Trac proudly powers the recruitment for
Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust

About
We provide NHS care and treatment for people living in south east England. Our mental health services provide care and treatment for people with conditions such as psychosis, depression, anxiety, dementia and personality disorder. Our vision is to provide outstanding care and treatment you can be confident in.
Contact
- Address
- Swandean
- Arundel Road
- Worthing
- West Sussex
- BN13 3EP
- Contact Number
- 01903 843000
Assistant Psychologist
Accepting applications until: 01-Sep-2025 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 01-Sep-2025 23:59
Key details
Location
- Gwefan
- Sussex Education Centre
- Cyfeiriad
- Nevill Avenue
- Tref
- Hove
- Cod post
- BN3 7HZ
- Major / Minor Region
- West Sussex
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Fixed term: 19 months (19 months from start date)
- Oriau
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
Salary
- Cyflog
- £31,049 - £37,796 pro rata
- Cyfnod cyflog
- Yearly
- Gradd
- (NHS AfC: Band 5)
Specialty
- Prif leoliad
- Research and Development
Come and join us
We're looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.
So what can we offer you in return?
We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.
You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.
As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.
If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.
Trosolwg o'r swydd
Are you are interested in being part of cutting-edge research within Mental Health care? Are you looking to develop your research skills and experience further?
If yes, then this opportunity could be for you.
We are looking to appoint an Assistant Psychologist to a Wellcome Trust-funded programme of research, called Sleeping Better: two linked randomised controlled clinical trials treating sleep problems psychologically in young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis or people who have been diagnosed with psychosis.
You can read more about the study here: https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/research/oxford-cognitive-approaches-to-psychosis/projects-1/sleeping-better
You will be primarily responsible for the delivery of therapy to participants in the study. Therapy delivery for the project will be based in the catchment areas of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The post will provide excellent experience of engaging individuals at the early stages of psychosis; delivery of a specialist CBT intervention with close supervision from a clinical psychologist; working within NHS services; and clinical trials methodology. The post would suit individuals interested in going on to pursue a career in clinical psychology or clinical research.
Training will be provided in the Sleeping Better treatment. No experience with delivering therapy is required.
A full driving license is essential as you be required to travel to locations not easily accessible by public transport.
Advert
As the Assistant Psychologist, your main duties will be:
- To deliver the sleep intervention in line with the treatment manual and study protocol, under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist/psychological therapist, as part of the Sleeping Better trial.
- To establish a trusting and supportive relationship with those taking part in the Sleeping Better therapy.
- To contribute to the screening and recruitment of patients with psychosis and young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis.
- To attend and contribute to study fidelity rating meetings, supervision, and regular training sessions with other study staff members, and to record activity in notes and reports.
- Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
We are looking for highly motivated candidates with excellent communication skills who are able to build a strong rapport and relationship with both service users and staff; who have excellent research and IT skills and the ability to work flexibly and deliver high quality therapy with service users with a psychosis diagnosis.
Gweithio i'n sefydliad
This position does not meet the threshold for skilled worker sponsorship for a health and care worker visa. We can only accept applications for candidates who do not require sponsorship and have an unrestricted right to work in the UK for the duration of this contract, or who meet the skilled worker threshold for sponsorship and can evidence a minimum of 4 years of experience in an NHS equivalent role at the same professional level
The R&D department in Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust is a large and vibrant department with research assistants and clinical research practitioners working across a variety of projects.
As the Sleeping Better trial Assistant Psychologist, you will work directly with the Senior Research Assistants, the trial co-ordinator/lead psychologist and with the Sussex Principal Investigator Professor Kathryn Greenwood (Professor of Clinical Psychology) locally.
You will also receive expert training and supervision with international leaders in their fields and through the multidisciplinary research group (Oxford, Bristol, Glasgow and Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear).
There will also be opportunities to meet staff on other projects and from different disciplines, and to take up CPD opportunities to strengthen your clinical and research experience. There are regular psychosis research lab meetings, and Sussex Psychosis Research interest Group (SPRiG) seminars to further strengthen your knowledge and skills.
Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl
- To deliver the sleep intervention in line with the treatment manual and study protocol, under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist/psychological therapist, as part of the Sleeping Better trial.
- To establish a trusting and supportive relationship with those taking part in the Sleeping Better therapy. High levels of engagement with participants will be expected from the post-holder.
- To contribute to the screening and recruitment of patients with psychosis and young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting community mental health teams and hospital wards. There are monthly recruitment targets.
- To attend and contribute to study fidelity rating meetings, supervision, and regular training sessions with other study staff members.
- Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
- To produce brief clinical reports based on the treatment delivery as part of the trial.
- You will need to follow standard operational procedures for the trial and NHS Trust policy regarding safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children.
- To ensure high quality record keeping on the electronic patient record system and study specific session records.
- You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
- Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
- Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including occasional training at the lead site, Oxford.
- To maintain blinding and ensure research assistants working on the trial are able to conduct the research assessments blinded to treatment allocation.
- Administrative duties related to the project.
- Other duties appropriate to the grade as directed by the grant-holders.
- Work within the guidelines set out by the Data Protection Act, the Code of Ethics, and with full understanding of confidentiality issues.
- Contribute towards consistent and safe practices by being aware of and adhering to all the relevant Trust policies and procedures.
Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.
We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children’s social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.
Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Qualifications
Meini prawf hanfodol
- A degree (2:1 or above) in a psychology or related field.
Meini prawf dymunol
- Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis
Knowledge, Experience
Meini prawf hanfodol
- Postgraduate research experience.
- Up-to-date theoretical and practical knowledge in working with people with severe mental health problems, particularly people who experience psychosis.
- Experience working with people with severe mental health problems in an NHS context.
- Experience of delivering therapies within the NHS
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
- Understanding of confidentiality and protocols for ethics and data protection.
Meini prawf dymunol
- Experience working as an assistant psychologist or research assistant or PhD completed in a clinical psychology field.
- Experience with, and commitment to, patient and public engagement and non-academic dissemination of research study findings.
- Experience of in-patient settings
- Lived experience of mental health issues
Skills
Meini prawf hanfodol
- IT skills (e.g. experience using Microsoft Excel, SPSS, R or equivalent statistical package, Nvivo qualitative data software).
- Proven ability to use supervision effectively to strengthen clinical skills.
- Proven time management skills including ability to manage own workload within defined parameters and adhere to agreed timelines.
- Proven ability to work effectively as a team member as well as working alone.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with colleagues at all levels.
- Flexible approach to dealing with research problems as they arise.
- Excellent organisation skills and demonstrable initiative.
Personal Attributes
Meini prawf hanfodol
- Ability to travel to different research sites. A driving license and access to a vehicle is essential.
Further details / informal visits contact
- Enw
- Prof Kathryn Greenwood
- Teitl y swydd
- Professor of Clinical Psychology
- Cyfeiriad ebost
- [email protected]
- Rhif ffôn
- 07879 551385
Start your application
Sign in
Create an account
Create your account and apply for your new job!