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Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
About
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.
Contact
- Address
- Trust Headquarters
- West Park Hospital
- Edward Pease Way
- Darlington
- County Durham
- DL2 2TS
- Contact Number
- 01325 552000
Higher Assistant Psychologist
Accepting applications until: 14-Jan-2026 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 14-Jan-2026 23:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- Foss Park Hospital
- Address
- Haxby Road
- Town
- York
- Postcode
- YO31 8TA
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- 12 months (Fixed Term/Secondment for 12 Months)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Salary
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (NHS AfC: Band 5)
Specialty
- Main area
- Psychology
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.
Advert
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
Right to Work in the UK
Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom (UK) are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Browse: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Please provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Overseas applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Your current immigration status will not be considered as part of the shortlisting or interview process.
Please note that not everyone needs a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa. If you are applying for a vacancy in health or adult social care, you may be eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead, subject to role meeting the required conditions.
We are able to offer sponsorship for a Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visa, subject to candidate and position eligibility. Please review the job eligibility guidance for skilled workers here: Skilled Worker visa: Your job - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and for the Health and Care Worker visa here: Skilled Worker visa: eligible healthcare and education jobs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Please note: if the job you are applying for does not meet the eligibility criteria above, we will be unable to offer you sponsorship and you will need to explore whether you may be eligible to apply for an alternative immigration route which will secure your Right to Work in the UK before you apply. If you are in the UK already on a visa, please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post.
AI in Recruitment
We are aware that Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is increasingly being used to generate responses for application forms. Applications for this role should be written by the applicant and if, during shortlisting, a Recruiting Manager believes AI has been used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Fixed Term Posts
If the contract type on the vacancy states 'Fixed Term' this would mean the vacancy is being advertised to address a temporary need for the duration stipulated on the advert, however, in the event that permanent funding is secured for the post the successful applicant will be confirmed in post on a permanent basis.
Internal applicants must ensure that prior to applying they have agreement from their current line manager that they can be released on a secondment basis.
Support with applications
We have computers facilities available in our libraries (Durham, Middlesbrough, and Darlington) to support applicants. If you would like to access to a laptop for your application, please contact the library team to arrange a time to visit, please email: [email protected] . We will always endeavour to make this available however we cannot guarantee that we will be able accommodate this before the vacancy closes.
Trust Welcome Day
Here at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Foundation NHS Trust, we want you to have a positive experience when you start your new role with us. To ensure you have great welcome, for all new starters joining the Trust, we offer two start dates per month on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of that month.
On your start date, you will be invited to our in person Trust Welcome Day at our Flatts Lane Centre, Middlesbrough. Your first day will be engaging and informative, it will allow you to meet and network with a range of Trust staff, learn more about us and what we offer. For certain clinical roles, your Welcome Day may then be followed up with additional mandatory/statutory clinical training.
Applying for this post
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from individuals who have experience of mental ill health or learning disabilities. Our service users and carers tell us our staff should be consistently concerned with maintaining and improving care with pride, empathy and compassion.
This job advert may close as soon as sufficient suitable applications have been received. If interested please apply for this post as soon as possible.
In order for your application to be successfully processed we will require references from your current and previous employer(s) which must cover a minimum period of three years. Please ensure that the reference section of your application is completed appropriately giving the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current and previous line manager(s). If this section is not fully completed your application may not be processed.
If your application is successful, the information you give on your application form will be used to create and be retained on your electronic staff record and to provide access to core Trust systems.
Please note that if the post you are applying for requires a DBS check, you will be required to also subscribe to the DBS Update Service, if successful, and thereafter renew your subscription each year. The Trust will reimburse the subscription fee.
After applying via the NHS Jobs link, you will be taken to our preferred Third party recruitment system so submit your application. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, that as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.
Additional Information
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the protection of staff, service users and visitors to the Trust from second hand smoke and currently operates a no smoking policy which ensures all buildings and grounds are smoke free.
Applicant requirements
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.
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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