Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust

Assistant Psychologist for Initial Interventions

The closing date is 24 September 2025

Job summary

We are excited to be recruiting two Assistant Psychologists to our Secondary Care Psychological Therapies Services for working age adults with severe and complex mental health difficulties in Southwest Kent.

We would be particularly keen to hear from those with experience of working with adults with mental health problems. There will be opportunities to deliver structured manualised clinical interventions under the supervision of qualified psychological therapists in both individual and group formats. In addition, you will be responsible for conducting initial meetings with service users new into the service.

This is a great opportunity to gain or develop clinical experience in adult mental health. You will have the opportunity to join the service seminar and peer supervision forums and also to gain some experience of working within the wider Community Mental Health Teams.

The successful candidate will hold a good Honours Degree in Psychology and be interested in pursuing a career in a related area.

The locality base will be in Highlands House in Tunbridge Wells.

This post is a six month fixed term contract.

Employment in this post is subject to a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service.

Main duties of the job

To deliver 'initial interventions' to people accessing adult mental health services as part of the Clinical Care Pathways in the MHT
Specific and targeted training will be provided by experiencedPsychological Practitioners and all interventions supported by weekly clinical supervision from Psychological Practitioners.
To undertake other structured therapeutic psychological interventions in an identified service or services using own independent initiative within guidelines provided by a qualified psychologist.
To undertake clinically and service performance related administration, audit and research projects, teaching and service improvement project work under the professional guidance of a qualified psychologist.

About us

Come and work with us in the Garden of England where we combine exceptional professional development opportunities with a tremendous quality of life.

We are Kent and Medway Mental Health Trust (KMMHT), providing mental health, learning disability and specialist services, serving 1.8 million people in Kent and Medway, as well as specialist services for adults in Sussex and Surrey.

Each year we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 people in the community.

We are proud to employ over 3,800 people from 66 nationalities, and to serve an increasingly diverse range of communities across rural and urban areas.

You will be joining friendly, passionate colleagues, rich in their diversity, who are committed to providing excellent care to our service users and their loved ones.

The nature of our work attracts kindness and compassion as standard and everyone from our cleaners and porters to the chief executive and chairman are recognised as playing a vital role in providing an exemplary service.

Our strategy

Our mission is what we set out to do every dayWe deliver brilliant care through brilliant people

Our vision is where we want to be in the futureTo provide outstanding care and to work in partnership to deliver this in the right place, for every service user, every time.

Check out our recruitment videosRecruitment - YouTube

Date posted

10 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

380-WK0320

Job locations

highlands House

10 - 12 Calverley Park Gardens

Tunbridge wells

TN1 2JN

Job description

Job responsibilities

To undertake training in the delivery of the CBT informed intervention known as Initial Interventions delivered by a group of specialist psychological practitioners.
To deliver CBT the informed interventions to a range of adults accessing Secondary Care Mental Health Services under the direct responsibility and clinical supervision of experienced Psychological Practitioners.
To undertake a range of other skills-based or protocol-driven psychological therapeutic interventions, in addition to Initial Interventions, depending upon the needs of the service.
To receive and participate in weekly clinical supervision around all clinical work.
To undertake training in the delivery of the CBT informed intervention known as InitialInterventions delivered by a group of specialist psychological practitioners.
To deliver CBT the informed interventions to a range of adults accessing Secondary Care Mental Health Services under the direct responsibility and clinical supervision of experienced Psychological Practitioners.
To undertake a range of other skills-based or protocol-driven psychological therapeutic interventions, in addition to Initial Interventions, depending upon the needs of the service.
To receive and participate in weekly clinical supervision around all clinical work.
To provide psychological guidance and support to carers and families of service users under clinical supervision of a qualified psychologist.
To use initiative and act independently within guidelines, knowing when to refer to a qualified psychologist for clinical decisions and guidance
See job specification for more details

Job description

Job responsibilities

To undertake training in the delivery of the CBT informed intervention known as Initial Interventions delivered by a group of specialist psychological practitioners.
To deliver CBT the informed interventions to a range of adults accessing Secondary Care Mental Health Services under the direct responsibility and clinical supervision of experienced Psychological Practitioners.
To undertake a range of other skills-based or protocol-driven psychological therapeutic interventions, in addition to Initial Interventions, depending upon the needs of the service.
To receive and participate in weekly clinical supervision around all clinical work.
To undertake training in the delivery of the CBT informed intervention known as InitialInterventions delivered by a group of specialist psychological practitioners.
To deliver CBT the informed interventions to a range of adults accessing Secondary Care Mental Health Services under the direct responsibility and clinical supervision of experienced Psychological Practitioners.
To undertake a range of other skills-based or protocol-driven psychological therapeutic interventions, in addition to Initial Interventions, depending upon the needs of the service.
To receive and participate in weekly clinical supervision around all clinical work.
To provide psychological guidance and support to carers and families of service users under clinical supervision of a qualified psychologist.
To use initiative and act independently within guidelines, knowing when to refer to a qualified psychologist for clinical decisions and guidance
See job specification for more details

Person Specification

Training qualifications

Essential

Upper 2nd class honours degree or higher in psychology
Entitlement to graduate membership to BPS

Desirable

Paid or voluntary work with people with mental health problems or and other difficulties
Further training in relevant areas

Good communication skills

Essential

Ability to communicate in settings where atmosphere may be highly emotive

Desirable

Previous experience of working with complex emotional difficulties

Person Specification

Training qualifications

Essential

Upper 2nd class honours degree or higher in psychology
Entitlement to graduate membership to BPS

Desirable

Paid or voluntary work with people with mental health problems or and other difficulties
Further training in relevant areas

Good communication skills

Essential

Ability to communicate in settings where atmosphere may be highly emotive

Desirable

Previous experience of working with complex emotional difficulties

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust

Address

highlands House

10 - 12 Calverley Park Gardens

Tunbridge wells

TN1 2JN

Employer's website

https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust

Address

highlands House

10 - 12 Calverley Park Gardens

Tunbridge wells

TN1 2JN

Employer's website

https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)