Senior Assistant Psychologist
Service: Criminal Justice
Location: Pan London
Reports to: Service Manager
There is an Operational Requirement for this role to be fulfilled by a female (determined compliant under ACAS guidelines for recruiting applicants with a protected characteristic to do a certain job)
JOB PURPOSE
To support and enhance the professional psychological care of users of the service, providing psychological assessments and interventions within the scope appropriate to level of experience and training, and to undertake related tasks to enhance assessment, intervention and evaluation within the care group.
To work independently, with work and goals agreed and reviewed through regular supervision by a qualified HCPC registered Psychologist.
PRACTICALITIES
9am-5pm, Mon-Fri and some evenings.
Flexibility is required over working hours between 9am to 8pm during weekdays to ensure the service is responsive to service user and stakeholder need.
You may be required to travel from your nominal base to different operational sites.
Additional travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Key Responsibilities
- To undertake projects relating to service development and evaluation.
- To set up databases, spreadsheets and use advanced IT skills in evaluation, audit and research.
- To screen and assess for eligibility for Mental Health Treatment Requirements.
- To support assessment and treatment interventions undertaken by the service.
- To undertake direct and indirect clinical work that is managed and goals agreed and reviewed through regular supervision by a qualified applied HCPC registered Psychologist.
- To plan, organise and co-teach psycho-educational courses and groups with appropriately qualified professional staff.
- To liaise with a range of services (including health, social care and voluntary agencies) relevant to the working area.
JOB-SPECIFIC TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Clinical
JOB PURPOSE
- To undertake projects relating to service development and evaluation.
- To set up databases, spreadsheets and using advanced IT skills in evaluation audit and research.
- To screen and assess for eligibility for Mental Health Treatment Requirement
- To support assessment and treatment interventions undertaken by the service.
- To undertake direct and indirect clinical work that is managed and goals agreed and reviewed through regular supervision by a qualified applied HCPC registered Psychologist.
- To plan, organise and co-teach psycho-educational courses and groups with appropriately qualified professional staff.
- To liaise with a range of services (including health, social care and voluntary agencies) relevant to the working area.
Clinical
- To undertake assessments and interventions (including neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews of clients, family members and others involved in the clients care).
- To assist in the development of psychologically based frameworks of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service.
- To formulate and deliver care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s problems within settings where there may be a hostile atmosphere, challenging behaviour or high levels of expressed emotion.
- To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
- To compile risk histories to inform care plans, risk and crisis plans.
- To work with other team members to improve care practices and the quality of life of clients.
- To attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings.
- To support the delivery of evidence based psychological interventions for clients.
- To carry out other clinical and administrative tasks as appropriate to the post holder’s grade.
- To be up to date with both de-escalation, physical breakaway and PMVA techniques appropriate to the service environment.
- To provide care equitably to all service users, in an anti-discriminatory approach also promoting equality, diversity and inclusion for service users and their families.
Administration
- To establish and maintain records and statistics concerning the service.
- To be acquainted with, implement and maintain all relevant Trust and Psychology and Psychological Therapies policies and procedures.
- To report immediately any incidents affecting staff, users or visitors on health service property in accordance with Trust policies.
- To maintain and manage systems for stock control of Psychology tests, test materials and other equipment.
Professional Issues
- To abide by the BPS code of Conduct and Ethics and the Division of Clinical Psychology Professional Practice Guidelines.
- To maintain confidentiality in line with Trust policy.
- To participate in clinical and professional audit.
- To participate in and contribute to Quality Assurance initiatives.
- To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
Research and Service Evaluation
- To design and implement agreed elements of audit and research projects.
- To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
- To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research in order to promote evidence based clinical practice. This will contribute to the clinical work of Applied Psychologists and other team members.
General
- To promote and model the Trust’s values in working with colleagues and others contributing to a compassionate culture that celebrates difference and diversity and supports all staff to flourish.
- To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through the active participation in internal and external Continuing Professional Development training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holders manager.
- To maintain the highest standards of record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.
- To undertake administrative duties as required.
- To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade, which may be required, from time to time, by the Psychology Manager.
- To participate fully in the Trust’s performance review and personal development planning process on an annual basis.
GENERIC TASKS
- Promote people’s equality, diversity and rights.
- Communicate effectively with staff across the service.
- Develop your own abilities to enhance work performance and attend training courses as necessary.
- Plan and manage your own workload autonomously and in line with team targets.
- Develop and sustain effective working relationships with staff in partner and other agencies.
- Ensure your own actions reduce risk and promote health and safety.
- Take individual responsibility to participate in monthly management and clinical supervision offered by Together and partners.
Confidentiality
- Treat any information relating to service users acquired in the course of duty in the strictest confidence and discuss only with the appropriate members of staff.
- Comply with GDRP and other relevant legislation.
- Comply with locally agreed inter-agency protocols on information exchange, or other arrangements relating to confidentiality as negotiated with Together.
- Treat any information relating to staff acquired in the course of duty in the strictest confidence and discuss only with Project Manager or, in her or his absence, with the most senior staff member on duty.
Safeguarding
Understand principles of safeguarding adults and children and apply these in your everyday work.
Communications and Record Keeping
Follow organisational policies around record keeping, and use appropriate systems to record information on service users.
Learning and Development
- Ensure that you keep an up-to-date record of training, both internal, external and e-learning.
- Complete all mandatory training as expected.
- Computer/keyboard skills – Be able to use Microsoft tools effectively.
Essential Qualifications
Applicants must possess:
- An honours degree (2:1 or above) in Psychology, or an equivalent qualification.
- Eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS).
- Further postgraduate training in a relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and/or research design and analysis.
Evidence: Application form (A) and Certificates (C).
Knowledge and Experience
Applicants should be able to demonstrate:
- Experience of working with people with complex needs.
- Experience of working with people with disabilities within a health or mental health setting and/or experience of working with people with complex needs.
- Experience in the use of psychometric tests.
- Relevant clinical and research skills.
- Experience of working effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Basic knowledge of databases, research methods and research methodology.
- Experience of facilitating group work and providing individual therapeutic contact.
- The ability to apply existing psychological knowledge within a healthcare context.
- An understanding of psychology as applied to healthcare.
It would be advantageous for applicants to have:
- Experience of working within the criminal justice system, forensic mental health services or Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services.
- Experience of teaching or training other healthcare professionals.
- Lived experience of mental health issues.
- Experience of using a trauma-informed approach.
- Experience of working therapeutically with women.
- An understanding of the social determinants of health inequalities and the relevant psychological theories and practices that underpin this area.
Evidence: Application form (A) and Interview (I).
Applicants must demonstrate the ability to:
- Communicate effectively under pressure while maintaining a consistently high standard of professionalism.
- Communicate complex, sensitive or contentious information in potentially highly emotive situations.
- Work constructively with resistance to ideas and differing perspectives.
- Produce reports of a high professional standard.
Evidence: Application form (A) and Interview (I).
Applicants must be able to:
- Assimilate complex information.
- Use reflective and analytical thinking.
- Apply psychological perspectives effectively within a healthcare setting.
Evidence: Application form (A) and Interview (I).
Applicants must demonstrate the ability to:
- Work flexibly and effectively manage multiple competing demands.
- Use initiative and organise work to achieve agreed objectives.
- Work independently while recognising when supervision, advice and support are required, making appropriate use of supervision at agreed intervals.
Evidence: Application form (A) and Interview (I).
Applicants should have:
- Good information technology skills.
- Highly developed IT skills, including a good working knowledge of statistical software packages.
Evidence: Application form (A) and Interview (I).
Applicants must be able to:
- Maintain high levels of concentration for prolonged periods while managing agreed projects independently or as part of a team.
Applicants must demonstrate the ability to:
- Remain calm and effective when working with high levels of emotional distress and emotionally demanding situations.
- Tolerate occasional exposure to verbal abuse and hostility while maintaining professional standards.
Applicants must be able to:
- Use a personal computer competently.
- Sit for extended periods in constrained positions while undertaking computer-based work and other project-related tasks.
Evidence: Application form (A) and Interview (I).
Applicants must be able to demonstrate:
- Commitment to and support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and the Trust.
- An understanding of the principles and practice of Human Rights in the delivery of this role.
- The ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
- The ability to travel across multiple sites as required.
- Punctuality together with flexibility to work across varying hours when required.
Evidence: Interview (I).
- A – Application Form
- C – Certificates
- I – Interview
- T – Test
- We work with communities, advocating and increasing awareness of the interests that matter most to service users.
- We utilise the knowledge, skills and experience of everybody to achieve the best outcomes.
- We create meaningful internal and external connections to ensure everyone can access the support they require.
- We actively raise awareness of mental wellbeing and the benefits of service user leadership, supporting people to participate in local society.
- We champion knowledge gained through lived experience and embrace the positive impact this brings on creating options and supporting choice.
- We work with compassion, respect and creativity to encourage people to solve problems and find solutions.
- We listen and empathise to understand the issues that matter to people, in order to support their choices and aspirations.
- We are responsive and empowering, focusing on what can be achieved.
- We create trusting relationships and environments by considering the whole person, individual situations and not over-promising.
- We are fair, reliable, open-minded, punctual and agree realistic expectations, which we are trusted to deliver.
- We ensure that we always say what we mean.
- We communicate with consistency and clarity.
- We are committed to making decisions transparently.
- We care passionately about empowering people to use their knowledge and experiences to lead their journeys to better wellbeing.
- We use flexible and innovative approaches to achieve goals.
- We are brave and resolute when facing challenges.
- We don’t let people’s future be defined by their past.
- We are passionate about everyone’s access to better wellbeing and hold the hope for a better future.
- We are curious and deeply inquisitive about people and our work.
- We consider the whole-person and recognise that genuine interest in each person enables us to support people with their aspirations.
- We create a safe environment for people to be who they want to be.
- We are conscious of our actions, decisions, and their impact.
- We actively seek and learn from feedback and make changes to deliver the best we can.
Demonstrates a high standard of personal and professional behaviour and consistently puts core ethics and values into practice. Is authentically warm, genuine, trustworthy, honest, reliable, consistent, and caring in all their actions. Personally, promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion by being sensitive to people’s culture, age, gender, religion, race, sexual orientation, and disability. Treats everyone with dignity, sensitivity, and respect.
Works proactively with individual differences and preferences to achieve team outcomes.
Understands what resources are available and uses the appropriate type and level of resources to deliver safe and efficient care and support.
Supports colleagues, people who use services, their families, and carers to deliver high quality service user led care and support. Is approachable, engenders trust and quickly builds rapport with others.
Challenges appropriately and is prepared to raise concerns about quality, safety, and performance.
Actively seeks ongoing dialogue with people who use services, their families, and carers to ensure that care and support is continuously improving and designed around people’s whole lives, wishes and needs. Takes personal responsibility to enable the people they support to live the lives they choose, acting and overcoming barriers where necessary.
Is actively engaged with supporting service users to lead their care and support needs. Learns from their experience and seeks to continuously improve their own performance and the performance of the service.
Creates a positive connection with people that supports change. Is an ambassador for excellent caring services. Influences others to uphold the rights and entitlement of people who use services with sensitivity.
We acknowledge the unique contribution that all Together employees and service users can bring to the work of the projects and the organisation in terms of their culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, age, religion or belief and any physical disability or history of mental health or additional problems.
All appointments and promotions are based on merit and no job applicant or employee will be treated unfairly or discriminated against.
All staff has equal access to staff development.
Full details may be found in the Human Resources Policy and Procedure Manual.
Any member of staff who breaches this policy may be subject of grievance and/or disciplinary procedures.
Other Requirements
- Enhanced DBS clearance required.
- Please note that this role is subject to successful Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Level 2 Vetting.
- We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications.
- We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.
Together for Mental Wellbeing is a national charity that supports people with mental health issues to lead fulfilling and independent lives.
We value people as experts in what works best for them, and each individual we work with influences and shapes the support they and others receive from us.
Founded in 1879, today we work with approximately 4,500 people every month - at around 70 locations across England.
Our services include support in the community, accommodation-based support, advocacy, and criminal justice services.
At Together we value and encourage diversity and inclusion within our workforce. We are committed to creating a workplace where you can be yourself, welcoming applications from people from diverse communities and backgrounds who share our values.
As an employer, we are committed to making any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.
