Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Assistant Psychologist

The closing date is 09 October 2025

Job summary

The Centre for Specialist Psychological Therapies includes six established and highly specialist psychological services in one centre of excellence: the Newcastle Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies Centre, the Regional Psychotherapy Service, the Cognitive Analytic Therapy Service, the Family Therapy Service, our EMDR service and Interpersonal Psychotherapy Service.

Our bespoke services are provided by expert specialist clinicians, some of whom have national and international reputations in their fields, with a range of professional backgrounds including clinical psychology, mental health nursing, social work, psychiatry and occupational therapy.

Our aim is to offer innovative, multidisciplinary expertise at the forefront of psychotherapy practice, training, supervision and research in Cognitive-Behavioural, Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic, Cognitive Analytic, systemic approaches, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.

This is an exciting opportunity for an Assistant Psychologist to join our specialist service on a 1-year fixed term contract. There may be the opportunity to gain experience across all of our service areas.

Main duties of the job

As an Assistant Psychologist the key elements of your role will be to:

Participate in the development of audit and/or research projects, under the supervision of the clinicians within the team, help conduct audits, assist in collection and preliminary analysis of data, assist with clinically related administration

Undertake appropriately supervised discrete pieces of clinical work, e.g. helping implement exposure-based programmes, psycho-education, or similar procedures

Supporting/facilitation of therapy groups

Observe assessments and therapeutic groups as appropriate

Participate in skills training workshops

Conduct semi structured interviews with patients

Take part in service meetings

You should have excellent research skills in database management, questionnaire design, data analysis using professional and advanced statistics (e.g. SPSS and MS Excel) and in report production. You will also have a high level of communication skills and an understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health needs.

This is an excellent experience for graduate psychologists who are thinking about applying for further training in applied psychology. We have an excellent record of providing supervision to facilitate professional development and to enable career development in relation to applications for Doctorate training in Clinical Psychology or for other pathways to an applied psychology career.

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.

Date posted

25 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

1 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

263-SCG25-135-AD

Job locations

Benfield House, Walkergate Hospital

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE6 4PF

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 25th September 2025

Closing date : 9th October 2025

We welcome your application.

Please note - this vacancy may close early once a suitable number of applications are received.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 25th September 2025

Closing date : 9th October 2025

We welcome your application.

Please note - this vacancy may close early once a suitable number of applications are 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 mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
Knowledge of evidence based practice

Desirable

Experience with client group relevant to post.
Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation

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 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 mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
Ability to work reliably and consistently on tasks agreed and managed at regular intervals by supervisor

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 mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
Knowledge of evidence based practice

Desirable

Experience with client group relevant to post.
Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation

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 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 mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
Ability to work reliably and consistently on tasks agreed and managed at regular intervals by supervisor

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

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Benfield House, Walkergate Hospital

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE6 4PF

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Benfield House, Walkergate Hospital

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE6 4PF

Employer's website

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