Job summary
- Main area
- Assistant Practitioner
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 334-CLI-7270708
- Employer
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Bethlem Royal Hospital, Denis Hill Unit 1
- Town
- Beckenham
- Salary
- £31,081 - £33,665 per annum inclusive of HCAs (outer)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 15/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Assistant Psychologist
NHS AfC: Band 4
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.
We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.
The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.
As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
We are looking to employ a dynamic and motivated psychology graduate to work alongside members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) under the clinical and professional supervision of a practitioner psychologist. This will include working the Psychologists, Nurses, Health Care Assistants, Rehabilitation Support Workers, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapist, the Ward Social Worker, the Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, and the team of junior doctors. The successful applicant will have excellent interpersonal and organisational skills and an intention to apply to Doctoral Clinical Psychology Training Courses.
Main duties of the job
• To support and enhance the professional psychological care of patients admitted to the Lishman Unit, working alongside members of the MDT and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures, by undertaking the key roles and responsibilities outlined below.
• To provide clinical work as required by the service, under the clinical and professional supervision of a practitioner psychologist.
• To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
• To work at appropriate levels of independence, following clinical guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, and seeking help from clinical/professional supervisor or manager as required.
Working for our organisation
The Lishman Unit provides a national tertiary service with two core care pathways: acquired brain injury and neuropsychiatry. The unit provides assessment and complex multidisciplinary intervention to clients with complex neurological conditions, neuropsychiatric conditions and some mild challenging behaviours; and to clients with functional neurological disorders (FND). The successful applicant will primarily work with those on the brain injury pathway under the supervision of a qualified psychologist, although there will also be opportunities to work with patients with FND.
This is an opportunity to join an experienced and supportive multi-disciplinary team and to work with a highly complex and diverse client group.
The unit is currently based at the Bethlem Royal Hospital. There are plans for the unit to return to the Maudsley site at Denmark Hill following refurbishment work. It is anticipated that this move will take place in 2026.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
• To provide psychological assessment and interventions under the supervision of a qualified Clinical Psychologist, working independently and/or jointly according to a plan prescribed by the supervisor. Individual work will include:
o Conducting protocol based psychological assessments of patients, including self-report measures, rating scales, neuropsychological assessments, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members and others involved in the patient’s care.
o Carrying out behavioural programmes, education sessions, relaxation/mindfulness-based exercises, and cognitive rehabilitation, as well as interventions such as behavioural experiments or CBT with people with FND.
• To develop and facilitate a range of inpatient therapeutic groups which will contribute to the overall treatment programme provided on the unit. This includes carrying out evidence-based literature searches and collaborating closely with MDT members to develop group protocols and to adapt existing evidence-based approaches to the needs of this complex patient group as required.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
• To participate in the implementation of specific therapy programmes devised by the MDT and to support patients in functional tasks and activities that relate to their therapy goals, their well-being and overall care on the unit.
• To attend the brain injury pathway orientation group and chair this meeting as required. To also attend functional pathway meeting as required.
• To attend and contribute to a range of MDT meetings, including weekly goal setting meetings, formulation meetings, monthly team meetings and reflective practice sessions.
• To assist in clinically related administration, including timetabling, developing and maintaining written resources, information/education packs, and PowerPoint presentations.
KR 3 Policy and service development
• To follow policies and procedures in own area of work, and to comment on proposed development or changes.
KR 4 Care or management of resources
• To prepare test materials and visual aids, and to maintain, order and develop equipment as required.
KR 5 Teaching and Training
• To demonstrate work methods to other members of the multi-disciplinary team as required.
• To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations or published articles.
KR 6 Record-keeping and Information Governance
• To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping, including electronic data entry, and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the Health and Care Professions Council, British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.
• To create and maintain databases and to enter data, perform analyses and produce reports as required.
KR 7 Research and development
• To assist with audits and research projects as required, including carrying out literature searches, the collection and entry of data, statistical analysis and literature reviews.
• To conduct surveys with service users and carers to gather views on service provision as required.
KR 8 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
• To attend and actively participate in regular face-to-face clinical supervision with a qualified Clinical Psychologist in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
• To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of the roles and responsibilities assigned to this post.
• To undertake personal training relevant to the post in agreement with the supervising psychologist and the Clinical Service Manager.
• To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of the roles and responsibilities assigned to this post.
KR 9 General
• To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post-holder's supervisor and the Clinical Service Manager.
• To undertake specific administrative duties as required and to perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade, which may be required from time to time by the supervisor and / or the Clinical Service Manager.
• To ensure confidentiality on all matters relating to patients and information obtained during the course of employment, and to not release such information to anyone else other than those acting in an official capacity.
• To have responsibility for the Health, Safety and Welfare of self and others in the working environment, to follow safe working practice and to comply at all times with the Trust's Health and Safety Policies and Procedures.
• To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group and follow trust policies relating to its management.
• To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations that may arise in this client group, including challenging behaviours, severe injury and disability, and emotional distress, and to support others involved in such situations.
• To participate in the Trust's staff development and performance review scheme.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- • A First-class or Upper-second class bachelor’s degree with Honours in Psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society *
Desirable criteria
- • An interest in pursuing a career in clinical psychology.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Sufficient post-graduate experience of working with clients with a range of psychological needs, so that the post-holder can work clinically under the indirect supervision of a qualified psychologist.
- Experience of working with individuals with acquired brain injuries, long term neurological conditions and/or FND.
- Specific experience of inpatient services and / or trauma-informed care
Desirable criteria
- Post-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- • Good theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and needs of patients with acquired brain injury and long-term neurological conditions and mental health conditions, and of methods of assessment and treatment.
- • Graduate level knowledge of psychological research methodology and statistical analysis.
- • Awareness of racial and diversity issues and ways in which this would be considered during assessment and treatment.
- Awareness of interpersonal difficulties, complex trauma, and attachment difficulties, including personality disorder diagnoses and associated assessment and interventions.
Desirable criteria
- Diversity - Experience that supports ability to work with diversity
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- • Sensitive to the experiences of people who have experienced challenges such as early childhood trauma, and the ability to form trusting therapeutic relationships with these individuals.
- • The ability to reflect on the impact of working with individuals who have experienced adverse life events on one’s own wellbeing and the ability to use supervision to explore these matters.
- • Skills in relevant assessment and interventions that enable working independently as a pre- qualified practitioner with clinical supervision.
- • Well-developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, sensitive or contentious information to clients, families and colleagues.
- • The ability to understand changes in cognitive function and to adapt one’s approach and communication as required.
Desirable criteria
- Ability and motivation to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- Ability to identify and follow relevant clinical governance procedures.
- Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periodsduring observations, assessments and psychological interventions.
- Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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 Leigh Leppard
- Job title
- Clinical Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Pauline Baagala
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