Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Assistant Psychologist

The closing date is 09 November 2025

Job summary

We are looking for a skilled and enthusiastic assistant psychologist to join our team of compassionate, supportive and experienced clinicians in the Community Eating Disorders Service for Adults (CEDS). The early intervention (FREED equivalent) service across is a pathway for young adults 18 25 years to enable rapid access to treatment to prevent the eating disorder becoming more severe and/or chronic.

The post holder will maintain the enthusiasm for early interventions within the team and beyond (e.g., building links with child and adolescent services, the University, other eating disorder services and IAPT), through training and regular updates/liaison. The successful post holder will be involved in assessments and delivering evidence based interventions (CBT-T) under supervision. Evaluation of interventions and the impact of the service in terms of benefit to clients is an important component of this role and the post holder would be central to collection of data and auditing of the pathway, in particular collecting outcome measures and service user feedback

You will need to be able to work flexibly within an MDT, and have well developed interpersonal skills and experience of working within a mental health service would be desirable. The role will require good organisation skills, creative thinking/problem solving, and the ability to engage young people using flexible and modern methods.

Main duties of the job

The Assistant Psychologist will work as part of a small team with other qualified mental health staff to track referrals and conduct engagement calls and offer assessments and initial psychological interventions to young people with eating disorders. These processes will be supported by a qualified clinical psychologist and other colleagues in the wider CEDS service.

The Assistant Psychologist will be directly involved in evaluating and improving the service provided. This will require collating and delivering reports to the wider service using quantitative and qualitative method and so good presentation skills would be desirable.

We are looking for someone who can work autonomously and independently and has a good foundation in working clinically with patients. There are also opportunities for additional supervision and training in the role.

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

03 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-25-0792

Job locations

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

Job description

Job responsibilities

The principal purpose of the job is to improve the psychological health & wellbeing of people with Eating Disorders and their support network with particular focus on early interventions.

This will be achieved in this post by:

1. Providing a psychological service to CEDS in Devon as a key component of integrated mental health and wellbeing services to DPT and to community mental health services.

2. Implements specific assessments, clinical care, psychological interventions, and providing advice and consultancy to clients, family members, carers and professionals under the supervision and management of Professional Lead and line manager.

3. The post holder will be supported by senior colleagues within CEDS. The post holder will be expected to make good use of the expertise of others within the service to further develop their clinical skills with this client group

4. The post holder will support and provide guidance to other assistant psychologists as required within the team

5. To work independently within a defined managed and occupational context. To work within professional guidelines and DPT procedures and protocols

6. The post holder will receive regular professional and clinical supervision in accordance to Trust policy and to Professional Practice Guidelines set out by the British Psychological Society or appropriate designated Professional Body.

7. The post holders role will be conducted in accordance with a value system of person-centered care, the enhancement of client autonomy, social inclusion and dignity.

Supervision

To take part in regular clinical supervision provided by the service clinical psychologist.
In addition to the above to take part in group and peer supervision and reflective practice as required.

Teaching and Training:

To undertake relevant training as might be required to maintain an appropriate level of expertise.
To deliver teaching and training for other members of the multidisciplinary team and staff in other agencies, in collaboration with or under the guidance of qualified clinical psychologists.
To assist in the production of materials used for the purpose of teaching, training and group work.

Research and Audit

To assist with the audit and evaluation of the service including focus groups as required in collaboration with qualified clinical psychologists and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
To carry our literature searches and reviews as required.
To participate in audit and personal review activities as required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

Clients, family and carers: To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner with clients who may have specific difficulties in understand and/or communicating and who may be hostile, antagonistic or highly emotionally disturbed.

Multidisciplinary team colleagues: To work closely with colleagues in the multi-professional integrated mental health and wellbeing service on a day to day basis.

Health & social care staff: To communicate with a wide range of health & social care staff in hospital and in community settings in a skilled and sensitive manner, complex and sensitive information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under the services care. To provide support & guidance in the application of psychological principles and techniques, and to foster reflective practice.

Senior managers & professional staff: To maintain and build good working relationships with senior professional staff and managers in Eating Disorder Services and in DPT, to foster a positive approach to the integrated mental health and wellbeing service and to enable effective negotiation.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

To be able to integrate complex data and make evaluation and formulations decisions.

Planning and Organisational Skills

To plan and prioritise own workload, balancing the demands of patient care, support and guidance of carers and professionals, and service research and development activities.

To provide psychology knowledge to the multi-professional planning, development and marketing of mental health and wellbeing services

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy

Assessment & intervention: To make assessments, and deliver treatment plans within a supervised context for individuals, carers, families and groups, and to demonstrate awareness of diversity issues.

Consultation & guidance: To provide advice, guidance and consultation on psychological aspects of patient care to colleagues, other service providers, patients, supporters and families.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development Implementation

The post holder is responsible for their own professional actions, acting within Trust policies and procedures and Professional Practice Guidelines, working within clearly defined occupational procedures.

To follow policy guidance in own role and to comment on proposed policy changes and service developments.

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources

Careful use of equipment.

Responsibility for Human Resources, e.g. Supervision, Training, HR Advice and Management

Leadership & supervision: To assist the work of less experienced assistants &/or trainees as required. To provide supervision to health and social care colleagues.

Responsibility for Information Resources and Administrative Duties

To maintain accurate records

To be responsible for using an email account to generate, monitor, and respond to the e-mail traffic by which the Trust conducts much of its internal communication.

Responsibility for Research and Development

To undertake service-relevant research and development activity agreed within the Eating Disorder Service, and to organise personal or service led R & D activities as required.

Freedom to Act

Undertakes standard operating procedures, and is available for reference. Shall work within guidelines for the service and will receive regular supervision.

Any Other Specific Tasks Required

To ensure all clinical care and treatment provided by psychologists is carried out under appropriate supervision and leadership.

To ensure that all psychologists continuously update the skills and techniques relevant to their clinical work.