Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Assistant Psychologist

The closing date is 11 June 2025

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 a band 4 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 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: assisting in research and evaluation activities eg literature reviews, data collection, data analysis and report writing under the supervision of a qualified psychologist.

Co-facilitating Group Interventions: to include psychoeducation groups, skills training and therapeutic activities aimed at addressing specific psychological needs identified in service users formulations.

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

Assisting with Intervention Planning: to support team members in developing and implementing individualised intervention plans (conducting literature reviews, drafting intervention protocols and collaborating with MDT members to coordinate care).

Providing Administrative Support: assist with admin tasks such as scheduling appointments, accurate record keeping, liaising with service users and other professionals and preparing reports/presentations.

Professional Development: to engage in ongoing professional development to enhance knowledge and skills eg training sessions, workshops, and supervision sessions.

Contributing to Multidisciplinary Team Meetings: to discuss referrals, formulations, treatment plans/progress and discharge planning etc. To provide input and feedback based on observations, assessments, and interactions with service users.

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

06 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9369-25-0414

Job locations

HMP Channings Wood

Denbury

Newton Abbot

Devon

TQ12 6DW

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details on this role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details on this role.

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 including 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.

Additional Criteria

Essential

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

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 including 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.

Additional Criteria

Essential

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

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Additional information