Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Assistant Psychologist

This job is now closed

Job summary

Are you someone looking to start a career in one of the UKs most respected mental health trusts?

Would you like to do a job that makes a difference every day?

We are looking for an Assistant Psychologist to join the Outside the Box (OTB) team, part of the offender personality disorder (OPD) pathway in Devon, based at HMP Channings Wood.

The OPD pathway is based in prisons and probation, with NHS and HMPPS staff working together to increase the wellbeing and reduce the risk of reoffending of those screened into the pathway, whilst improving the knowledge and attitudes of the wider workforce.

OTB is an intervention service supporting those who are stuck (e.g. not willing to engage, multiple releases and recalls) or displaying behaviours that hinders access to rehabilitative programmes or services which reduce reoffending and increase wellbeing. The service provides individual and group interventions in a range of modalities with a focus on the relational. This includes the development of a shared formulation with each person on caseload, as well as pro-social groups (e.g. gardening, bee-keeping), psycho-educational groups (e.g. healthy self-esteem), skills groups (DBT skills) and more therapeutic groups (MBT).

The role will be within a cohesive, motivated and enthusiastic team currently including prison officers, psychologists, band 4 and 5 assistant psychologists and an art therapist. Therapy dogs are also used as part of the service.

Main duties of the job

Supporting Research and Evaluation: a significant part of the role will be to assist in research and evaluation activities within the service, such as literature reviews, data collection, data analysis, and report writing under the supervision of a qualified psychologist. This will contribute to service improvement initiatives and evidence-based practice by participating in research projects or quality improvement activities.

Co-facilitating Group Interventions: another important element of this role will be to co-facilitate group interventions as part of structured treatment goals. This includes psychoeducation groups, skills training and therapeutic activities aimed at addressing specific psychological needs identified in service users formulations.

Supporting Psychological Assessments: there will be opportunities to assist in conducting psychological assessments under the supervision of qualified psychologists.

Assisting with Intervention Planning: a part of the role will be to support members of the team in developing and implementing individualised intervention plans for service users.

Providing Administrative Support: a part of the role will be to assist with administrative tasks related to service delivery, such as scheduling appointments, accurate record keeping, liaising with service users and other professionals, and preparing reports and presentations.

About us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Date posted

20 August 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£25,147 to £27,596 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9369-24-0661

Job locations

Outside the Box Service

HMP Channings Wood

Newton Abbot

Devon

TQ12 6DW

Job description

Job responsibilities

For more information about this role, please refer to the detailed Job description and Person specification attached in the supporting documents section

Job description

Job responsibilities

For more information about this role, please refer to the detailed Job description and Person specification attached in the supporting documents section

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Honours degree in psychology and the qualification renders the applicant eligible for graduate membership of the BPS or a BA or BSc (Hons) in modular studies incl. psychology & related fields.

Desirable

Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis

Experience

Essential

Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality

Desirable

Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across a wide range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings.
Experience of delivering group work
Experience gained during supervised training of working in applied psychology
Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
Experience that can enrich the role and delivery of a psychological service

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Clinical placement and/or supervised practise in a forensic setting.
Significant clinical experience in any setting
Excellent verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills
Ability to integrate complex data; make evaluations formulations and decisions;
Organisation and time management skills
Ability to sit in restricted positions for prolonged periods of time.
Ability to work independently within defined occupational procedures and use initiative within a Prison Mental Health Service.
Ability to work as a member of a clinical team.
Ability to tolerate ambiguity, and maintain own morale and motivation in challenging service delivery contexts.

Desirable

Further training in applied / clinical psychology interventions.
Small -scale project management

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Honours degree in psychology and the qualification renders the applicant eligible for graduate membership of the BPS or a BA or BSc (Hons) in modular studies incl. psychology & related fields.

Desirable

Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis

Experience

Essential

Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality

Desirable

Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across a wide range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings.
Experience of delivering group work
Experience gained during supervised training of working in applied psychology
Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
Experience that can enrich the role and delivery of a psychological service

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Clinical placement and/or supervised practise in a forensic setting.
Significant clinical experience in any setting
Excellent verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills
Ability to integrate complex data; make evaluations formulations and decisions;
Organisation and time management skills
Ability to sit in restricted positions for prolonged periods of time.
Ability to work independently within defined occupational procedures and use initiative within a Prison Mental Health Service.
Ability to work as a member of a clinical team.
Ability to tolerate ambiguity, and maintain own morale and motivation in challenging service delivery contexts.

Desirable

Further training in applied / clinical psychology interventions.
Small -scale project management

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.