Job summary
Do you want to be a part of a friendly and dynamic team? if so we would be delighted to hear from you!
We are currently looking to recruit a new Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP) to work in the Psychological Skills Service (PSS) (website). In PSS, we recognize that complex trauma affects identity, emotional and cognitive development, and sensory regulation, often leaving trauma memories unresolved. To address this, we integrate diverse therapeutic approaches including CBT, CFT, ACT, schema therapy, and sensory modulation techniques.
CAPs are a key member of the PSS Team and provide trauma informed and evidence-based psychological assessments, formulation and both individual and group interventions, all under the supervision of a registered practitioner psychologist. CAPs work semi-autonomously within their scope of practice, supporting individuals with complex and enduring mental health needs.
Main duties of the job
As a Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP), the main day to day duties of the job includeto:
Conduct psychological assessments and develop trauma informed formulations and treatment plans for those impacted by trauma.
Deliver structured trauma stabilisation groups.
Deliver semi-structured, evidence-based psychological interventions tailored to individual needs.
Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) to inform care planning and service delivery.
Participate in service evaluation, clinical audits, and research projects to support continuous improvement.
Provide psychological input and consultation to colleagues and contribute to staff training and supervision where appropriate.
Provide supervision to Therapeutic Support Workers.
Maintain accurate and timely clinical records in line with NHS and professional standards.
Attend and contribute to clinical meetings, to include but not limited to, a weekly clinical meeting, triage meetings.
Attend individual and group supervision spaces, to include regular supervision with a HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist.
Ensure effective communication of clinical work to supervisors and respond to feedback to ensure safe and best practice.
Consult with multi-agencies, to include primary care, the safeguarding team and charitable organisations, to ensure effective management of an individual's risk and mental health needs.
Manage risk within the Trust Policy and Protocol and with team and supervisory support.
About us
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share our vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.
Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.
Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.
For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
1. Assessment & Formulation
a. Conducting in-depth psychological assessments using diverse tools (e.g., interviews, observations, psychometrics).
b. Developing a trauma informed psychological formulations that integrate multiple factors (biological, psychological, social, cultural).
2. Intervention & Treatment
a. Delivering a structure trauma stabilisation group intervention online.
b. Delivering individual psychological interventions (both face to face andonline) tailored to an individuals needs and within your scope ofcompetence applying psychological models in which you have been trained (e.g. CFT, CBT and ACT).
c. Adjusting treatment plans based on ongoing assessment and team input.
3. Collaboration & Communication
a. Providing psychological insights and consultation to multidisciplinary teams across CPFT and within PSS.
b. Explaining psychological models and treatment rationales to clients, families, and professionals.
c. Communicating complex or sensitive information with clarity and empathy.
4. Training & Supervision
a. Delivering training to staff to support psychological approaches.
b. Offering clinical supervision to Therapeutic Support Workers.
c. Attending regular peer supervision and individual supervision with a HCPC registered practitioner psychologist.
5. Risk Management
a. Sharing risk concerns and consulting with team managers and supervisors to inform risk management strategies.
b. Making informed decisions under supervision in line with Trust and service policies and ethical standards.
6. Research & Evaluation
a. Leading and contributing to research, service evaluation, and outcomemonitoring.
b. Preparing research for publication or presentation.
7. Team & Service Development
a. Supporting caseload management and contributing to team meetings.
b. Collaborating with internal and external agencies to enhance client care.
c. Applying psychological theory and evidence to improve service delivery.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
1. Assessment & Formulation
a. Conducting in-depth psychological assessments using diverse tools (e.g., interviews, observations, psychometrics).
b. Developing a trauma informed psychological formulations that integrate multiple factors (biological, psychological, social, cultural).
2. Intervention & Treatment
a. Delivering a structure trauma stabilisation group intervention online.
b. Delivering individual psychological interventions (both face to face andonline) tailored to an individuals needs and within your scope ofcompetence applying psychological models in which you have been trained (e.g. CFT, CBT and ACT).
c. Adjusting treatment plans based on ongoing assessment and team input.
3. Collaboration & Communication
a. Providing psychological insights and consultation to multidisciplinary teams across CPFT and within PSS.
b. Explaining psychological models and treatment rationales to clients, families, and professionals.
c. Communicating complex or sensitive information with clarity and empathy.
4. Training & Supervision
a. Delivering training to staff to support psychological approaches.
b. Offering clinical supervision to Therapeutic Support Workers.
c. Attending regular peer supervision and individual supervision with a HCPC registered practitioner psychologist.
5. Risk Management
a. Sharing risk concerns and consulting with team managers and supervisors to inform risk management strategies.
b. Making informed decisions under supervision in line with Trust and service policies and ethical standards.
6. Research & Evaluation
a. Leading and contributing to research, service evaluation, and outcomemonitoring.
b. Preparing research for publication or presentation.
7. Team & Service Development
a. Supporting caseload management and contributing to team meetings.
b. Collaborating with internal and external agencies to enhance client care.
c. Applying psychological theory and evidence to improve service delivery.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
- Completed BPS [British Psychological Society] accredited CAP apprenticeship training programme including EPA to IFA standards
- An approved qualification in psychology conferring eligibility for graduate basis for registration with the British Psychological Society, (Class 2.2 or higher)
- Registered with the BPS as a CAP
Desirable
- Undertaken post-qualification further training in a specialised area of psychological intervention e.g DBT/ ACT/ CFT
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients in adult community settings
- Experience of working with complex presentations
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience of applying and analyse a range of research approaches including both qualitative and quantitative methods in clinical practice
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework groups
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client's psychological care and treatment, within the context of a multidisciplinary care-plan
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding.
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention and management
- Skills in self-management, including time-management, planning, prioritising, problem solving and reasoning.
- oHigh standard of report writing for communication with professionals from NHS, Local Authority and other agencies, parents/ carers. and clients.
Desirable
- Understand how to analyse and appraise key theoretical concepts of psychological models of treatment both at individual and group level recognised in evidence-based national guidelines
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- An interest in models of service delivery, and an ability to articulate the value added by psychology services within the context of multi-disciplinary services
- Able to assess limits of professional boundaries and capacity and understand when to seek appropriate supervision/advice on practice and whom to refer to so as to ensure best care
- Ability to be able to assess and formulate someone's experiences drawing on a range of psychological models and theory
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups.
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical supervision delivery and using them to provide a safe and supportive environment to reflect, review and discuss personal and professional responses to work.
Other
Essential
- Skilled in continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills
- Willingness to be flexible, adaptable and innovative.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
- Completed BPS [British Psychological Society] accredited CAP apprenticeship training programme including EPA to IFA standards
- An approved qualification in psychology conferring eligibility for graduate basis for registration with the British Psychological Society, (Class 2.2 or higher)
- Registered with the BPS as a CAP
Desirable
- Undertaken post-qualification further training in a specialised area of psychological intervention e.g DBT/ ACT/ CFT
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients in adult community settings
- Experience of working with complex presentations
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience of applying and analyse a range of research approaches including both qualitative and quantitative methods in clinical practice
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework groups
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client's psychological care and treatment, within the context of a multidisciplinary care-plan
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding.
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention and management
- Skills in self-management, including time-management, planning, prioritising, problem solving and reasoning.
- oHigh standard of report writing for communication with professionals from NHS, Local Authority and other agencies, parents/ carers. and clients.
Desirable
- Understand how to analyse and appraise key theoretical concepts of psychological models of treatment both at individual and group level recognised in evidence-based national guidelines
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- An interest in models of service delivery, and an ability to articulate the value added by psychology services within the context of multi-disciplinary services
- Able to assess limits of professional boundaries and capacity and understand when to seek appropriate supervision/advice on practice and whom to refer to so as to ensure best care
- Ability to be able to assess and formulate someone's experiences drawing on a range of psychological models and theory
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups.
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical supervision delivery and using them to provide a safe and supportive environment to reflect, review and discuss personal and professional responses to work.
Other
Essential
- Skilled in continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills
- Willingness to be flexible, adaptable and innovative.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
