Job summary
- Main area
- Assistant Psychologist
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- 18 months (Fixed term for 18 months / option for secondment for existing post-holders)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday- Friday 9am-5pm)
- Job ref
- 373-SMH2442
- Employer
- Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Cherrybank Resource Centre
- Town
- Ellesmere Port
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 25/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Assistant Psychologist
Band 4
Job overview
An exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated Assistant Psychologist to work across the community mental health teams in west Cheshire. Predominantly based in our Ellesmere Port team, the successful candidate may be required to work across our other bases (Chester & Winsford) for the purposes of audit and evaluation projects, supervision & meetings.
Your role will involve working closely with clinical psychologists, psychology practitioners, and multi-disciplinary teams, to support the provision of a high quality and inclusive psychology offer to the client population within secondary care. We are in the early stages of developing a psychology service which is embedded within the CMHTs, as such the post offers a broad variety of opportunities and applications from innovative and creative thinkers are especially welcomed.
This is a fixed term role for 18 months and may be offered as a secondment opportunity. (Please obtain permission to be released on a secondment before submitting an application).
Main duties of the job
The role will involve contributing to the provision of psychological assessment, formulation and interventions (1:1 and group-based) to clients within the community mental health teams, under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist(s). The post will require someone with a willingness to work alongside colleagues from other professions that form the MDT, whilst representing psychology as a valuable contribution to the service. With a positive attitude towards supervision and reflection, you will be well-supported to contribute meaningfully to the clients our service is designed to serve. The role will also involve supporting the evaluation of the service through audits and quality improvement projects as well as the development of psychological resources and training.
Working for our organisation
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all-age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.
We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton and Liverpool.
Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person-centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.
As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services.
All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.
Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you’ll find something to suit you at CWP.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please download a copy of the job description (see ‘documents to download’ section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.
At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.
CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trust’s Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trust’s Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trust’s Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.
An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: [email protected] or by calling 01244 393100.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Good honours degree in Psychology (2.i or above). Eligibility for Graduate Membership of BPS
Desirable criteria
- Advanced keyboard skills
- Other related academic qualifications to Masters or Doctorate level
Knowledge & Expertise
Essential criteria
- The ability to communicate complex/ sensitive information where barriers to understanding exist. For example, instances requiring empathy and reassurance
- The ability to make judgements involving a range of facts or situations requiring analysis or comparison of a range of options. Also skills for assessing clients in one-to-one sessions, group dynamics or who are participating in research
- The ability to organise straightforward tasks, activities or programmes, some of which may be ongoing. Also, the ability to plan and prioritises own workload, research programme activities; group sessions, etc
- Working to Professional Guidelines
- Must be capable of working within guidelines; receives regular supervision/ direction
Desirable criteria
- Ability to use routinely available spreadsheet/database software (Excel, Access, etc.)
- Record of having published in either peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books
Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable relevant work experience with people who have complex mental health problems/ learning disabilities risk patterns and challenging behaviour
Desirable criteria
- Relevant work experience of people with learning disabilities/ mental health problems
- Desire to progress to Clinical Training (DClinPsy)
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Becky Stockley
- Job title
- Principal Clinical Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07586551370
- Additional information
If you consider yourself Neurodivergent and need help to complete your application form, please contact [email protected] or telephone 01244 393100.
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