Go back Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Senior Assistant Psychologist
The closing date is 31 August 2025
This position is for a Senior Assistant Psychologist within the Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT). The aim of this team is to help working age adult to safely transition and live in the community, and minimise the risk of them reoffending and/or returning to psychiatric hospital or prison. The team comprises of OTs, Mental Health Nurses, Psychologists as well as a Support Worker and Social Worker. In brief, the role of the Senior AP is to facilitate assessments (psychometrics and risk related), complete formulations and offer both individual and group interventions.
Main duties of the job
Promote the psychological health and well-being of service users within the SCFT.
Under the supervision of a qualified Psychologist, to provide psychological assessments and intervention to individuals, or groups of service users
Under the supervision of a qualified Clinical Psychologist to complete audit, service evaluation or research as indicated.
Assist in clinically related administration, teaching, and project work
About us
We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.
Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:
* 72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
* 76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
* 81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.
This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.
Job responsibilities
Clinical
Undertake psychological assessments of service users applying psychological principles, including neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service users, family members and others involved in the service users care.
Assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and / or management of a service users problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.
Assist in the planning, coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
Assist in the completion of risk assessments, such as the HCR-20, SARA and RSVP.
Work with other staff to assess inpatients in terms of their suitability for the SCFT.
Attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings
Assist in the collation of information for risk consultations, formulation and risk assessments.
Assist in the provision of clinical case review, if deemed necessary.
Maintain appropriate records in electronic or hard copy in line with Trust policies and Professional guidelines. Includes workload data and using word processing skills to produce service user related reports.
To occasionally assist case workers in visiting service users.
Leadership / Management
Assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required
Teaching, training and supervision
Contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.
Contribute to the development of the CPD rota for in-house staff.
Engage in regular supervision with a qualified psychologist.
If appropriate, and trained, to contribute, coordinate and facilitate reflective practice in-house.
Research and service evaluation
Assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
Undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports for research.
Undertake literature reviews to assist the provision of assessment and intervention.
Professional
Manages work independently according to goals agreed at intervals with their manager, working independently on a day to day basis
Works within guidance and direction of qualified Psychologist and guided by the Professions standards including HCPC and the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Other
Prepare test materials, visual aids and undertake specific administrative duties as required.
Perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade that may be required from time to time by their Psychology lead
The Trust is required to work in line with the Governments UK Visa and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information about sponsorship for certain roles, please visit - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Evidence of training / CPD to develop knowledge and theory relevant to work in the specialism of forensic psychology
* Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
Length and/or Nature of Experience
* Prior experience with the service user group and experience in a clinical setting
* Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS.
* Experience of working within inpatient areas or where there are restrictions on freedom in place
* Additional knowledge/ experience of research methodology
* Some experience of using /manipulating Psychological test equipment for use in formal testing situations
* Prior experience in completing risk assessments, such as the HCR-20, SARA etc.,
Professional/Managerial/Specialist Knowledge
* Strong listening skills, empathic towards people in distress.
* Practical working knowledge of at least one relevant psychological approach (e.g. CBT)
* Experience of group work
Personal Skills, Abilities and Attributes
* Willingness to work in the face of emotive and distressing problems, and possible verbal abuse / threat of physical abuse
* Emotional robustness to frequently work with the intense distress of others.
* Calm but assertive to help effective communication when there are barriers to understanding and in circumstances where hostility, manipulation, conflict and antagonism could be present.
* Ability to recognise limits of competence and seek support when needed.
* Ability to prioritise work and organise own diary.
* Enjoy working with a multidisciplinary team
* Ability to undertake all statutory and mandatory training including (subject to Occupational Health clearance)
Other Requirements
* Computer literate, keyboard skills and ability to use Microsoft Office software. Awareness of statistical analysis packages
* Ability to get to required locations in timely and efficient manner as required to fulfil the requirements of the role
* Ability to keep and maintain appropriate records in electronic or hard copy in line with Trust policies and Professional guidelines.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
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