Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Band 4 Assistant Psychologist - Bristol

The closing date is 19 November 2025

Job summary

FPDS is an experienced multidisciplinary team working with service users with a primary diagnosis of personality disorder (PD) in secure services, based at Fromeside Medium Secure Unit, Bristol. It is a tertiary level service within the Secure Services Local Delivery Unit of AWP NHS Trust, which is part of the South West Provider Collaborative for adult secure services. The Service has close working links with the community Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway and Nexus OPD Pathway Service at HMP Eastwood Park, as all services have a central management structure, shared principles and ethos. The Service also works closely with inpatient secure services, specialist community forensic teams and prison mental health teams in South West region, and with providers of Out of Area placements (including high secure hospitals).

The main responsibilities of the Service are to provide:

Gatekeeping assessments of service users with a primary diagnosis of personality disorder who are referred for a secure in-patient admission.

Care pathway management of those patients admitted to secure services across the South West Region and in Out Of Area placements.

Advice to teams working with these service users, or with service users with personality difficulties in the community or in prison who are at risk of being admitted to hospital, through consultation, training and reflective practice.

Main duties of the job

To support the development and implementation of the team's clinical model. This includes co-creating specialist training and other resources, supporting the implementation of team processes, and involvement in evaluation of the effectiveness of the service. The role also involves support and observation of the delivery of direct clinical work, predominantly gatekeeping assessments, and indirect clinical work, including consultation, file reviews and team formulation. To observe professional and Trust guidelines for professional conduct, including accurate record keeping, and to undertake CPD and attend personal clinical supervision sessions.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust):a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

AWP is committed to support and create a positive research and evidence-based environment and culture, which can have a beneficial impact on everyone who works for the organisation and the care we provide to those who use our services.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Details

Date posted

17 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

342-SEC105-1125

Job locations

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 2EW


Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

To contribute to gatekeeping assessments for secure hospital admission and to other assessments (including case formulation and diagnostic formulation).

To support FPDS clinicians in the delivery of consultation and team formulation to other staff teams.

To participate in regular clinical supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines.

Professional

To fully observe the BPS (2006) Code of Ethics and Conduct and the DCP (1995) Professional Practice Guidelines.

To participate in FPDS referral and local governance meetings as appropriate.

To be aware of and to adhere to Trust, FPDS and Secure Services Delivery Unit policies and procedures.

Research and Development

To provide support to FPDS in the completion of research and evaluation projects.

Where appropriate to learn to apply psychometric questionnaires and cognitive assessment under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist.

To conduct administrative tasks, including use of IT skills and record-keeping, for support of research projects and team processes.

To contribute to presentation of projects and evaluations at meetings as required.

Clinical Governance

To liaise with other professionals and agencies working with the Secure Services Delivery Unit to ensure that best practice is shared.

To promote the use of effective interventions and research methodologies in the Secure Services Delivery Unit.

To participate in Clinical Governance processes in the Secure Services Delivery Unit.

Teaching and Training

To attend Assistant Psychologist local and regional meetings.

To participate in appropriate training courses and workshops as directed by supervisor.

To work, under supervision, with information and skills that may be new to the individual and to learn on the job without prior training.

To contribute towards the research training of other members of the multidisciplinary team in the Secure Services Delivery Unit, working in collaboration with other Clinical Psychologists, as required.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

To contribute to gatekeeping assessments for secure hospital admission and to other assessments (including case formulation and diagnostic formulation).

To support FPDS clinicians in the delivery of consultation and team formulation to other staff teams.

To participate in regular clinical supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines.

Professional

To fully observe the BPS (2006) Code of Ethics and Conduct and the DCP (1995) Professional Practice Guidelines.

To participate in FPDS referral and local governance meetings as appropriate.

To be aware of and to adhere to Trust, FPDS and Secure Services Delivery Unit policies and procedures.

Research and Development

To provide support to FPDS in the completion of research and evaluation projects.

Where appropriate to learn to apply psychometric questionnaires and cognitive assessment under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist.

To conduct administrative tasks, including use of IT skills and record-keeping, for support of research projects and team processes.

To contribute to presentation of projects and evaluations at meetings as required.

Clinical Governance

To liaise with other professionals and agencies working with the Secure Services Delivery Unit to ensure that best practice is shared.

To promote the use of effective interventions and research methodologies in the Secure Services Delivery Unit.

To participate in Clinical Governance processes in the Secure Services Delivery Unit.

Teaching and Training

To attend Assistant Psychologist local and regional meetings.

To participate in appropriate training courses and workshops as directed by supervisor.

To work, under supervision, with information and skills that may be new to the individual and to learn on the job without prior training.

To contribute towards the research training of other members of the multidisciplinary team in the Secure Services Delivery Unit, working in collaboration with other Clinical Psychologists, as required.

Person Specification

Education & Qualification

Essential

  • Psychology Degree (2:1 or 1st)
  • Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of BPS

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

  • 3 years experience in role within Adult Mental Health/Forensic Services

Desirable

  • Significant voluntary experience or experience in a relevant specialism

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • Research Skills
  • Familiar with Word, PowerPoint & Excel
  • Assessment/intervention skills with adults

Desirable

  • . Previous experience of applying statistical software packages to quantitative data

Other Requirements

Essential

  • Effective team player with good communication and liaison skills
  • Well organised with good administration skills
  • Emotional resilience in face of distressing situations

Desirable

  • Ability to cope with potentially threatening situations and to use breakaway techniques
  • Ability to concentrate for prolonged periods
Person Specification

Education & Qualification

Essential

  • Psychology Degree (2:1 or 1st)
  • Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of BPS

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

  • 3 years experience in role within Adult Mental Health/Forensic Services

Desirable

  • Significant voluntary experience or experience in a relevant specialism

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • Research Skills
  • Familiar with Word, PowerPoint & Excel
  • Assessment/intervention skills with adults

Desirable

  • . Previous experience of applying statistical software packages to quantitative data

Other Requirements

Essential

  • Effective team player with good communication and liaison skills
  • Well organised with good administration skills
  • Emotional resilience in face of distressing situations

Desirable

  • Ability to cope with potentially threatening situations and to use breakaway techniques
  • Ability to concentrate for prolonged periods

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

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 2EW


Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 2EW


Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Team Manager

Jaime Wiltshire

j.wiltshire4@nhs.net

01173784012

Details

Date posted

17 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

342-SEC105-1125

Job locations

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 2EW


Supporting documents

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