Assistant Psychologist

We are looking for a caring and committed Assistant Psychologist to work alongside the multi-disciplinary team under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist at Albany Lodge, adult mental health inpatient unit.,

• To support in the embedding of trauma informed approaches across the ward including the write up of team case formulations, supporting the delivering of training and ensuring good data collection at all times.
• To assist in the formulation and delivery of intervention plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a service user's problems, under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist.
• To assist in the co-ordination and running of therapeutic groups, activities, social skills groups, and to be an integrated member of the multi-disciplinary team.
• To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all service users of the service, across all settings where care takes place.
• To contribute to the research projects within the psychology service., To work with other staff to assess service users in preparation for
multidisciplinary reviews.
• To attend and contribute to appropriate team and multi-disciplinary meetings.
• To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.
• To maintain HPFT psychological records using the electronic patient record system.
• To perform other duties, appropriate to their grade, that may be required from time to time by the supervising Clinical Psychologist.
• To work flexibly, in response to service user needs as agreed with the Unit.
  
  An honours degree in Psychology with entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
• Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
• Experience of work with people with mental health and/or other disabilities in a care setting
• An understanding of psychology applied to a mental health context
• Experience of working with people in group settings.
Desirable criteria
• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, therapeutic approaches and/ or research design and analysis
• Experience of undertaking a research project
• Experience of working within acute adult mental health, High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to service users, carers, and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
• An ability to interact with people with mental health problems
• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
Desirable criteria
• Experience using computers for databases or data - analysis, especially Microsoft Excel and SPSS for Windows
• High standard of report writing.
• Competence using IT and media equipment
Analytical SkillsEssential criteria
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context.
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
Desirable criteria
• Experience of problemsolving models and methods used by psychologists, for example, solution focused and/ or systemic approaches
  
  Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission
Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is rated by the Care Quality Commission as an Outstanding provider of mental health and learning disability services. In 2021, we won the prestigious Health Service Journal award for Mental Health Trust of the Year, with the judges saying they were "blown away" by our people's achievements and that everything they saw "sings and hums". This year, our staff rated us the 4^th best mental health and learning disability trust to work for out of all 52 trusts in the country. Our staff tell us that they are proud to be part of the HPFT team, proud of the standard of care we provide and proud that service users are our top priority. Our people tell us they feel supported though a great development, wellbeing and work-life balance offer and a highly compassionate, values-driven culture. We are equally proud of our staff, who live our values of being welcoming, kind, positive, respectful and professional