Assistant Psychologist

Please note that this post may close early if sufficient applications have been received. To avoid disappointment please submit your application as soon as possible.

NHS Talking Therapies in Hertfordshire are seeking a highly motivated and creative Assistant Psychologist (AP) to join our well-established service and contribute to the delivery of psychological therapies in a primary care setting.  We are a dynamic and supportive service, and were one of the first Talking Therapies services in the UK to receive APPTS accreditation (Accreditation Programme for Psychological Service).

We recognise the AP role as being an important step towards entering clinical psychology training and have a very successful record of our APs going onto clinical training having worked in the role. We attribute this to the blend of clinical and research/audit experience that the role combines as well as a firm grounding in understanding primary care within the NHS.

We are seeking an Assistant Psychologist who will work under supervision to provide psychological assessment and treatment to service users with depression and anxiety, and will contribute to the development of the service through audits, data collection and research and innovation projects. Service user experience, innovation and development are key focuses within the Hertfordshire Talking Therapies service and you will be supported and encouraged to attend CPD and training to help you develop in your role.

Applicants must be psychology graduates with at least a 2:1 degree and be eligible for graduate basis for registration with the British Psychological Society. You will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, good organisational skills, and the ability to work both autonomously and as part of a team.

You will have excellent data analysis skills and be competent in using Excel and SPSS. We are particularly interested in individuals who can demonstrate research skills, as a significant proportion of the role involves analysing outcome data and carrying out audits to help with service improvement and delivery.

If you are invited to interview, you must bring with you any academic qualification certificates and evidence you hold, as applicable. Offers cannot be made without this information.Please refer to the job description and person specification for further details of the role/responsibilities and requirements for this post.

Please state in your supporting statement which team you would prefer to be based in if you are successful with your application.

Job Summary:

To support the work of staff in the Primary Care Service, including providing psychological assessment and interventions under the supervision of a qualified Psychologist or CBT therapist. To assist in audit and data collection and the development of research projects. To work independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified Psychologist and within the overall framework of HPFT’s policies and procedures.

All staff should comply with the Trust’s Anti-Discriminatory Statement, Employee Charter, Trust Policies and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Equality and Diversity.

For staff working in the North and East Talking Therapies teams, there is an expectation that you will come into your office base at least 2 days a week. For staff working in the Digital team this will be a remote post, but there may be circumstances where you are required to travel to an office base.

Professional/Clinical Responsibility

Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating bodies and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. NHS plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Clinical Excellence).

Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.

Be aware of, and keep up to date with advances in the spheres of treatment for common mental health problems.

Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.

Contribute to the development of best practice within the service.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services.

All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health of safety of colleagues, patients and the general public.

All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (1998) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.

Supervision

Attend clinical and managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with line manager and in line with professional requirements.

To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.

To contribute to the training and support of other staff in the Primary Care Service.

Practice

Research & Service Evaluation:

To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.

To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes, including Word, Excel, SPSS.

To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified Psychologists and therapists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

Clinical:

Under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist or CBT Therapist to undertake psychological assessments of clients referred to the service, using the Talking Therapies minimum data set and other questionnaire measures as appropriate.

To perform telephone screening assessments under the supervision of a qualified CBT therapist or psychologist.

To assist the Clinical Psychologist and other clinical staff in the co- ordination and running of psychoeducational and therapeutic CBT groups and other psychological interventions across the county.

To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and intervention to the benefit of all clients referred to the service.

To attend and contribute to appropriate meetings relevant to the service.

Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility

The Post holder will not have any line management responsibility

Financial Responsibility

The Post holder will not hold any budgetary responsibility

Additional Information:

Knowledge and Skills Framework

The post holder will be expected to meet the requirements of the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) appropriate outline for the post.

Approved outlines are available on the HPT e-ksf local library.

Health and Safety

The post holder has a duty of care to themselves and to others with whom they come into contact in the course of their work as laid down in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and any subsequent amendment or legislation.

Infection Control

All Trust staff will:

Act as a role model and champion for the highest standard of all aspects of infection prevention and control and implementation of all Infection Prevention and Control Trust polices and guidelines.

Demonstrate respect for the roles and endeavours of others, in implementing good standards of hand hygiene.

Value and recognise the ideas and contributions of colleagues in their endeavours to reduce the incidence of healthcare associated infection.

Equality and Diversity

Hertfordshire Partnership Trust is committed to providing an environment where all staff, service users and carers enjoy equality of opportunity.

The Trust works to eliminate all forms of discrimination and recognise that this requires, not only a commitment to remove discrimination, but also action through positive policies to redress inequalities.

Providing equality of opportunity means understanding and appreciating the diversity of our staff, service users & carers and ensuring a supportive environment free from harassment. Because of this Hertfordshire Partnership Trust actively encourages its staff to challenge discrimination and promote equality of opportunity for all.

Confidentiality

All staff must be aware of the Data Protection Act 1984, and its subsequent amendments, which is now in force. This means that protection of data about individuals is a requirement of the law and if any employee is found to have permitted unauthorised disclosure, the Trust and the individual may be prosecuted.

Standards of Business Conduct and Conflicts of Interest

The Trust has adopted a Standards of Conduct Policy, which reflects NHS Management Executive Guidelines. It is the responsibility of staff to ensure that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain or seek to advantage or further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties. Staff should be informing their line manager if they are working for any other organisation to ensure that this Trust complies with the Working Time Regulations.

Information and Records Management

The post holder must be competent in using IT and have the relevant skills to carry out the activities required for the post.

To comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Department of Health Code of Confidentiality in line with Trust procedures.

To adhere to the Trust’s policies on records management including creation, use, storing and retention and disposal of records.

Adhere to the Trust’s Corporate Identity (using the standard templates – available on nww.hpt.nhs.uk).

Safeguarding Adults and Children

The Trust is committed to ensuring adults and children are protected and come to no harm from abuse. All employees have a responsibility to be aware of national and local policies, their individual responsibilities with regards to the protection and safeguarding of both adults and children, and must adhere to them at all times.

Organisational Change

As services develop and change, the post holder may be required to undertake other responsibilities within the Trust.

Review:

This job description is an outline, which reflects the present requirements of the post and is not intended to be an inflexible or finite list of duties and responsibilities. As these duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be amended from time to time in consultation with the post holder.