Job summary
- Main area
- Assistant Psychologist
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
- Job ref
- 201-26-540
- Employer
- Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Plymouth Probation Office
- Town
- Plymouth
- Salary
- £32,073 - £39,043 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/06/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Assistant Psychologist
Band 5
Thank you for your interest in joining us at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
We pride ourselves in striving to be an employer of choice.
Strategic Themes
Great Care
- Care based on what matters to people.
- Care provided at home or close to home.
- Improvement through learning, research and innovation.
- Prevention and alternatives to hospital.
Great Organisation
- Buildings that support health and wellbeing.
- Technology enabled care.
- Care teams are supported by responsive corporate services.
- Safe, efficient, effective and productive.
Great People
- A place people love to work and feel valued.
- Living our values with staff (all voices count).
- Attract, grow and develop talent.
- Leaders with compassion, who continuously learn and listen.
Great Partner
- Encourage and enable effective partnerships.
- Joined-up community services.
- Work with others to maximise workforce opportunities.
- Reduce our impact on the environment.
At the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s job share, part time or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Job overview
Cornwall and Plymouth Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway are recruiting a full-time Senior Assistant Psychologist to join their dynamic team. The OPD Pathway is a joint initiative between His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and NHS England, delivered within the Trust’s Centre for Mental Health and Justice.
This role supports both the CORE Offender Management provision and the Voyage Intensive Intervention and Risk Management Service (IIRMS), contributing to psychological assessment, formulation, training, and psychoeducational interventions. The service is developing, offering excellent opportunities to build a broad range of psychological skills.
Based primarily in Plymouth, the post also covers Cornwall, with regular regional travel required (pool cars available).
The OPD Pathway works closely with Probation Practitioners to support individuals with personality difficulties through screening, consultation, joint casework, and workforce development. Voyage IIRMS provides additional psychologically informed support for individuals transitioning from custody to the community.
Main duties of the job
This exciting dynamic role includes:
· Contributing to the provision of a Psychology service within the OPD Pathway under the supervision of Forensic/Clinical Psychologists.
· Supporting Probation Service staff to develop their psychological understanding of individuals on Probation screened into the OPD pathway. To assist in screenings, consultations, and psychological formulations alongside qualified professional Forensic and Clinical Psychologists within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures.
· Delivering psychoeducational interventions both one-to-one and within group settings (such as the Minack Programme, an emotional awareness intervention).
- Contributing to workforce development activities.
- Contributing to the effectiveness of OPD Pathway delivery. To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
If you would like to discuss the role further or have any questions about the role please do not hesitate to contact Dr Candice Gurney, Plymouth, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly OPD Pathway Clinical Lead on [email protected] / 01208 834747
Working for our organisation
We’re an NHS community and mental health provider Trust based in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We deliver community and hospital-based care to improve people’s physical and mental health. We also provide specialist support to people with dementia or a learning disability.
We are a people organisation and people matter to us. As part of the team, you'll help support the health and wellbeing of the people who live and visit this beautiful part of the UK.
Over 4,000 people make up the Trust. This includes doctors, nurses, therapists, plus admin and support staff.
We work in people's homes, in community clinics and bases. Some staff work from one of our 13 community hospitals. Our aspiration is to have great people, provide great care, be a great place to work and a great partner.
Just over 568,000 people live here. A third of people who live in Cornwall are supported by acute hospital services in Devon. As a result, we also work closely with our partners in Devon. In the summer, and during other holidays lots of people choose to visit the area. This increases the numbers of people who use our services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To view a detailed job description and person specification including the main responsibilities of this role please see ‘supporting documents’.
This job is currently only open to people who already work for the NHS in Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly.
We are committed to supporting our dedicated staff, so only current employees of the following organisations can apply:
- Cornwall Foundation Trust
- Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
- Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board
If you do not currently work for one of these NHS organisations, your application will not be considered at this time.
Person specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Psychology Degree accredited by the British Psychological Society. Eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.
- Up-to-date knowledge of psychology. An awareness and understanding of contemporary issues in the field of mental health and crime.
- Experience working with people with personality, or other serious and enduring, disorders in community or residential settings.
- Previous experience working as an Assistant Psychologist.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with Criminal Justice Agencies especially Probation.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Good knowledge of the application of psychological theory to practice
Skills and Aptitude
Essential criteria
- Skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues.
- Good knowledge of the application of psychological theory especially personality theories
Desirable criteria
- Relevant teaching or supervision covering concepts deriving from Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Dialectical behaviour Therapy or Mentalisation based Therapy.
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently with work agreed and supervised at regular intervals.
Desirable criteria
- A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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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 Candice Gurney
- Job title
- OPD Pathway Clinical Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- (01208) 834747
- Additional information
Please note we are not accepting any communication from Recruitment Agencies at the current time. Please refrain from Sending the Trust CV’s as this does not count as an introduction.
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