Job summary
- Main area
- Assistant Psychology
- Grade
- BAND 4
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (Fixed)
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 351-FYL691-TG
- Employer
- Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Shorelands,
- Town
- Blackpool
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 subject to confirmation (pro rata for part time hours)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 16/03/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Assistant Psychology
BAND 4
Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism, community, and physical health services for the populations we serve.
As an integrated Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) delivers a comprehensive range of services, including:
- Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults, including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, and forensic services with low and medium secure care.
- Specialist mental health inpatient care for individuals with learning disabilities, alongside specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
- Extensive community physical health and well-being services for children and adults, covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term condition management.
The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,500 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health, general nurses, children’s nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers, as well as those specialising in learning disabilities and community physical health services.
For more information visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.
Job overview
Assistant Psychologist x 2 – Older Adults Specialty Band 4
One full time vacancy - 37.5 hours week Based at Lytham Unit, Warton Street, Lytham
One part time vacancy 30 hours per week Based at Shorelands, Central Drive, Blackpool
We are delighted to be able to offer two assistant psychologist posts in our friendly and supportive community teams on the Fylde Coast.
Main duties of the role
Both teams provide a variety of approaches to support older people with complex mental health issues. The Rapid Intervention and Treatment Team (RITT) provides short term input and aims to reduce the need for hospital admission where possible with a specialist care home liaison service also provided to nursing and care homes. The Older Adult Community Mental Health Team provides support to older adults and their families who are living with complex mental health difficulties and/or dementia.
The successful applicants will be integrated into the multi-disciplinary team, and the role includes direct and indirect clinical work under supervision from a clinical psychologist. The teams also have a proactive approach to service development, and supporting with research, training and reflective practice may be part of the role.
Main duties of the job
The posts are professionally attached to the locality older adult psychology team and wider network, both of which offer a friendly and supportive space, with a strong commitment to providing quality services for older people in Lancashire and South Cumbria. We also have close links with the local Doctorate in Clinical Psychology training courses.
You are required to meet the essential travel requirements for the role, which includes carrying out home visits across Community settings including some that are rural and hard to reach via public transport
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Under supervision from a qualified clinical psychologist to assist in the professional and psychological care of clients within the service across all sectors of care by providing basic aspects of psychological assessment and psychological interventions.
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May assist in clinically related audits, surveys, collation and analysis of statistics information
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All clinical work and actions to take place under the management and supervision of qualified psychology staff according to an agreed plan and associated goals within parameters set out by the Division of Clinical Psychology and Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust departmental policies and procedures in connection with Assistant Psychologists.
Working for our organisation
LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.
Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you’d like to discuss your application, please ask.
We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.
LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time.
The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work.
Explore our full wellbeing offer here: Keeping our workforce well
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Formal supervision with a named member of qualified clinical psychology staff to take place on a weekly basis to facilitate work with additional frequent opportunities for informal contact with qualified psychology staff for guidance and advice.
- Travel is a requirement of this post. Clinical activity involves sitting, often in a constrained position for long periods of time. Related activities will require the use of a VDU screen for approximately 50% of working hours
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To communicate complex, sensitive information to users and carers regarding personal, psycho-social problems in an empathic and supportive way. This will involve using inter-personal skills where agreement or co-operation is required, e.g. results of an assessment
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To support the Clinical Psychologist, peers, other colleagues, patients/clients and provide effective communication within the team/unit.
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To assess the needs of patients and their carers based on the analysis of facts or situations. Interventions will be planned on the assessment information and the feedback from this as directed by a qualified Clinical Psychologist or registered healthcare professional
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To contribute to assessment and management plan for patients with high risk clinical needs to ensure safety of patients, carers, staff and the general public
Please see the job description and person specification for more details on this role.
For enquiries about the roles, please contact:
Dr Yvonne Woodward (Consultant Clinical Psychologist) or Rebecca Irish (RITT Team Leader)
01253 957581
NB: interviews will be held jointly for the above two posts and successful applicants will be offered the most appropriate role based on interview performance; preferences e.g. part/full time will be considered where possible.
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology or equivalent
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- A good knowledge of lifespan psychology
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with psychological/ mental health difficulties or other disabilities
Desirable criteria
- An understanding of the role of the clinical psychologist within a team
Experience
Essential criteria
- Contact with people with mental health difficulties and/or other disabilities
Desirable criteria
- Experience of work with older people.
- To have worked as part of a team
- Experience in conducting research projects or service related audit.
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Good communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work across a number of different settings
- Experience using computers for databases or data-analysis
- Ability to work with people from different backgrounds and of different ages
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines
- An ability to interact effectively with clients, family members/paid carers
- Ability to work reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
Desirable criteria
- Skills or abilities in delivering psychologically informed interventions
Other
Essential criteria
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively
- Ability to undertake travel across a wide geographical area.
- An interest in working with older people
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Yvonne Woodward
- Job title
- Recruiting Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- +01253957581
- Additional information
-
01253 957581
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