Assistant Psychologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder is expected to work in wide range of settings, including prisons and approved premises, but will be primarily based at the Resettle base, in Speke. The post holder will be expected to provide domiciliary visits where required. Travel is an integral part of the post.The post holder is expected to work with service users, who can present with high risk of harm to themselves or others and have histories of offending. The post holder will be expected to have a detailed knowledge and the practical skills, to carry out all security duties, as stated by the National Directive and detailed in the local security policy.The post holder must have the capacity to provide services in constrained or adverse conditions and may be required to sit in constrained positions for clinical sessionsTo work with potentially distressing material in relation to service users personal histories, offending behaviour and risks to self and other.To undertake and/or contribute to psychological assessments of service users presentation, needs and risk, which may include a range of psychometric testes, direct and indirect structured observations, and semi-structured interviews with service users, carers and others involved in their care or management.

To assist in the development of service users psychological formulations, and the development of a psychologically informed framework of understanding the service user, within the team.

To assist in the development of care plans, involving the treatment and/or management of a service users difficulties and risk behaviours.

To assist in the co-ordination and facilitation of therapeutic groups.To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary and multi-agency meetings.

To contribute to the creation and maintenance of a therapeutic, safe climate within the Resettle service, through use of open and transparent communication.

To use a degree of initiative and working independently with service users on planned pieces of work, and exercise judgement based on good practice and operating procedures.

To carry out other clinical tasks, as appropriate to the grade.

To receive regular individual and group clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines and the Directorate policy.

To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.

To develop a skill base in the administration and analysis of a range of psychometric packages.

Where appropriate and under the supervision of qualified staff, to contribute to the training and support of other staff.

To ensure full compliance with mandatory training requirements.

To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects, within the service as required.

To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed as required.

To assist the team in the design and implementation of audit, effectiveness, and research projects.

To undertake data collection and analysis and contribute to the production of full reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.

To review evidence-based literature and research, to assist the service and work with other team members in their clinical responsibilities, as necessary.

To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participant in appropriate CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holders professional and operational managers.

To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice.

To undertake specific administrative duties as required

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• An upper second-class honours degree in psychology (or psychology as main subject) or lower second with the addition of a higher degree in psychology
• Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, criminal justice and/or research design and analysis

Knowledge/ Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of working with people with mental health difficulties
• personality-related difficulties and/or other complex needs
• Knowledge of psychological models and theories re: personality disorder and mental health difficulties
• Awareness of issues relating to criminal justice systems, risk and mental settings

Desirable

• Previous experience of working in a secure or forensic setting
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary or multiagency setting Experience of research evaluation and audit of the application of psychological principles to complex needs

Values

Essential

• Continuous Improvement
• Accountability
• Respectfulness
• Enthusiasm
• Support
• High professional standards
• Responsive to service users
• Engaging leadership style
• Strong customer service belief
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet
• Change oriented

Skills

Essential

• Willing to travel
• An ability to interact and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
• High level communication skills (written and verbal) including report writing
• High level ability to communicate
• Sensitively and Succinctly to service users, carers and colleagues
• An ability to work flexibly and to adapt to the therapeutic context
• Ability to work with an appropriate level of Autonomy, within agreed boundaries
• Empathic approach to working with people with complex needs

Desirable

• Skills in word processing and SPSS for Windows

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

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Resettle

Unit 1, 3 De havilland Drive

Liverpool

L24 8RN

Employer's website

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