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Job summary

Main area
Assistant Psychologist
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (from start date)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
311-F811-25-A
Employer
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Walkerwood PICU
Town
Ashton-Under-Lyne
Salary
£26,530 - £29,114 per annum (pro rata for part-time)
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
15/06/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust logo

Assistant Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 4

 

If you are Kind, Fair, Ingenious and Determined then we want you to come and join our #PennineCarePeople

https://www.penninecare.nhs.uk/values

 

Job overview

We are recruiting an enthusiastic and compassionate Assistant Psychologist to join us at Walkerwood Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. The post will suit a motivated candidate who wishes to gain experience of promoting psychological perspectives within inpatient services. 

Walkerwood  is  a 10 bed unit that provides support and therapy to men aged 18+  who are experiencing difficulties such as hearing voices, unusual beliefs, mood changes, and emotion dysregulation.  Many of the men also have significant trauma histories and have been in contact with forensic services.  

Walkerwood aims to provide short-term, intensive support that promotes independence and recovery, and works towards discharge to less restrictive environments. The psychology team provide a range of evidence-based interventions, which are delivered on both an individual and group basis. They also offer support to the team in the form of weekly Reflective Practice and Team Formulation meetings. We are currently trying to implement a trauma-informed approach on the ward.

For more information about our services please visit: 

Walkerwood unit - psychiatric intensive care unit (Tameside) :: Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

Main duties of the job

Clinical

You will support the lead psychologist to promote psychological perspectives on the ward. You will be expected to offer assessment, formulation and interventions to the men. You will also facilitate skills-based groups, such as mindfulness. You will also support the wider MDT to develop individual positive support plans with service users. 

You will support the implementation of a trauma-informed approach on the ward by co-facilitating Team Formulation meetings and Reflective Practice sessions. You will also be responsible for administrative tasks such as preparing notes on individuals backgrounds, data input and spreadsheet management. 

You will receive clinical and line management supervision from a Clinical Psychologist and join peer supervision with other Assistant Psychologists. 

Working for our organisation

We would welcome applications for flexible working patterns / compressed hours; however we do not offer an option to work from home. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the top of our agenda. We believe that a diverse, inclusive and engaged culture is vital; that everyone’s value should be recognised and respected.

We proactively challenge injustices, and are the only Trust in the North West to publicly recognise our commitment to becoming anti-racist and supporting our transgender and non-binary colleagues. We also have thriving staff networks to make sure everyone has a voice.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We’re really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we’re a great place to work.

We are committed to staff development through shared learning, training and peer supervision. We are working hard at Walkerwood to reduce restrictive practices, and to provide trauma-informed care.

Our trust values are:

Kindness

Fairness

Ingenuity

Determination

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification to support your application for this post. Please refer to the essential criteria in the person specification which will highlight the skills, knowledge and experience you will need to demonstrate in your application, by way of example, to give yourself the best opportunity to be shortlisted.

Person specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • A first or upper second class honours degree 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

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working clinically in mental health settings.
  • Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
Desirable criteria
  • Previous experience working as an Assistant Psychologist.
  • Experience of working with complex mental health difficulties
  • Experience of working with behaviour that challenges
  • Experience using word processing tools, spread sheets and statistical packages for data analysis.
  • Experience of service evaluation.

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Have an understanding of psychological approaches to understanding complex mental health difficulties
  • Have an understanding of the principles of a trauma-informed approach

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria
  • High level of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive and challenging.
  • Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in way that enhances psychological mindedness.
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to design and evaluate research projects relevant to Applied Psychology.

Work Related Circumstances

Essential criteria
  • Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs
  • Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
  • Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareNo smoking policyDisability confident employerNorth West BAME

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Alissa Miners
Job title
Principal Clinical Psychologist
Email address
[email protected]

If you have problems applying, contact

Address
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
225 Old Street
225 Old Street
OL6 7SR
Telephone
01617163181
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