Assistant Psychologist

As an Assistant Psychologist working within a community team you will be supervised and work closely with the qualified psychologist within the locality. You will be a key part of the MDT and under the supervision of the qualified psychologist, undertake joint and one-to-one work with older people who have complex psychological needs of an organic and/or functional nature. You will have opportunities to support quality improvement and link with other Assistants across Older Adult services for reflective practice and project work. The other half of the post will include offering psychological assessment, formulation and intervention, under supervision within our In Reach to Care Home Service (IRTCH). This service offers input to services users living in care homes. Working with older people is a truly rewarding experience and making a difference to their lives and enabling them to fulfil their potential is priceless.
Not only would you be joining a multi-disciplinary team who truly values your contribution but you would also be welcomed to a friendly and talented Older Adult Psychology Team with a well-defined and clear structure. The Divisional Lead Psychologist is committed to raising the profile of the team and the influence of psychology across the organisation, enabling other professionals and leaders to think psychologically and systemically to support and enhance the organisation, client care, and staff well-being., In line with the banding of the post and its service context, and under the supervision of a qualified psychologist to be involved in:
+ Multi-disciplinary training and development
+ Service audit and development
+ 1-1 work with functional clients and working with clients in residential settings
+ Service evaluation and research
+ Bring an understanding of psychological change processes to own role within MDT

Working for our organisation
The Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (BCPFT) is a specialist mental health trust providing a range of services to people across Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Our vision is to improve health and well-being for people of all ages across the Black Country.
We provide first-rate care to our patients and have been rated as 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a recent inspection. Our clinical sites are among some of the most forward-thinking in the country, where teams ensure we are consistently offering patients respect and dignity, high quality care and a positive experience. Our community teams provide outstanding generic and specialist care closer to home, proactively supporting patients away from a hospital setting., Under the supervision of an Applied Psychologist, implements psychological interventions for individual clients, carers, families and groups
Provides psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other direct care staff in MDT, under the guidance of an applied psychologist.
Provides training to other staff in MDT under the guidance of an Applied Psychologist, including the preparation of materials for training.
Bring an understanding of psychological change processes to own role within MDT.
"We're an incredibly supportive team with a great track record for growth via Continuing Professional Development and a commitment to Quality Improvement which brings with it exciting opportunities to influence and network across the Trust."

• Please Note that Internal at Risk Employees will be given preference for this position

We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward for this vacancy at any time should we receive an overwhelming response of applications. We therefore encourage applicants to apply early if you wish to be considered for this post.
If you do not hear from the recruitment 4 weeks within the advertised closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful at the shortlisting stage. Please ensure that you check your emails on a regular basis for any recruitment updates regarding this vacancy. If you are not successful at the shortlisting stage and would like feedback, please contact the Recruitment Team directly for feedback.
The salary range quoted is as per NHS Agenda for Change pay structures. This is based on the number of years' working directly within the NHS at the advertised pay band. Experience gained with other NHS Trusts will apply, but candidates without prior experience working direct for the NHS would normally be appointed at the lowest point unless they can demonstrate the equivalent experience and then be eligible for incremental increases in future years.
Successful applicants for clinical posts up to and including Band 4 are expected to hold the national Care Certificate qualification and will be supported to attain this once in post.
The Trust is committed to equal opportunities, providing opportunities for flexible working and is a non-smoking organisation.
As a Trust we are passionate about Anti-Racism, Disability Inclusion, and LGBTQ+ Equality, and are committed to diversifying our staff team in all areas and at all levels of seniority to better reflect the diverse communities we serve. Therefore, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from people who belong to a minority or marginalised community, including from Black and Asian, Disabled (including hidden disabilities such as Neurodiversity, Mental Health, etc), or Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans or Queer (LGBTQ+) people.
Furthermore, Disabled applicants have the option of requesting that their application is considered under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS). Please indicate your intention to apply under the GIS in the relevant section of your application. Regardless of whether you participate in the scheme or have shared a disability, you will be provided the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the interview process at each stage of the recruitment process.
Due to the nature of the work some posts may be subject to a Standard Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, through the Disclosure and Barring Service as stipulated under part V of the Police Act 1997. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us; this will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances of your offences.

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.
Across the whole of the region we provide:
+ Adult and older adult mental health services
+ Specialist learning disability services
+ Mental health services for children and young people
+ Community healthcare services for children, young people and families in Dudley
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, with the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Combining resources, strategies and talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving.
We currently employ over 4,000 people and just like the population we serve, we are made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Whatever your role, working in a NHS Foundation Trust, like ours, is a demanding and extremely rewarding experience. Knowing that every day you can help to make a positive difference to someone's life is a very powerful feeling. We know that our Trust runs on this desire to help and support people, and our Trust vision expresses this. Our vision is to improve health and wellbeing for everyone, especially our colleagues to achieve the best possible work/life balance.