Job summary
Are you looking for a new challenge? Want to be part of a close-knit Assertive Outreach service, providing psychology input to people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties in the community and supporting the clinical psychologist in working with staff?
We are looking to appoint one higher assistant psychologist (fixed term 24 months, full time) to join the Leeds Assertive Outreach service. As an assistant psychologist with an interest in mental health complexities, wellbeing and a curiosity to understand human experiences, your role would be to assist in delivering psychologically informed care to service users held by Assertive Outreach. This role involves supporting the team psychologist in working with the team, such as helping to offer team formulations and consultations. A wish and an ability to make and maintain meaningful relationships with service users and staff is central in this role, as well as an openness to integrate the psychological perspective with the perspectives of other professions within a multi disciplinary team, such as psychiatry, nursing, occupational therapy, social work, psychology and drug and alcohol specialists. You will be working as part of a developing and supportive psychology team, in which personal development is highly valued and supported.
Main duties of the job
The Leeds Assertive Outreach service is a well-established, city-wide specialist service consisting of MDT professionals who value and welcome psychologically informed approaches. The post holder will support and enhance the psychological provision available to service users with severe mental health difficulties held by the Leeds Assertive Outreach service, under the supervision of the team clinical psychologist.
Due to the nature of the service, a key part of the role will be helping to support the team in thinking psychologically about their service users, such as gathering background information and getting involved in team formulations and taking part in MDTs. Furthermore, there will be opportunities for working directly with service users, such as helping to facilitate established therapeutic groups as well as some opportunities for individual work with service users when appropriate however due to the nature of the client group, building up engagement and therapeutic relationships with service users in AOT can require significant time and effort.
About us
The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.
There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 - 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.
We also have an incredible bank department, offering variety of roles in nursing, allied health professions, healthcare support worker and administration clerical. Permanent employees are automatically added to bank.
'Applicants should be aware that any individual requiring a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only (this does not include Healthcare Support Workers). This is an essential requirement, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you do not meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.'
Job description
Job responsibilities
There may be opportunity to become involved in working with carers and liaison with family members that provide support to individuals who AOT work with. The role also will also involve taking part in various projects, such as helping to implement the use of outcome measures for service users and clinicians, and supporting the team with taking part in audit and service evaluation. There may be further opportunities to help with facilitating training. All work will be carried out within the overall framework of the teams policies and procedures.
For further information about Assertive Outreach and to discuss the role, contact Arianne Azmoodeh, team psychologist arianne.azmoodeh@nhs.net or Dr Jana Pritchard, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead jana.pritchard@nhs.net. Informal discussions most welcome.
The interview date is planned for Thursday 20th February 2025.
We are expecting a high volume of applications so if you are interested in applying, please do so as soon as possible as this vacancy may close early.
The Leeds Assertive Outreach service is a well-established, city-wide specialist service consisting of MDT professionals who value and welcome psychologically informed approaches. It is one of a small number of services nationally that remains a specialist service for people with a primary presentation of psychosis. See the links below to find out more about the service:
A Guardian article about working in the Assertive Outreach by Nuwan Dissanayaka, consultant psychiatrist
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/28/meet-patients-left-out-mental-health-conversation
A short video about a music project in the Leeds Assertive Outreach service
https://www.google.com/search?q=leeds+assertive+outreach+team&rlz=1C1GCEB_enGB1041GB1041&oq=leeds+asserti&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTINCAIQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAMQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAQQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiGAxiABBiKBdIBCTM4MTBqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f6181aaf,vid:xVtnqGk3XJ4,st:0
A short video about a service user experience in the Leeds Assertive Outreach service:
https://www.google.com/search?q=leeds+assertive+outreach+team&rlz=1C1GCEB_enGB1041GB1041&oq=leeds+asserti&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTINCAIQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAMQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAQQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiGAxiABBiKBdIBCTM4MTBqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ea80a991,vid:9Ae1TcQ_k98,st:0
LYPFT are committed to robust professional leadership, equality, diversity, and inclusion and supporting staff wellbeing and CPD. Our Psychological Professions Strategy outlines our vision. We are proud that 100% of LYPFT psychological professionals recently surveyed reported they felt supported by colleagues.
We recruit people based on their values and qualifications (where required) and believe that their lived experience is an advantage, this means that together we are as diverse as the communities we care for. Simply put, when we employ caring people who act with integrity and have the right skills, we can give those with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity high-quality care and support to live fulfilling lives, and make our staff feel purposeful, happy and valued.
All our information is available in accessible formats. Please contact the Recruitment team recruitment.lypft@nhs.netAttached to this advert is our candidates guide to values-based recruitment and supporting guidance on how to make a successful application.
If you require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Recruitment Team or see the attached candidate guide to reasonable adjustments.
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, look at theJob Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading.
So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Guide to Values Based Recruitment. This document provides you with information to help you apply.
Job description
Job responsibilities
There may be opportunity to become involved in working with carers and liaison with family members that provide support to individuals who AOT work with. The role also will also involve taking part in various projects, such as helping to implement the use of outcome measures for service users and clinicians, and supporting the team with taking part in audit and service evaluation. There may be further opportunities to help with facilitating training. All work will be carried out within the overall framework of the teams policies and procedures.
For further information about Assertive Outreach and to discuss the role, contact Arianne Azmoodeh, team psychologist arianne.azmoodeh@nhs.net or Dr Jana Pritchard, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead jana.pritchard@nhs.net. Informal discussions most welcome.
The interview date is planned for Thursday 20th February 2025.
We are expecting a high volume of applications so if you are interested in applying, please do so as soon as possible as this vacancy may close early.
The Leeds Assertive Outreach service is a well-established, city-wide specialist service consisting of MDT professionals who value and welcome psychologically informed approaches. It is one of a small number of services nationally that remains a specialist service for people with a primary presentation of psychosis. See the links below to find out more about the service:
A Guardian article about working in the Assertive Outreach by Nuwan Dissanayaka, consultant psychiatrist
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/28/meet-patients-left-out-mental-health-conversation
A short video about a music project in the Leeds Assertive Outreach service
https://www.google.com/search?q=leeds+assertive+outreach+team&rlz=1C1GCEB_enGB1041GB1041&oq=leeds+asserti&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTINCAIQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAMQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAQQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiGAxiABBiKBdIBCTM4MTBqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f6181aaf,vid:xVtnqGk3XJ4,st:0
A short video about a service user experience in the Leeds Assertive Outreach service:
https://www.google.com/search?q=leeds+assertive+outreach+team&rlz=1C1GCEB_enGB1041GB1041&oq=leeds+asserti&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTINCAIQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAMQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAQQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiGAxiABBiKBdIBCTM4MTBqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ea80a991,vid:9Ae1TcQ_k98,st:0
LYPFT are committed to robust professional leadership, equality, diversity, and inclusion and supporting staff wellbeing and CPD. Our Psychological Professions Strategy outlines our vision. We are proud that 100% of LYPFT psychological professionals recently surveyed reported they felt supported by colleagues.
We recruit people based on their values and qualifications (where required) and believe that their lived experience is an advantage, this means that together we are as diverse as the communities we care for. Simply put, when we employ caring people who act with integrity and have the right skills, we can give those with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity high-quality care and support to live fulfilling lives, and make our staff feel purposeful, happy and valued.
All our information is available in accessible formats. Please contact the Recruitment team recruitment.lypft@nhs.netAttached to this advert is our candidates guide to values-based recruitment and supporting guidance on how to make a successful application.
If you require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Recruitment Team or see the attached candidate guide to reasonable adjustments.
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, look at theJob Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading.
So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Guide to Values Based Recruitment. This document provides you with information to help you apply.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree in Psychology upper second class or higher or Post grad qualification obtaining eligibility for graduate level registration with the BPS.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties in a care/support setting.
- Experience of involvement in delivery of specific elements of psychologically-informed care, e.g. therapeutic conversations, group interventions, etc.
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree in Psychology upper second class or higher or Post grad qualification obtaining eligibility for graduate level registration with the BPS.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties in a care/support setting.
- Experience of involvement in delivery of specific elements of psychologically-informed care, e.g. therapeutic conversations, group interventions, etc.
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
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.
