Assistant Psychologist - Intensive Community Support Service

Job description

Job responsibilities

Reports To:Registered Manager and Consultant Psychologist (clinical supervision)

Professional Support:Consultant Psychologist

Works Collaboratively With:Registered Manager, Intensive Support Practitioners and the wider Network

Salary:Substantive employed post full or part-time (Agenda for Change equivalent, Band 5) to cover rota 24/7 rota

Location:Peterborough service base, with community and remote working as required

Purpose

Support the delivery of psychologically informed, formulation-led care under the supervision of qualified psychology staff

About Nurture

Nurture Health and Care exists to support people, professionals and systems to move forward safely, compassionately and have a positive experience. Psychology strengthens therapeutic relationships through formulation, consultation and reflective practice.

Purpose of the Role

The Assistant Psychologist supports the Consultant Clinical & Forensic Psychologist and Educational Psychologist in embedding a psychologically informed, formulation-led model of care. Working under regular clinical supervision, in line with British Psychological Society (BPS) guidance on the Assistant Psychologist role, the post holder contributes to ABC formulation, relational safety practice, understanding of distress behaviours, and the psychological wellbeing of people supported by the service, while developing their own competencies towards professional training.

Scope of the Role

Support the development, review and communication of psychological formulations under supervision.

Undertake, under direction, structured psychological assessments and outcome measures with individuals supported by the service.

Contribute to consultation and reflective practice sessions for the multidisciplinary team on a 24/7 real time coaching basis.

Support the delivery of psychoeducation and group-based interventions.

Attend and contribute to MDTs, case reviews and team meetings.

Assist with data collection, audit, service evaluation and quality improvement projects.

Support research activity, literature searches and the production of clinically relevant summaries.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the embedding of psychologically informed practice across the service, working within guidelines set by supervising psychologists.
• Help translate psychological formulations into everyday, practical guidance for the care team as a real time coaching opportunity due to the distress behaviours that our young people exhibit and the impact on the staff.
• Create a handbook that uses the documented presentation to develop an individualised approach to each young person to support the formulation.
• Support the Registered Manager with information and evidence to inform complex decision-making.
• Maintain accurate clinical records, correspondence and reports in line with professional standards.
• Contribute to workforce education, training delivery and competency development activities.
• Work within the BPS Code of Conduct and organisational policies, recognising the professional and legal limits of the Assistant Psychologist role, and seek supervision or escalate as required.
• Engage in regular clinical supervision, CPD and progress towards professional (Doctoral) training in psychology.

Typical Deliverables

• ABC formulation contribution and review
• Psychological assessment summaries and outcome measures
• Reflective practice and psychoeducation session support
• Case notes, correspondence and audit records including development of a handbook
• Data collection, analysis and reporting for service evaluation
• Training material and induction support
• Literature searches and evidence summaries

Our Philosophy

The Assistant Psychologist supports the therapeutic relationships delivered by Intensive Support Practitioners by helping formulation, consultation and supervision reach everyday practice working alongside, and under the supervision of, qualified psychology colleagues rather than delivering care independently.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• An understanding of psychology applied to health and social care settings.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, complex needs or behaviours that challenge.

Desirable

• Knowledge of psychologically informed and relational safety approaches .
• Knowledge of safeguarding frameworks relevant to adults and/or children's services.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• High-level written and verbal communication skills, including with people in distress or highly emotive situations.
• Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge within a mental health or forensic context.
• Good organisational skills and ability to manage a varied, supervised workload.
• Competent IT skills, including data entry and basic analysis.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Willingness to work flexibly to meet service needs, this is a role where you will be part of the 24/7 rota.
• Resilience and self-awareness when working with distress, risk or challenging behaviour.

Desirable

• Ability to support the design and delivery of psychoeducation or group interventions.
• A high standard of report writing.

Qualifications

Essential

• Upper second-class (2:1) honours degree or higher in Psychology
• Entitlement to Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS)

Desirable

• Further postgraduate training or study relevant to clinical/forensic psychology, mental health or complex needs

Experience

Essential

• Paid or voluntary experience in a role where working directly with people is central to the role.
• Experience of working with people with mental health problems, complex needs, or other disabilities.

Desirable

• Previous experience as an Assistant Psychologist, Research Assistant or in a similar support role.
• Experience of working within a forensic, secure, or intensive support setting.

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

Nurture Health and Care

Address

Nurture Health and Care Ltd

Peterborough City Centre

Peterborough

PE1 1HF

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://nurturehealthandcare.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)