Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

SEDS Senior Assistant Psychologist

The closing date is 09 July 2025

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for a Senior Assistant Psychologist to join the team. We are a passionate multidisciplinary team delivering NICE recommended treatments, aiming to provide the best possible care to adults living with eating disorders.

In this senior assistant psychologist role, alongside a clinical workload (initial assessments and CBT-T caseload), you will input into service development and evaluation (including outcomes and audit).

You will be supervised by a psychologist/psychological therapist in the team, in addition to receiving highly specialised CBT-T group supervision. We recognise that successful application to a program of clinical training is a goal of many assistant psychologists. As such, where possible we will provide tailored opportunities to develop your competency and experience portfolios, e.g., support with group therapy, involvement in outcome/service evaluation or research.

Covering the whole of Sussex, SEDS provides specialist eating disorder services across a large geographical area, including Coastal West Sussex, North West Sussex, Brighton and East Sussex. With the introduction of remote working, there is scope, where possible, to tailor your working pattern/location to the needs of both the service and you.

This is a chance for you to join an organisation which sets a high priority on the development of services in collaboration with experts through experience and carers, and to work with dedicated and supportive colleagues.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities of the role:

The post holder will offer specialist eating disorder assessments.
You will hold a caseload delivering CBT-T, with the support of weekly highly specialised group CBT supervision from one the manual's authors.
You will contribute to the SEDS outcome and audit strategy and/or other key service development areas.
You will be part of a team that values delivering evidence-base treatment and supports evidence-generating practice. Attached to SEDS is an innovative eating disorder research clinic (SPIRED). This clinic aims to improve the treatment and support available to people with eating disorders; bringing together the expertise and experience of clinicians and people with lived experience of eating disorders.

About us

We are committed to supporting staff well-being, developing new roles in teams, and have a thriving Recovery College. We have close links with the local universities and support the training schemes for clinical psychology and nursing, providing high quality placements.

The trust is committed to strong integrated, collaborative leadership between managers and clinicians.

Your benefits:

Access to full psychological support, via our internal wellbeing team

Excellent supervision programmes, with ongoing opportunities for training and development

Access to a host of discount schemes

A position within a trust rated as 'Outstanding' for caring and 'Good' overall by the CQC

Excellent NHS Pension

Generous holiday entitlement (starting at 27 days + 8 bank holidays)

About the Trust:

We provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people, and adults across Sussex. SPFT is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by CQC. In our staff survey:

82% agree that care for patients is our top priority

70% highlight flexible working opportunities as key to satisfaction at work

79% report feeling able to make improvement to improve the work within their team

77% identify opportunities to show initiative in their roles

Date posted

25 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

354-AC-21156

Job locations

EBCMHC

Brighton

BN2 3EW

Job description

Job responsibilities

REQUIREMENTS

Successful applications will be required to have:

Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

We are looking for a passionate and dedicated team member. We would welcome informal visits or a phone conversation about the service/post.

Please contact Dr Emily Palmer, SEDS Clinical Psychologist on 0300 3040 090.

Alternatively, you could email us at emily.palmer20@nhs.net

Job description

Job responsibilities

REQUIREMENTS

Successful applications will be required to have:

Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

We are looking for a passionate and dedicated team member. We would welcome informal visits or a phone conversation about the service/post.

Please contact Dr Emily Palmer, SEDS Clinical Psychologist on 0300 3040 090.

Alternatively, you could email us at emily.palmer20@nhs.net

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

Experience of working with people with complex needs
Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
Relevant clinical and research skills
Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
An understanding of psychology applied to health care

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

Experience of working with people with complex needs
Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
Relevant clinical and research skills
Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
An understanding of psychology applied to health care

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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