Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a psychology graduate to join the Department of Psychological Services at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. In our latest survey 95% of DPS staff report feeling valued and cared for and that their role makes a difference.
The role involves supporting qualified psychological practitioners in providing clinical services for patients in the Inpatient and Acute Care Pathways Service. This post will provide you with an opportunity for a range of experiences working with patients and multi-disciplinary teams under the supervision of a qualified clinician. Other available experiences may include research and/or service development, data management and joint working.
As a department, we recognise that diversity of workforce extends our skills, experiences, and ideas, thereby adding value and creativity to our services. The department has an active Equality, Diversity and Inclusion group and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and the LGBTQ+ community.
Please see the attachment "Department overview" for more details about working with us.
Main duties of the job
The Assistant Psychologist (AP) plays a key role in the screening of hospital inpatients to understand their psychological care needs in relation to their health and treatment. This involves meeting patients at the bedside to conduct brief assessments using clinical interview and standardised measures. The AP will also support the patient's care team to better understand and meet their psychological needs, achieved through close working relationships with qualified psychologists and multi-disciplinary teams.
The successful candidate will be highly motivated, have excellent interpersonal and written communication skills, the ability to organise themselves working both under their own initiative and the supervision of a qualified psychologist and ideally, an interest in working in an inpatient health setting. Graduates with experience within a clinical psychology or physical health setting are particularly encouraged to apply. In your application, please demonstrate how you meet the person specification. It is essential that candidates have a minimum of an Honours degree in Psychology and can demonstrate their eligibility for Graduate Basis for Registration with the British Psychological Society.
About us
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.
As a member of the department, you would be part of a substantial, experienced, and enthusiastic team; We offer excellent support for Assistant Psychologists, including a regular Assistant Psychologists Group to encourage professional development and networking. There are strong links with the University of Sheffield Clinical Psychology Unit. Individual weekly supervision will be provided and continuing professional development is strongly supported as appropriate to the terms of contract.
We are committed to supporting our staff and have a well-supported Staff Engagement and Wellbeing Group. The attached document outlines our department strategy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Eligible for membership of the British Psychological Society
- Upper-second class honours degree or higher in Psychology
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision
- Experience of carrying out neuropsychological testing
- Experience working in a physical health hospital setting.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of research methodology
- Ability to overcome psychological resistance to potentially threatening information.
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, serious physical health problems or other disabilities.
Desirable
- Experience in the use of databases or data-analysis, especially SPSS for Windows.
- High standard of report writing
Personal Qualities
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate effectively and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines
- An ability to interact with people with mental health problems, serious physical health problems or other disabilities.
- Capacity to work with clients/service users in potentially abusive or hostile working conditions
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
- Capable of using initiative and working independently
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
- Positive attitude, sensitivity and commitment to working with this client group.
Desirable
- An interest in working in a hospital inpatient setting
- Interest in working with patients with long term conditions
- Interest in working with physical health multi-disciplinary teams
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Eligible for membership of the British Psychological Society
- Upper-second class honours degree or higher in Psychology
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision
- Experience of carrying out neuropsychological testing
- Experience working in a physical health hospital setting.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of research methodology
- Ability to overcome psychological resistance to potentially threatening information.
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, serious physical health problems or other disabilities.
Desirable
- Experience in the use of databases or data-analysis, especially SPSS for Windows.
- High standard of report writing
Personal Qualities
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate effectively and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines
- An ability to interact with people with mental health problems, serious physical health problems or other disabilities.
- Capacity to work with clients/service users in potentially abusive or hostile working conditions
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
- Capable of using initiative and working independently
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
- Positive attitude, sensitivity and commitment to working with this client group.
Desirable
- An interest in working in a hospital inpatient setting
- Interest in working with patients with long term conditions
- Interest in working with physical health multi-disciplinary teams
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).
