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Job summary

Main area
Forensic Psychology
Grade
4
Contract
24 months (fixed term)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
173-39025-FOR
Employer
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Forensic Psychology
Town
Leeds
Salary
£27,485 - £30,162 pa
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
10/09/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust logo

Assistant Psychologist

4

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join the psychology department within the Leeds and York Forensic Service, based at Newsam Centre in Leeds. 

We work with service users in inpatient and community settings; across our mens and womens pathways, covering a range of clinical presentations and needs. The post holder will be an integral part of the team. They will be involved in supporting the psychological assessment and therapeutic work with service users, their families, and carers. They will assist in clinically related administration and service audit/ evaluation. They will be key to the use of outcome measures within the department and supporting the risk assessment and management process. 

We are looking for an enthusiastic, flexible, and reliable assistant psychologist who can work effectively within a team across a range of settings with service users who professionals can struggle to engage.  

We are committed to robust professional leadership, equality, diversity and inclusion and supporting staff wellbeing and CPD. Our Psychological Professions Strategy outlines our vision. 

Please note this vacancy may close early if the maximum number of applicants is reached.

Interviews will take place on 6th & 7th October.

Main duties of the job

To support and enhance the clinical work and research activities of the Leeds and York low secure forensic service. The base for this post is at our Leeds site (Newsam Centre), though there are strong links and opportunities for collaborative working with our York site (Clifton House). The post holder will be expected to carry out direct psychological work under the supervision of the registered psychologist. The post holder will be responsible for maintaining associated records of clinical and research activity. There will be opportunity to contribute to the development and delivery of group interventions. The post holder will receive regular clinical supervision and management supervision in line with professional and Trust guidance. The post holder will support psychologically informed risk assessments and formulations alongside the MDT. There will be opportunities to support the conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of evaluation and /or research projects, teaching and project work.  All work will be carried out within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures.

Working for our organisation

The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.

There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 - 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.

We also have an incredible bank department, offering variety of roles in nursing, allied health professions, healthcare support worker and administration clerical. Permanent employees are automatically added to bank. 

Applicants should be aware that any individual requiring a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only (this does not include Healthcare Support Workers). This is an essential requirement, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you do not meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You must have a degree eligible to hold Graduate Basis Chartered Membership (GMC) with the BPS to be offered this post.  To maintain anonymity at shortlisting, proof of this will be requested as necessary after application and before interview. If you pass to the stage of shortlisting, you will be contacted by the recruitment team and asked to either forward a confirmation email from the BPS or a letter from your UK university confirming your degree meets the GBC requirements. Please ensure this proof is available as time scales will be short and interview will be withdrawn if proof is not available.

We recruit people based on their values and qualifications (where required) and believe that their lived experience is an advantage, this means that together we are as diverse as the communities we care for. Simply put, when we employ caring people who act with integrity and have the right skills, we can give those with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity high-quality care and support to live fulfilling lives, and make our staff feel purposeful, happy and valued.

All our information is available in accessible formats. Please contact the Recruitment team [email protected] 
Attached to this advert is our candidates guide to values-based recruitment and supporting guidance on how to make a successful application. 

If you require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Recruitment Team or see the attached candidate guide to reasonable adjustments. 

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. 

So that you’re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you’ll need to take time to read the Candidate Guide to Values Based Recruitment. This document provides you with information to help you apply.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Honours/conversion degree in psychology conferring Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) as verified by UK university or BPS.
  • An upper second-class award or higher in bachelor’s degree, or a further post graduate degree e.g. Masters or Doctorate

Knowledge / Experience

Essential criteria
  • Work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
  • High-level communication skills including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyWhite RibbonAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardDisability confident employer

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 Marina Beckwith
Job title
Senior Clinical Psychologist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0113 85 56430
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