Job overview
Applications are invited from an experienced assistant psychologist to provide support to the neuropsychology service at University Hospital Sussex. The Neuropsychology Department sits within the Neurosciences and Stroke Directorate and is part of the Specialist Division.
The successful applicant may be involved in conducting neuropsychological assessment and providing group and individual therapeutic and rehabilitation support to the range of patients who present to our neurology an neurosurgery inpatient wards, our neuro-rehabilitation wards and our neuropsychology outpatient department. This will involve cross site working, with sites based in Chichester, Haywards Heath, Worthing and Brighton.
There will also be opportunities to work alongside other members of the multi-disciplinary team, including occupational therapist, speech therapists and physiotherapists.
Main duties of the job
·To provide the Neuropsychology team with support in delivering a professional and highly specialized neuropsychology service to service, such as those with traumatic brain injury, stroke, Epilepsy, MS, Parkinson's Disease and Dementia.
·The post-holder will participate in delivering managed and supervised clinical practice to service uses presenting with presenting with complex neurodisability (including stroke).
·Non-clinical work will include assisting with departmental administration and audit/service development.
·The post holder will work alongside a senior neuropsychologist and within a multi-disciplinary team.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Candidate Information Pack
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
Please see Job Description for more detailed information
Clinical
1.To organise own workload under the direct support and supervision of a member of the Neuropsychology Department.
2.To carry out neuropsychological assessments as directed by members of the Neuropsychology team.
3.To contribute (where appropriate) to multidisciplinary discussions about a patients’ diagnosis, treatment, risk assessment and care plan issues.
4.To contribute to patient reports, treatment plans and discharge summaries.
5.To undertake specified behavioural observations and assessments of service users.
6.To seek and acquire specific clinical information by reading medical records and other sources of data.
7.To carry out specified treatment and intervention programs under close supervision.
8.To liaise or work directly with all specialists and professionals concerned on specific cases as required.
9.To communicate effectively with individual patients who may have cognitive, communication and mental health difficulties.
10.To communicate with relatives, carers and a range of other professionals.
11.To provide complex and sensitive condition-related information in verbal and written form.
12.To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
13.To assist the neuropsychology team in other clinical work as required.
Administrative
1.To ensure all clinical and administrative activities are carried out safely and in compliance with UHS NHS Trust policies, procedures, and guidelines. The importance of patient confidentiality and information governance is emphasised.
2.To assist in the booking of outpatient clinics for the neuropsychology department.
3.To be responsible for relevant data collection on work activities, as required.
4.To assist in the maintenance of patient records (paper or electronic) and manage databases as required.
5.To assist with test library management.
6.To assist with photocopying and scanning.
7.To assist in maintaining and developing the Neuropsychology Service intranet information page.
8.To assist in developing patient self-help resources.
9.To undertake specific administrative duties as required including maintaining copies of test papers and scanning in test data and reports.
Person specification
Qualifications and experience
Essential criteria
1. Upper second class degree or higher in psychology
2. Entitlement to graduate membership of BPS
3. Previous relevant experience as an assistant psychologist
4. Demonstration of relevant knowledge through volunteer roles, other roles and/or study
5. Experience using neuropsychological and other standardised assessment tools
Desirable criteria
6. Further postgraduate training in relevant area
7. Experience of working with neurodisability
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
8. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
9. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications