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Job summary

Main area
Assistant Psychologist Learning Disabilities
Grade
Band 5
Contract
12 months (Fixed term/Secondment until 30/06/2026 to meet the needs of the service)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday. Full time hours but part time hours would be considered.)
Job ref
100-ACS065-0525
Employer
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Employer type
NHS
Site
TBC
Town
TBC
Salary
£30,420 - £37,030 per annum (pro rata if part time)
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
16/06/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Hywel Dda University Health Board logo

Assistant Psychologist Learning Disabilities Services

Band 5

Our Hywel Dda values reflect who we are and how we behave. We continuously work together to be the best we can be as we strive to develop and deliver excellent services, putting people at the heart of everything we do. Throughout our recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you would demonstrate these values in the way that you work with us.

If you are registered Health Care professional considering relocating to the Hywel Dda area in West Wales please don’t hesitate to contact our recruitment campaigns team directly via [email protected]

To keep up to date with our latest recruitment activity follow us on Facebook (Swyddi Hywel Dda Jobs), LinkedIn or on Twitter @SwyddiHDdaJobs

Hywel Dda University Health Board reserve the right to close vacancies after 24 hours if a large number of suitable applications are received. We encourage early applications to ensure consideration for a post.


Please be advised that there is a temporary top up for Bands 2 and 3 to reflect the incorporation of the top up to the living wage of £12.60 per hour - £24,638 per annum.

This temporary top up will be in place until the annual pay uplift for 2025/26 is confirmed.

Job overview

This is a fixed term/secondment post until 30/06/2026.

If you are a Hywel Dda University Health Board employee and are applying for this post as a secondment, agreement for the secondment is needed from your current manager prior to application.

We have an exciting development in West Wales.  We are looking for 2 individuals to work in our Learning Disabilities Service as Assistant Psychologists.  If you would like to work with people with learning disabilities and would like to work in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire or Ceredigion then we might have the post for you. The Psychology & Behaviour Service believes in putting people with learning disabilities at the centre of everything we do.  We strongly believe in Human Rights and advocating for people with a learning disability. 

Main duties of the job

To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients rising psychological and psychometric tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client’s care. 

To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s problems, under the supervision of a qualified professionally registered psychologist, in both community, in-patient and residential settings. 

To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups. 

To work with other staff to assess clients in community, residential and in-patient settings, and to review their care in preparation for multi-disciplinary reviews. 

To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.

To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings.

Working for our organisation

Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 12,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services to almost 400,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:

Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest.

Five community hospitals: Amman Valley Hospital and Llandovery Hospital in Carmarthenshire,  Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire.

Two integrated care centres (Aberaeron and Cardigan, Ceredigion).

 

Community facilities, including:

48 General Practices (GP surgeries), 49 Dental Practices, 98 Community Pharmacies (chemists), 44 General Ophthalmic Practices (including eye health and low vision services), 38 sites providing mental health and learning disability services, care within your own homes

Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post requires a lower second class honours degree or higher in psychology to support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the service, providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions, under the supervision of a qualified professionally registered psychologist, working 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, conducting of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or other projects and teaching.

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences.  In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Interviews will be held on 24 & 25 June 2025.

 

Person specification

Qualifications & Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • A lower second class honours degree or higher in psychology.
  • Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable criteria
  • Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
  • Further study or qualification in Positive Behavioural Support or Applied Behavioural Analysis

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Work with people with learning disabilities and/or other disabilities and/or mental health problems.
  • An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
  • Basic IT skills (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, graphing data)
  • An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
  • An ability to interact with people with learning disabilities.
  • Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
  • Experience of working within a community based service for people with that challenges behaviour.

Language Skills

Desirable criteria
  • Welsh Speaker (Level 1)

Other

Essential criteria
  • Must be able to achieve the community-based component of the job.
  • Ability to accept and use clinical supervision appropriately and effectively.
Desirable criteria
  • A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareNo smoking policyCymraegMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerCarer Confident -Accomplished - WelshStep into healthCarer Confident -AccomplishedDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldCore principlesStonewall 2023 Bronze

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Welsh language skills are desirable

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Amanda Bayley
Job title
Consultant Psychologist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01437 772819
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