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Job summary

Main area
Psychology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 5
Contract
12 months (Fixed Term/Secondment for 12 Months)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
346-NYM-070-25-A
Employer
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Foss Park Hospital
Town
York
Salary
£31,049 - £37,796 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
14/01/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust logo

Higher Assistant Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 5

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care —our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We’re committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won’t rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.

Job overview

We are delighted to offer this Higher Assistant Psychologist post in our specialist Care Homes and Dementia Team (CHAD), based at Foss Park Hospital in York. The role covers the geographical area of York, Selby and some areas of Pocklington and will be a full-time position over a 12 month fixed term/secondment contract.

Due to the nature of the role, it is essential that applicants can travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will work closely alongside the Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist in the team, primarily helping provide specialist psychological and behaviour support assessments and interventions for care home residents in York and the surrounding area. The post-holder will be a core member of the multi-disciplinary team, working autonomously where appropriate and liaising directly with care home staff, families and other key stakeholders and agencies.

As the post-holder you would be expected to provide discrete psychological assessments and well-being interventions under supervision.  You would support the team’s Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist in delivering a formulation-based model of consultation to the MDT and to care home teams/staff themselves, with a key focus on behaviour support and psychological well-being interventions. You would contribute directly multi-disciplinary meetings and clinical decision making and specifically to the development and review of behaviour support plans. You would be expected to contribute to the development of the CHAD team in their ability to work psychologically with care homes and care home residents, drawing on psychological formulation, and person-centred principles in their work. Supporting training, audit and research and service development projects would be part of this.

Working for our organisation

Psychology has a strong and rapidly developing reputation within Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust for supporting organisational change, developing psychologically minded staff groups, and embedding research and outcome measures, within recovery and person centred care philosophies.  We provide excellent opportunities for peer support/supervision, CPD, involvement in research and teaching/training. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.

Psychologists & Psychological Therapists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached on NHS Jobs. You can find more information about the NHS Leadership Academy’s Healthcare Leadership Model and the profiles at their website. We encourage you to look at these resources as they will play a part in the interview process.

A degree in psychology is essential, and you must be eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society. Prior experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist with people with mental health problems or cognitive problems, particularly with older people and in relation to NHS settings, would be highly desirable. 

You should be able to demonstrate emotional resilience and a capacity to maintain a compassionate and respectful approach toward our clients, staff and families/carers even in stressful situations. You will be well supported with regular clinical and professional supervision as well as access to CPD and peer support. You will be guided on how to use these structures to maintain safe and compassionate practice for yourself and others. At the same time, as a Higher Assistant Psychologist you should have an ability to work autonomously as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, utilising supervision proactively.

The post holder would be professionally led by the Psychological Professions Lead for MHSOP psychology in York and Selby and operationally managed by CHAD team manager at Foss Park Hospital. 

For any enquiries, please contact Dr. Michelle James, Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist
01904 461196

 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Degree in psychology
  • Eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable criteria
  • Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, youth work, work with offenders and/or research design and analysis

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience working as a psychology assistant (or equivalent)
  • Previous involvement in clinical audit, research or service evaluation.
  • Experience using statistical software packages e.g. SPSS
  • Experience of using psychometric assessments.
  • Experience working with people using services in psychological, mental health and/or social care settings. This may include, for example, personal experience or supporting a family member to access services.
  • Experience of communicating sensitive information
  • Experience of work interacting with the public
  • Experience in discussing and responding to issues related to cultural diversity, intersectionality and inclusivity, including working with vulnerable groups (e.g. those for whom English is not their first language).
Desirable criteria
  • Experience working in a multidisciplinary team
  • Experience of increasing access to psychological services/healthcare for minoritized communities.

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental ill health or learning disabilities
  • An understanding of the application of psychology to health care
  • Understanding of confidentiality
  • Knowledge of the British Psychological Society Code of Conduct
  • An ability to apply psychological knowledge to the population described in the job advert
  • Knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures
  • Awareness of systemic barriers to accessing psychological services/healthcare for minoritized communities

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Ability to relate therapeutically to the needs of clients and in a way that addresses psychological resistance
  • Ability to work collaboratively with members of the MDT to provide an effective service
  • Utilise psychometric tests competently
  • Statistical analysis
  • Record keeping
  • Ability to lead a therapy group session(within agreed timescale)
  • Plan and organise effectively to meetrequired timescales
  • Use approved breakaway techniques
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to provide group interventions

Personal attributes

Essential criteria
  • Able to work in accordance with the Trust Journey to Change and Values
  • Compassionate in meeting the needs of vulnerable people and their families and carers
  • Able to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in distressing or emotive circumstances
  • Ability to work on own in a variety of settings using initiative and making decisions appropriately
  • Able to work flexibly and cooperatively as part of a team.
  • Committed to continual quality and service improvement
  • Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health distress, neurodiversity and/or learning disabilities
  • Committed to promoting a positive image of the service
  • Committed to further developing self-awareness (for example, life experiences, culture, intersectionality, characteristics) and how this influences the work we do.
  • Self-aware and committed to continual personal development. Able to accept and respondpositively to feedback from clinical supervision
Desirable criteria
  • Interest to pursue a career in the Psychological Professions.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

We are a Living Wage EmployerVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Mindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStep into healthArmed Forces CovenantBetter Health at Work Gold Award

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Emma Cooper
Job title
Care Home and Dementia Team Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01904 461196
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