Job summary
We are seeking an empathic and enthusiastic assistant psychologist to join our welcoming staff support psychology and counselling service. The vacancy has arisen because the current postholder has successfully gained a clinical psychology training place.
In this role, you will deliver the triage function of our service, offering a supportive initial phone call and assessing whether in-house psychology or counselling, or an external referral, is most appropriate. Full training will be provided.
You will also be involved in the wider work of the service, including co-facilitation of groups and events, and service evaluation.
Main duties of the job
To support & enhance the professional psychological care of people referred to the service;providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of aqualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with aqualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures.
To utilise research skills for audit, service development and improvement and other researchinitiatives within the service.
To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, anddevelopment of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
About us
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.
UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.
For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.
Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.
For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To support & enhance the professional psychological care of people referred to the service;
providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of aqualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with aqualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures.
To utilise research skills for audit, service development and improvement and other researchinitiatives within the service.
To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, anddevelopment of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
Key responsibilities
Clinical
Direct clinical work under supervision: To undertake protocol based psychological assessments ofclients applying psychological, , self-report measures, rating scales, and semi-structured interviewswith staff members; writing of comprehensive reports following assessment.
To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/ormanagement of staff members problems, under the supervision of a qualified professionalpsychologist.
To assist in the co-ordination and running of therapeutic groups and/or psychoeducational groupsunder the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.
To work with other staff to assess clients and review their care in preparation for reviews by theclinical team.
To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary clinical team meetings. Support the development of self-help and other educative material. Teaching/Training In common with all applied 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 development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder's professional and service manager. To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care, as appropriate. Management, Policy & service development. To assist in the design and implementation of service development and improvement projects within the service as required. To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed. Research & service evaluation. To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects. To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes. To attend relevant meetings To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To support & enhance the professional psychological care of people referred to the service;
providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of aqualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with aqualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures.
To utilise research skills for audit, service development and improvement and other researchinitiatives within the service.
To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, anddevelopment of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
Key responsibilities
Clinical
Direct clinical work under supervision: To undertake protocol based psychological assessments ofclients applying psychological, , self-report measures, rating scales, and semi-structured interviewswith staff members; writing of comprehensive reports following assessment.
To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/ormanagement of staff members problems, under the supervision of a qualified professionalpsychologist.
To assist in the co-ordination and running of therapeutic groups and/or psychoeducational groupsunder the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.
To work with other staff to assess clients and review their care in preparation for reviews by theclinical team.
To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary clinical team meetings. Support the development of self-help and other educative material. Teaching/Training In common with all applied 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 development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder's professional and service manager. To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care, as appropriate. Management, Policy & service development. To assist in the design and implementation of service development and improvement projects within the service as required. To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed. Research & service evaluation. To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects. To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes. To attend relevant meetings To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in psychology
- Eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- Further postgraduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, research methodology or other areas relevant to post
Experience
Essential
- Experience of clinical work or psychological research work in a health care setting
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist
Desirable
- NHS experience or experience of paid work in direct care provision
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of NHS staff
Desirable
- Awareness of professional issues e.g. confidentiality, BPS code of conduct, knowledge of psychometric assessment
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers, clinicians and colleagues in a multidisciplinary setting
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a clinical health context
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate 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, particularly with psychological vulnerabilities
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
- Resourcefulness and ability to use supervision appropriately and effectively and to work autonomously where appropriate, within limits of competence
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in psychology
- Eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- Further postgraduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, research methodology or other areas relevant to post
Experience
Essential
- Experience of clinical work or psychological research work in a health care setting
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist
Desirable
- NHS experience or experience of paid work in direct care provision
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of NHS staff
Desirable
- Awareness of professional issues e.g. confidentiality, BPS code of conduct, knowledge of psychometric assessment
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers, clinicians and colleagues in a multidisciplinary setting
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a clinical health context
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate 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, particularly with psychological vulnerabilities
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
- Resourcefulness and ability to use supervision appropriately and effectively and to work autonomously where appropriate, within limits of competence
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).
