Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 5 Assistant Psychologist to join our Forensic Psychology Service.
The postholder will be based in NELFT’s Forensic Low-Secure Inpatient Unit and will be responsible to the Professional Lead for the Adult Forensic Psychology Service. They will work to support and enhance the psychological rehabilitation of inpatient service-users who are detained under the Mental Health Act.
We welcome applications from motivated and enthusiastic individuals who want to join our committed multi-disciplinary team.
Main duties of the job
1. The provision of psychological assessment and intervention under the clinical supervision of a registered psychologist
2. Working independently according to a plan agreed with a registered psychologist and within the overall framework of the team and Trust policies and procedures
3. Assisting in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, and assisting with teaching and project work as required
4. Working with families and carers under the supervision of the registered psychologist
5. The postholder may be required to conduct some additional work in the community and on the non-forensic general psychiatric wards at Goodmayes Hospital
Working for our organisation
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They are:
We are kind.
We are respectful.
We work together with our communities.
These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £4,714 and a maximum payment of £5,941 - per annum, pro rata for part time)
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
Person specification
Qualifictions
Essential criteria
6. NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy
7. Psychology Degree (Hons, or above)
8. Eligibility for Graduate Membership of The British Psychological Society
Desirable criteria
9. Training in violence risk assessment tools (such as HCR-20)
10. Post-graduate training in psychological therapy ( CBT)
Experience
Essential criteria
11. Experience of working with people with mental health problems (individual and/or group setting)
12. Experience of delivering psychological interventions under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist (individual and/or group setting)
Desirable criteria
13. Previous experience of working as an assistant psychologist
14. Experience of working within forensic psychiatric services and/or complex long-term needs
15. Supervised experience of assessing and managing risk with severe and complex presentations
16. Experience of working with carers and families of service users
Knowledge
Essential criteria
17. An awareness of NHS priorities
18. Excellent knowledge of the principles of the Recovery Model
Desirable criteria
19. Knowledge of the principles of The Mental Health Act (1983/2007), with specific knowledge of Part 3 of the Act
20. Knowledge of psychological evidence-based interventions applicable to these client groups
21. An understanding of psychosis and its impact on people’s lives
Skills
Essential criteria
22. Competent in basic IT skills
23. Ability to demonstrate clinical skills of client engagement with service-users who experience severe mental illness (incl. psychosis), at times in highly emotive circumstances
24. Ability to commujnicate professionally and sensitively with service users, carers and professionals
25. Ability to analyse complex statistical data using various analysis programs
26. Ability to ensure culturally sensitive clinical interventions, responding to the diversity of client needs
27. Ability to work independently, reflectively and under pressure, at times being exposed to highly emotive circumstances
Desirable criteria
28. Evidence of excellence within research (, conference presentations, published papers, contributions to active research groups)
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
29. A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
30. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity.
31. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
32. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.
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 a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.