Job summary
- Main area
- Assistant Psychologist
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Fixed term: 18 months (18 months FTC)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 364-A-9103-A
- Employer
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Sankey House
- Town
- Pitsea
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Assistant Psychologist - Adult Eating Disorders
Band 4
Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.
We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.
You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.
The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.
We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.
We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.
We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.
Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.
Job overview
Our friendly and growing team is ready to welcome a new team member who will share our passion for improving access and the quality of care for people with eating disorders.
The working environment is in a specialist community adult eating disorder service comprising a community out-patient services and day services for adults with moderate to severe eating disorders. The environment involves frequent exposure to emotionally demanding situations. Working in this environment requires intense concentration and good interpersonal skills. You will work directly with service-users offering psychological interventions, including Guided Self-Help and CBT-T, and support especially during meal and snack times. You will also be required to have meals with service-users in the dining room.
This vacancy will close early should we receive a high number of applications, so please ensure your applications are processed.
We will not accept applications beyond the advert having been closed.
Interviews will be held face to face.
Main duties of the job
· To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder’s professional and team/operational manager(s).
· 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 prepare test materials and visual aids as required.
· To undertake specific 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 their Manager.
· To cover the Housekeeper’s duties during periods of absence.
· To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.
· To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
Working for our organisation
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for detailed list of responsibilities.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential criteria
- An upper second or first class Honours degree in psychology.
- Entitlement to graduate membership and the Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) of the British Psychological Society
Desirable criteria
- Further post-graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Skills/Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of work with clients with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with people with eating disorders.
- Previous experience as an assistant psychologist.
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 Emma Burgess
- Job title
- Senior Clinical Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
List jobs with Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust in Allied Health Professions or all sectors