At NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies (part of Sussex Community Foundation Trust) we are committed to increasing access within the psychological professions. Following a successful bid for funding from Health Education England, we are offering two paid Assistant Psychologist positions, each for 22.5 hours per week (0.6 FTE) to aspiring clinical psychologists who are able to recognise and reflect upon personal and societal bias along a range of dimensions and difference.
This position supports specific projects across our clinical, training, audit and research activities. Supervision forms a key part of the assistant psychologist role. Regular supervision will be provided and supervisors will have received supervision training. The supervisor will understand and respond appropriately to the assistant psychologist’s professional developmental needs.
Please note: Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules, this role may not be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role.
Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes - GOV.UK
Health and Care Worker visa: If you’ll need to meet different salary requirements - GOV.UK
To support and enhance professional psychological practice within the service. To provide support, co-ordination and administration to clinical, training and research functions within the scope appropriate to level of training and competence, and to undert ake tasks related to enhanc ing assessment, intervention and evaluation within the team or care group.
To work independently according to a plan agreed and to be reviewed through regular supervision. The Assistant Psychologist will gain experience of the systems and roles within community mental health settings. They will also benefit from regular and supportive supervision in order to learn about applying psychology within these settings. The post holder will gain experience of working within multidisciplinary teams dealing with complex presentations.
They will gain direct experience of developing formulations and helping teams to think more psychologically about service users . They will have the opportunity to apply basic psychological therapies in structured individual or group settings. They will further develop evaluation, audit and report writing skills in an applied setting and have the opportunity to see how this contributes towards service development.
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
Why work for us?
- Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
- Varied environments: community hospitals, patients’ homes, and bases across Sussex
- Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
- Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
- Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
- Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
- Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
- Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast
Our values — Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence —guide everything we do.
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
a) To undertake projects relating to service development and evaluation including support to increase access and improve outcomes and experience for our patients with protected characteristics.
b) To set up databases, spreadsheets and using advanced IT skills in evaluation audit and research.
c) To support assessment and treatment interventions undertaken by the service as appropriate to level of competence and training.
d) To undertake direct and indirect clinical work as required under live or regular supervision.
e) To plan, organise and co-teach psycho-educational courses and groups with appropriately qualified professional staff.
f) To liaise with a range of services (including health, social care and voluntary agencies) relevant to the working area.
