Job overview
Assistant Psychologist working predominantly with adults (18-65)
Birkenhead Adult Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) covers the Wirral and supports people with mental health difficulties from the age of 18, including older people. We are looking for an Assistant Psychologist to join our team. This is an exciting time of change as the team participates in the national Community Mental Health Transformation programme.
The successful applicant will be joining a friendly, supportive, and forward-thinking CMHT, and will be well supported by our Clinical Psychologists, including the provision of regular supervision. There will be opportunities for developing clinical skills through direct and indirect work with service users. They will take responsibility for carrying out psychological screening assessments and brief interventions, including group interventions. There will be opportunities to complete audit and small-scale research projects, and to contribute to, and deliver training to colleagues. Additionally, there will be opportunities to contribute to service development projects.
They will also receive regular supervision from a Clinical Psychologist and join a team that has a good track record in supporting people with applications to the Clinical Psychology training courses.
Shortlisting for this vacancy is due commence on 29th December 2025and the proposed interview date is 28th January 2026
Main duties of the job
This is an exciting opportunity for an Assistant Psychologist to help shape our services and work in a specialist team.
Main duties of the job
· Completion of Psychological Screening Assessments with service users on the therapy waiting lists, including completion of initial formulations
· Provision of low-level and brief psychological interventions
· Completion of audits and small-scale service-related research
· Designing and co-facilitating psychological group interventions, including the potential for developing group interventions in the community
· Attendance at relevant meetings – including weekly Team Meetings
· Providing support to the psychology team, and the wider CMHT
· Support for ongoing service development projects, including projects relating to the psychology team and to the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme
The post holder will also assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
Working for our organisation
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all-age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.
We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport.
Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person-centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.
As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services.
All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.
Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you’ll find something to suit you at CWP.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please download a copy of the job description (see ‘documents to download’ section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.
At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.
CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trust’s Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trust’s Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trust’s Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.
An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: cwp.recruitment@nhs.net or by calling 01244 393100.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Good honours degree in Psychology (2.i or above). Eligibility for Graduate Membership of BPS
* To undertake breakaway training or equivalent following appointment
Desirable criteria
* Advanced keyboard skills
* Other related academic qualifications to Masters or Doctorate level
Knowledge & Expertise
Essential criteria
* The ability to communicate complex / sensitive information where barriers to understanding exist. For example, instances requiring empathy and reassurance
* The ability to make judgements involving a range of facts or situations requiring analysis or comparison of a range of options. Also skills for assessing clients in one-to-one sessions, group dynamics or who are participating in research
* The ability to organise straightforward tasks, activities or programmes, some of which may be ongoing. Also, the ability to plan and prioritises own workload, research programme activities; group sessions, etc
* Working to Professional Guidelines
* Must be capable of working within guidelines; receives regular supervision / direction
Desirable criteria
* Ability to use routinely available spreadsheet / database software (Excel, Access, etc.)
* Record of having published in either peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and / or books
Experience
Essential criteria
* Demonstrable relevant work experience with people who have complex mental health problems / learning disabilities risk patterns and challenging behaviour
Desirable criteria
* Relevant work experience of people with learning disabilities / mental health problems
* Desire to progress to Clinical Training (DClinPsy)