitated so you will work alongside other professionals from the specialist personality disorder service.
The team also offer a variety of other interventions including Mentalisation Based Therapy, Family Connections (a structured therapeutic programme for carers), Occupational Therapy, and peer support work which there may be opportunities for you to become involved.
This is a new and evolving service delivery model, therefore there are likely to be a range of opportunities for you to get involved in supporting the development of the service. There will also be opportunities to be involved in service evaluation, including psychometric data collection and analysis.
About us
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share out vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disable people & members of our BAME & LGBTQ+ communities.
CPFT encourages and supports vaccination uptake, as this remains the best line of defence against Covid 19
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- To assist in the co-ordination and delivery of a dialectical behavioural skills service
- To assist in the collection and analysis of data to support the evaluation of the service
- To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
- To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary (MDT) meetings
- To contribute to the provision of advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of other services
- 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
- To work within local and national policy guidelines pertaining to health and social policy legislation relevant to the service user group.
- To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information and to be aware of any changes in these
- To regularly monitor, review and feedback outcomes to support service improvements under the direction of the supervising Clinical Psychologist.
- Communicate and liaise with other professionals within the team and to work in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies in order to develop good health care for service users
- To ensure that clinical practice is evidence based and consistent with relevant NICE guidelines and Trust policies and procedures
Working Environment
- You will be expected to see clients in community settings to deliver groups and individual therapy.
- On rare occasion, you may be alone in the work environment where there is no paid support available. You will be expected to follow the relevant protocols at these times.
- You will be working often with individuals who are experiencing a great deal of intense emotions and some of whom may become challenging (both verbally and physically) at times.
- You will be expected to work in environments where carers may be distressed, and you will be expected to communicate with sensitivity in such situations
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- To assist in the co-ordination and delivery of a dialectical behavioural skills service
- To assist in the collection and analysis of data to support the evaluation of the service
- To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
- To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary (MDT) meetings
- To contribute to the provision of advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of other services
- 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
- To work within local and national policy guidelines pertaining to health and social policy legislation relevant to the service user group.
- To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information and to be aware of any changes in these
- To regularly monitor, review and feedback outcomes to support service improvements under the direction of the supervising Clinical Psychologist.
- Communicate and liaise with other professionals within the team and to work in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies in order to develop good health care for service users
- To ensure that clinical practice is evidence based and consistent with relevant NICE guidelines and Trust policies and procedures
Working Environment
- You will be expected to see clients in community settings to deliver groups and individual therapy.
- On rare occasion, you may be alone in the work environment where there is no paid support available. You will be expected to follow the relevant protocols at these times.
- You will be working often with individuals who are experiencing a great deal of intense emotions and some of whom may become challenging (both verbally and physically) at times.
- You will be expected to work in environments where carers may be distressed, and you will be expected to communicate with sensitivity in such situations
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second-class honours degree or higher in psychology.
- Entitlement to graduate membership 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.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist - OR experience of DBT
- Experience of working with adults with mental health difficulties
- Experience of working as part of a team
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with personality disorders
- Experience of DBT / MBT / CBT
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- High level communication skills
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to the context of people with mental health problems.
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Knowledge of the role and purpose of supervision
- Working knowledge and understanding of safeguarding vulnerable adults
- Understanding of risk assessments
- Routine and regular use of a computer
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second-class honours degree or higher in psychology.
- Entitlement to graduate membership 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.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist - OR experience of DBT
- Experience of working with adults with mental health difficulties
- Experience of working as part of a team
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with personality disorders
- Experience of DBT / MBT / CBT
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- High level communication skills
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to the context of people with mental health problems.
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Knowledge of the role and purpose of supervision
- Working knowledge and understanding of safeguarding vulnerable adults
- Understanding of risk assessments
- Routine and regular use of a computer
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
