Job summary
We are excited to be able to offer a 6-month Assistant Psychologist post (22.5 hours per week), funded by NHS England, to support aspiring psychologists from underrepresented groups who may have experienced barriers in gaining paid work. It is hoped the post will provide them with valuable experiences to aid their progression in the field and to contribute to the broader aim of diversifying the profession and better representing the population we serve (please see the additional criteria section for eligibility criteria).
This post would also be available as a secondment opportunity for substantive internal staff.
The post would be based at Ravenswood House Medium Secure Hospital (PO17 5NA). Ravenswood House is a medium and low secure unit providing assessment, care and treatment for adults with serious mental illness. We provide high-quality care and treatment to 79 male adults split across five clinical wards. Our service is for people with serious mental illness and/or personality disorder who need to receive their care in a medium or low secure environment. Most of our patients have either committed a criminal offence or have behaviour that challenges. We admit patients from high secure hospitals, local psychiatric hospitals, prisons and the courts.
Main duties of the job
The role of an Assistant Psychologist at Ravenswood House would involve being a part of a well-established psychological therapies service, comprising creative therapists, CBT practitioners and forensic and clinical psychologists. The role would provide opportunities to observe and develop an array of competencies, such as assessment, formulation, group and low-level individual therapeutic interventions. The successful applicant would also gain experience in multi-disciplinary working and be a part of consultations with external agencies. The post holder would receive direct support, supervision and training opportunities from a qualified psychologist.
About us
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a newly established organisation, bringing together expertise from across mental health, learning disabilities, community, and physical health services. We are dedicated to delivering compassionate, high-quality, and accessible care to the diverse communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
With over 13,000 dedicated staff working across more than 300 sites, we place patients and staff at the centre of everything we do. Our goal is to create an integrated healthcare system that improves accessibility and ensures more consistent care for patients. By working together, we aim to improve patient outcomes, drive innovation, and meet the unique needs of the populations we serve.
Our Trust unites services from Southern Health, Solent NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trusts community and mental health teams, as well as Hampshire CAMHS, originally part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. This transformation enables us to deliver more seamless care across the region, ensuring that patients receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are deeply committed to our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence, and offer outstanding opportunities for career development, training, and collaborative working.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- You must have graduated with a Psychology Undergraduate Degree or have Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) for the British Psychological Society. Those who have not achieved a higher-level degree (upper second class or higher) would be encouraged to apply and to include supporting evidence with their application to explain extenuating circumstances.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in direct care provisions with people with mental health problems and/or in other health settings.
- Experience in carrying out statistical analyses, using relevant computerised packages such as Excel and SPSS.
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- As part of the application process, you are required to reflect how you meet the criteria listed in this document and the barriers you have faced. Please ensure your answer is provided in the 'supporting evidence' section of your application form. Failure to do so will result in you not being shortlisted.
- We have a 6-month part-time (22.5 hours per week) Assistant Psychologist position after being awarded funding from NHS England, with a focus on inclusivity and reflecting the population we serve. As such, we are most interested in applicants' personal and professional values, and contextual factors you feel are important over academic achievement or past clinical experience. Contextual factors might include socio-economic background, caring responsibilities, health conditions, ethnic minority status, or other protected characteristics that are not well-represented in the profession. The posts aim to provide paid clinical experience for individuals who are looking to pursue a career as a Clinical Psychologist but have struggled to find paid work experience to support their career path.
- Key requirements for your application form:
- Please ensure you provide details as to how you meet the eligibility criteria described below in the 'supporting evidence' section of your application form. You may wish to share personal information, but we do not expect you to disclose information that in any way feels uncomfortable. This information will only be shared with those involved in the recruitment process.
- Please also use the 'supporting evidence' section of your application form to describe how you meet the knowledge and skills requirements outlined in the person specification at the end of the job description.
- What is the Eligibility Criteria?
- This scheme is intended to widen access to relevant clinical experience to those who have otherwise faced barriers in their attempts to access the profession.
- You must tell us how you meet the criteria of otherwise being excluded from entering the profession through unpaid work experience. This may include (but is not limited to) anyone who:
- Is unable to take the financial burden of an unpaid role to gain experience needed to further their career (this should be over and above the pressures of cost of living).Has additional responsibilities that means unpaid experience is not a practical optionHas had less support to further their education. For example, you are the first generation in your family to go to universityHas lived experience of social care service use or is a care leaverHas a disability or other health condition that has been a barrier to gaining clinical experienceHas experienced discrimination of any kind in relation to their academic or professional career which has directly impacted on access to clinical experienceHas experienced financial disadvantage such as being in receipt of free meals when at school; immediate family receiving income support during school years (or any other governmental income support scheme), receiving additional bursaries, grants or awards from university
- Exclusion criteria:
- You are not eligible to apply if any of the below statements apply to you:
- Must not be salaried or post graduate trainee in university programmesMust not be studying or have completed a master's degree (with the exception of a master's degree completed as a conversion degree for applicants with a non-psychology undergraduate degree OR a combined undergraduate MSc degree on the basis that the financial position is the same as an undergraduate degree and different from an MSc)Must not have held any substantial previous paid Assistant Psychologist post or similar.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- You must have graduated with a Psychology Undergraduate Degree or have Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) for the British Psychological Society. Those who have not achieved a higher-level degree (upper second class or higher) would be encouraged to apply and to include supporting evidence with their application to explain extenuating circumstances.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in direct care provisions with people with mental health problems and/or in other health settings.
- Experience in carrying out statistical analyses, using relevant computerised packages such as Excel and SPSS.
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- As part of the application process, you are required to reflect how you meet the criteria listed in this document and the barriers you have faced. Please ensure your answer is provided in the 'supporting evidence' section of your application form. Failure to do so will result in you not being shortlisted.
- We have a 6-month part-time (22.5 hours per week) Assistant Psychologist position after being awarded funding from NHS England, with a focus on inclusivity and reflecting the population we serve. As such, we are most interested in applicants' personal and professional values, and contextual factors you feel are important over academic achievement or past clinical experience. Contextual factors might include socio-economic background, caring responsibilities, health conditions, ethnic minority status, or other protected characteristics that are not well-represented in the profession. The posts aim to provide paid clinical experience for individuals who are looking to pursue a career as a Clinical Psychologist but have struggled to find paid work experience to support their career path.
- Key requirements for your application form:
- Please ensure you provide details as to how you meet the eligibility criteria described below in the 'supporting evidence' section of your application form. You may wish to share personal information, but we do not expect you to disclose information that in any way feels uncomfortable. This information will only be shared with those involved in the recruitment process.
- Please also use the 'supporting evidence' section of your application form to describe how you meet the knowledge and skills requirements outlined in the person specification at the end of the job description.
- What is the Eligibility Criteria?
- This scheme is intended to widen access to relevant clinical experience to those who have otherwise faced barriers in their attempts to access the profession.
- You must tell us how you meet the criteria of otherwise being excluded from entering the profession through unpaid work experience. This may include (but is not limited to) anyone who:
- Is unable to take the financial burden of an unpaid role to gain experience needed to further their career (this should be over and above the pressures of cost of living).Has additional responsibilities that means unpaid experience is not a practical optionHas had less support to further their education. For example, you are the first generation in your family to go to universityHas lived experience of social care service use or is a care leaverHas a disability or other health condition that has been a barrier to gaining clinical experienceHas experienced discrimination of any kind in relation to their academic or professional career which has directly impacted on access to clinical experienceHas experienced financial disadvantage such as being in receipt of free meals when at school; immediate family receiving income support during school years (or any other governmental income support scheme), receiving additional bursaries, grants or awards from university
- Exclusion criteria:
- You are not eligible to apply if any of the below statements apply to you:
- Must not be salaried or post graduate trainee in university programmesMust not be studying or have completed a master's degree (with the exception of a master's degree completed as a conversion degree for applicants with a non-psychology undergraduate degree OR a combined undergraduate MSc degree on the basis that the financial position is the same as an undergraduate degree and different from an MSc)Must not have held any substantial previous paid Assistant Psychologist post or similar.
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.
