Job summary
- Main area
- Assistant Psychologist
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Fixed term: 18 months (due to nature of post)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Flexible working patterns considered)
- Job ref
- 373-SMH2631-A
- Employer
- Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Bowmere hospital
- Town
- Chester
- Salary
- £28,392 - £31,157 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/04/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 12/05/2026
Employer heading
Assistant Psychologist
Band 4
Job overview
We are seeking to appoint an Assistant Psychologist to work within our inpatient rehabilitation and acute care wards at Bowmere Hospital.
The post will be based across our rehab ward, Maple ward, our acute wards Juniper and Beech ward, and our PICU ward, Willow ward (Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit). You will work within in a well established psychology team of two Consultant Clinical Psychologists, Qualified Clinical Psychologists, Trainee Psychologists, and an Assistant Psychologist. You will be part of a wider inpatient MDT which includes Nurses, Support workers, Occupational therapists, and Psychiatrists.
The rehab ward is a service for people with long-standing mental health difficulties who are working towards living in the community and is an all-male ward. The two acute wards are mixed gendered wards and for people with acute mental health difficulties and risk. The PICU is a smaller ward for people who require more intensive acute care support.
We are looking for applicants who have some experience of working with people with mental health difficulties and who can demonstrate their compassion and optimism for people with mental health experiences.
Shortlisting for this vacancy is due to commence on 24/04/2026 and the proposed interview date is 12/05/2026.
Main duties of the job
We have established staff support sessions and team reflective practice, formulation meetings with the MDT, and contribute to making psychologically informed behavioural support plans and crisis plans. The teams’ interests include DBT, Mentalisation based treatment, eating difficulties, challenging behaviours, psychosis, and team dynamics.
There is joint working with community teams and specialist transition teams so the post holder will get a sense of how services are commissioned and join with social care.
The assistant psychologist role will involve supporting and enhancing the psychological care of service users, providing direct psychological assessment and psychological interventions (individual and group) under the supervision of qualified Clinical Psychologists, as well as indirect work including contributing to team meetings and supporting non psychology staff in psychological interventions.
Additional aspects of the role will include clinical administration, audit, and data collection. Applicants are required to have achieved a degree in psychology or equivalent which confers Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society.
The posts advertised is a full time post. The base is Bowmere Hospital, Countess of Chester.
Working for our organisation
CWP is an innovative and transformational all-ages mental health service provider. There will be opportunities to join internal and external professional and clinical networks, undertake research, and provide training and support to the next generation of psychology and mental health practitioners. There are strong connections to the three main DClinPsy regional training programmes (Liverpool, Lancaster and Manchester).
We encourage applications from suitably qualified and experienced people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please download a copy of the job description (see ‘documents to download’ section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.
At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.
CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trust’s Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trust’s Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trust’s Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.
An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: [email protected] or by calling 01244 393100.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Good honours degree in Psychology (2.i or above). Eligibility for Graduate Membership of BPS
- To undertake breakaway training or equivalent following appointment.
Desirable criteria
- Advanced keyboard skills
- Other related academic qualifications to Masters or Doctorate level.
Knowledge and Expertise
Essential criteria
- The ability to communicate complex/ sensitive information where barriers to understanding exist. For example, instances requiring empathy and reassurance.
- The ability to make judgements involving a range of facts or situations requiring analysis or comparison of a range of options. Also skills for assessing clients in one-to-one sessions, group dynamics or who are participating in research.
- The ability to organise straightforward tasks, activities or programmes, some of which may be ongoing. Also, the ability to plan and prioritises own workload, research programme activities; group sessions, etc.
- Working to Professional Guidelines.
- Must be capable of working within guidelines; receives regular supervision/ direction
Desirable criteria
- Ability to use routinely available spreadsheet/database software (Excel, Access, etc.)
- Record of having published in either peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books
Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable relevant work experience with people who have complex mental health problems/ learning disabilities risk patterns and challenging behaviour.
Desirable criteria
- Relevant work experience of people with learning disabilities/ mental health problems
- Desire to progress to Clinical Training (DClinPsy)
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Samantha Woodley
- Job title
- Consultant Clinical Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01244397459
- Additional information
If you consider yourself Neurodivergent and need help to complete your application form, please contact [email protected] or telephone 01244 393100
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