Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Assistant Psychologist

The closing date is 10 August 2025

Job summary

If you are someone who wants to deliver the best possible care and be part of a team committed to supporting its staff, patients and carers then we are the job opportunity you are looking for. We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and highly motivated Senior Assistant Psychologist to join our established and skilled Acute and Crisis Care pathway. It is of note that this is a senior assistant psychologist post. Applicants must have paid experience of working as an assistant psychologist (minimum Band 4),and preferably experience of working with individuals presenting with severe mental illness. Acute care is a busy and vibrant setting to work in, but also demands the ability to work flexibly and responsively.

We are looking for an assistant psychologist to work alongside 2 Assistant Psychologists primarily to support delivery of the group programme across the acute care pathway. Duties will involve coordinating and co-facilitating skills groups and undertaking research into the effectiveness of the programme. There will also be opportunities for individual clinical work, dependent on the skills and experience of the successful applicant, all under supervision of qualified psychologists. The role will also involve working closely with psychologically minded multidisciplinary teams to support the recovery of our service users. As a team, we are committed to working with and supporting the wider team to develop and implement their psychological skills.

Main duties of the job

The adult acute and crisis care comprises of 2 acute mental health wards (1 male, 1 female), a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) and 2 Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment team (CRHT) across Mid and North Hampshire, which provide acute mental health care to individuals in a community setting.

The Senior Assistant Psychologist will be required to support and enhance the delivery of psychological assessment and interventions within the Comprehend Cope and Connect Programme across pathway. The postholder will work under the direct supervision of a qualified Clinical Psychologist, independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures. To assist in clinically related administration, outcome measurement, and development of audit and/or research projects across the service.

They will need to have high level of verbal and written communication skills, ability to communicate in high pressured environment and sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance, along with ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed. They need to be able to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context and have an awareness of the application of psychological models (e.g. CBT, DBT or ACT) to mental health care.

The post will be based at Parklands Hospital in Basingstoke, although some travel may be required.

About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a newly established organisation, bringing together expertise from across mental health, learning disabilities, community, and physical health services. We are dedicated to delivering compassionate, high-quality, and accessible care to the diverse communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

With over 13,000 dedicated staff working across more than 300 sites, we place patients and staff at the centre of everything we do. Our goal is to create an integrated healthcare system that improves accessibility and ensures more consistent care for patients. By working together, we aim to improve patient outcomes, drive innovation, and meet the unique needs of the populations we serve.

Our Trust unites services from Southern Health, Solent NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trusts community and mental health teams, as well as Hampshire CAMHS, originally part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. This transformation enables us to deliver more seamless care across the region, ensuring that patients receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are deeply committed to our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence, and offer outstanding opportunities for career development, training, and collaborative working.

Details

Date posted

22 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

348-SAC-8853

Job locations

Parklands Hospital

Aldermaston Road

Basingstoke

Hampshire

RG24 9RH


Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology.
  • Entitlement to GBR from the British Psychological Society

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with adults who present with severe and enduring mental illness. Previous experience of having worked as an Assistant Psychologist under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology.
  • Entitlement to GBR from the British Psychological Society

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with adults who present with severe and enduring mental illness. Previous experience of having worked as an Assistant Psychologist under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.

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

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Parklands Hospital

Aldermaston Road

Basingstoke

Hampshire

RG24 9RH


Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Parklands Hospital

Aldermaston Road

Basingstoke

Hampshire

RG24 9RH


Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Hiring Manager

Dr Tanya Dasgupta Hudson

tanya.dasgupta-hudson@southernhealth.nhs.uk

07584541695

Details

Date posted

22 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

348-SAC-8853

Job locations

Parklands Hospital

Aldermaston Road

Basingstoke

Hampshire

RG24 9RH


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)