Job summary
The Gateshead Learning Disability Team are pleased to be recruiting ahighly motivated, well organised, and enthusiastic individual to a Band 5, Higher Assistant Psychologist post. The post is advertised as full-time and will be a fixed term contract for 2 years
The post is a result of a vacancy arising from a current Higher Assistant Psychologist moving on from their role. The post holder will be an active part of our multidisciplinary team and you will be working in an environment where there is strong emphasis on teamwork and high quality of clinical care. You will be part of the psychology team in Gateshead Learning Disability Team.
Main duties of the job
A key aspect of the role will be supporting psychological assessment, formulation and interventions with patients who have a learning disability who may be experiencing co-occurring mental health problems and behaviours that challenge.
The role will involve working collaboratively alongside multidisciplinary staff in the team, by participating in meetings and clinical discussions, supporting team supervisions and supporting indirect work with patients.
There will be opportunities to participate in the development and delivery of training.
Assistant psychologists are supported to access relevant training as part of their role.
Assistant Psychologists will be expected to participate in service development and service evaluation projects.
As a service, we value the role of robust, supportive and effective supervision and you will have access to separate clinical and management supervision. We will expect the post holder to actively pursue their own continuous professional development and will support them to identify needs and progress in a meaningful way.
About us
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
We have good links with the clinical psychology training courses in the area.
Experience of paid or unpaid work with people who experience mental health problems and/or other disabilities is essential. Previous community experience is an advantage.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 2nd September 2025
Closing date : 16th September 2025
We welcome your application.
Please note - this vacancy will close once a suitable amount of applications is received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find attached job description for full details.
Advertising date : 2nd September 2025
Closing date : 16th September 2025
We welcome your application.
Please note - this vacancy will close once a suitable amount of applications is received.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Paid or unpaid work with people with a learning disability, mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with a learning disability, mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
Desirable
- A high standard of report writing
Personal Characteristics
Essential
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
- An ability to interact appropriately with people with a learning disability, mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals by supervisor.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
- Able to manage own stress in difficult conditions and to identify when additional personal support may be necessary.
Desirable
- A desire to explore a career in applied Psychology.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Paid or unpaid work with people with a learning disability, mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
Desirable
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with a learning disability, mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
Desirable
- A high standard of report writing
Personal Characteristics
Essential
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
- An ability to interact appropriately with people with a learning disability, mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals by supervisor.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
- Able to manage own stress in difficult conditions and to identify when additional personal support may be necessary.
Desirable
- A desire to explore a career in applied Psychology.
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.
