Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Assistant Psychologist

The closing date is 07 October 2025

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for a motivated and dynamic Assistant Psychologist to join the Bexley ADAPT Team, in a full-time permanent post. The post holder will contribute to the psychological care of clients under the ADAPT (Anxiety, Depression, Affective Disorders, Personality Disorders and Trauma) pathway, providing psychological assessment and interventions under the supervision of a qualified psychological therapist. The team is currently developing new and innovative ways of working with people with complex emotional needs; including 'whole team approach' interventions such as SCM (Structured Clinical Management), alongside more established ways of working with attachment difficulties and trauma (i.e. MBT, CBT, CAT, Psychodynamic, EMDR, Systemic & 3rd wave approaches). The post-holder will develop formulation and intervention skills using a range of models, offering both individual and group work.

The successful candidate will join a well-established multi-disciplinary team, which comprises professionals from psychiatry, nursing, social work, occupational therapy and admin alongside a well-regarded psychological therapies team. The post holder will contribute to projects such as audit and staff training and have access to strong supervision structures alongside local CPD events. This post will provide valuable experience for psychology graduates planning to apply for training in clinical psychology. Applicants should have a 2:1 degree in Psychology.

Main duties of the job

Oxleas is a successful and well-respected Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust. Oxleas is consistently in the top rank of trusts in the UK for staff satisfaction and is rated as a place where staff would like their relatives and friends to be cared for as reported in the NHS Staff Survey. Oxleas was shortlisted for 'Staff Engagement' and 'Provider Trust of the Year' in the 2015 HSJ Awards. The psychologists in the Bexley Locality Mental Health Service are part of a large, well-established and supportive Psychological Therapies Department, which is part of the Therapies Directorate within the Trust.

Equality and Diversity is a high priority for us, for all staff and service users. We have a dedicated Human Rights Advisor, offer a BME Coaching and Mentoring Programme, and have a number of staff networks: Black and Ethnic Minority (BAMEx) Network, Disability Action Group, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender (LBGT+) network, the Straight Allies programme, the Women's network and the Mental Health Staff Network.

Please note that for some occupations we receive a high amount of applications and where this is evident the post will be closed and we will put a limit on the number of applications that we are able to receive. If you do not hear anything within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume you have not been shortlisted.

About us

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

  • We're Kind
  • We're Fair
  • We Listen
  • We Care

Details

Date posted

29 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£32,199 to £34,876 a year pa inc

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

277-7485964-CMH

Job locations

Erith Centre

Park Crescent

Erith

DA8 3EE


Job description

Job responsibilities

To support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the ADAPT service line across all sectors of care; providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the teams policies and procedures.

To assist in clinically related administration, conducts of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.

Key tasks and responsibilities

  • To undertake psychological assessments of clients applying psychological theory, including neuropsychological tests; risk assessment; self-report measures; rating scales; direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care, under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist.
  • To develop formulations and deliver therapeutic interventions involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems as part of a care plan, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.
  • To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic and/or psycho educational groups, training, or clinical projects.
  • To work with other staff to assess or support service users in care homes and other community settings and contribute to multi-disciplinary discussions or care guidelines as agreed with the clinical psychologist providing supervision.
  • To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.
  • Educate and involve carers, family members and others in treatment and interventions as necessary.
  • Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week.
  • To create graphs or charts to collate or summarise data.
  • To assist in producing visual material or user-friendly information for interventions with clients.
  • To update the RIO and/or any other patient records database in relation to contact with clients.
  • In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
  • To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.
  • To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
  • To contribute to the training and support of other staff in provision of psychological care.

Please see attached Job Description for further details.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the ADAPT service line across all sectors of care; providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the teams policies and procedures.

To assist in clinically related administration, conducts of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.

Key tasks and responsibilities

  • To undertake psychological assessments of clients applying psychological theory, including neuropsychological tests; risk assessment; self-report measures; rating scales; direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care, under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist.
  • To develop formulations and deliver therapeutic interventions involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems as part of a care plan, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.
  • To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic and/or psycho educational groups, training, or clinical projects.
  • To work with other staff to assess or support service users in care homes and other community settings and contribute to multi-disciplinary discussions or care guidelines as agreed with the clinical psychologist providing supervision.
  • To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.
  • Educate and involve carers, family members and others in treatment and interventions as necessary.
  • Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week.
  • To create graphs or charts to collate or summarise data.
  • To assist in producing visual material or user-friendly information for interventions with clients.
  • To update the RIO and/or any other patient records database in relation to contact with clients.
  • In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
  • To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.
  • To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
  • To contribute to the training and support of other staff in provision of psychological care.

Please see attached Job Description for further details.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience working in adult mental health settings
  • Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

  • Experience working with people with complex emotional needs
  • Experience working within a multi-cultural setting
  • Experience of conducting service-related research
  • Experience of group-work

Education

Essential

  • An honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology at 2.1 or better
  • Eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered membership of the British Psychological Society

Desirable

  • Further continuing professional development relevant to work in mental health and/or psychological interventions

Desirable

Desirable

  • Lived experience of mental health or psychological problems as a service user or carer
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience working in adult mental health settings
  • Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

  • Experience working with people with complex emotional needs
  • Experience working within a multi-cultural setting
  • Experience of conducting service-related research
  • Experience of group-work

Education

Essential

  • An honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology at 2.1 or better
  • Eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered membership of the British Psychological Society

Desirable

  • Further continuing professional development relevant to work in mental health and/or psychological interventions

Desirable

Desirable

  • Lived experience of mental health or psychological problems as a service user or carer

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Erith Centre

Park Crescent

Erith

DA8 3EE


Employer's website

http://oxleas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Erith Centre

Park Crescent

Erith

DA8 3EE


Employer's website

http://oxleas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Principal Clinical Psychologist, Bexley ADAPT Team

Dr Rachel Bonel

r.bonel1@nhs.net

02036689490

Details

Date posted

29 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£32,199 to £34,876 a year pa inc

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

277-7485964-CMH

Job locations

Erith Centre

Park Crescent

Erith

DA8 3EE


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)