Assistant Psychologist

Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join us in delivering evidence-based Clinical Care Pathways across Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. Grounded in innovative, psychologically informed practice, these pathways deliver high-quality interventions across our Secondary Care Mental Health Services.

As part of our team, you will play a key role in delivering brief, manualised clinical interventions and co-facilitating therapy groups--all under the close supervision and guidance of qualified psychological practitioners.

What We Offer
We are deeply committed to supporting our team members and helping you grow professionally. When you join us, you can expect:

• Exceptional Supervision & Support: Regular, structured supervision to support your clinical development.
• Strong Academic Links: Excellent connections with the Salomons Institute for Clinical Psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University, including regular clinical placements for Trainee Clinical Psychologists.
• Clear Career Progression: A supportive environment designed to help you gain the core skills needed to advance your career in mental health and psychological therapies

Main duties of the job

• Participate in the provision of direct clinical work through delivery of manualised psychologically informed structured interventions as part of Psychological Services to adults with mental health difficulties within the community & recovery service line.
• Deliver 'initial interventions' to people accessing adult mental health services as part of the Clinical Care Pathways in the CMHT. Specific and targeted training will be provided by experienced Psychological Practitioners and all interventions supported by weekly clinical supervision from Psychological Practitioners.
• Undertake other structured therapeutic psychological interventions in an identified service or services using own independent initiative within guidelines provided by a qualified psychologist.
• Undertake clinically and service performance-related administration, audit and research projects, teaching and service improvement project work under the professional guidance of a qualified psychologist.

About us
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Job responsibilities
What We Are Looking For
We are looking for motivated candidates who are passionate about evidence-based care and driven to make a difference.

• Qualification: An honours degree in Psychology (graduated or soon-to-graduate).
• Aspirations: A strong ambition to pursue a career in clinical psychology or a related mental health profession.
• Key Attributes: A compassionate approach, good communication skills, and an eagerness to learn in a structured clinical setting.

The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Please refer to the attached job description for full details and main responsibilities of the role.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Experience in adult mental health, and working with patients

Desirable

• Paid or voluntary work with people with mental health problems and/or other difficulties in secondary care

Training, Qualifications and Registration
Essential

• An upper second-class honours degree or higher in Psychology. Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society. Basic competence in statistical analysis.

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.

Knowledge/Skills
Essential

• Good communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other difficulties.
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context.

Desirable

• High standard of report writing.
• IT/Statistical Packages experience,Presentation skills & Research/Audit skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.