Job summary
We are recruiting a Band 4 Assistant Psychologist to join our multidisciplinary team within acute inpatient mental health services. This role offers an opportunity to provide psychologically-informed support that is rooted in curiosity, care, and a commitment to making psychological input accessible to people experiencing acute episodes of mental illness during some of the most intense and vulnerable periods in their lives.
As an Assistant Psychologist, you will work under the supervision of qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologists, and in collaboration with the wider multidisciplinary team, to bring psychological understanding into everyday ward life. This will include supporting assessment and formulation, contributing to evidence-based interventions, and helping patients and staff make sense of distress in a dynamic and often fast-paced environment.
Main duties of the job
- Support psychological assessment and contribute to formulation discussions, helping develop clear and meaningful care plans.
- Assist in planning and delivering structured therapeutic groups and supervised 1:1 interventions focused on emotional regulation, recovery, and wellbeing.
- Collect, score, and reflect on outcome measures, service-user feedback, and clinical data to inform care and monitor impact.
- Participate in multidisciplinary reviews and contribute to safe, psychologically-informed risk thinking and care planning.
- Support service evaluation, audit, and research, including projects focused on equity of access and patient experience.
- Work collaboratively with nursing, medical, OT, social care, peer support, and psychology colleagues to support a compassionate, recovery-focused ward environment.
About us
Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.
Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people's lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
We highly recommend you submit your application as soon as possible, this post may close earlier than the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
We highly recommend you submit your application as soon as possible, this post may close earlier than the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the BPS
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and /or research design and analysis
Experience
Essential
- Experience of work with people with mental health problems or disabilities or other relevant problems or disabilities (eg learning i=disabilities, organic impairment)
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with serious mental illness (eg psychosis, personality disorder)
- Experience of working in MDT, particularly within adult mental health
- Experience of delivering psychological groups
- Experience of working in an inpatient setting, particularly within adult mental health
- Experience of working as an honorary or paid assistant psychologist
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the BPS
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and /or research design and analysis
Experience
Essential
- Experience of work with people with mental health problems or disabilities or other relevant problems or disabilities (eg learning i=disabilities, organic impairment)
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with serious mental illness (eg psychosis, personality disorder)
- Experience of working in MDT, particularly within adult mental health
- Experience of delivering psychological groups
- Experience of working in an inpatient setting, particularly within adult mental health
- Experience of working as an honorary or paid assistant psychologist
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.
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
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.
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).
