Assistant Psychologist

At MPFT we pride ourselves on staff wellbeing and development and can we offer you:

• Our SOOTHE resources - supporting staff across the trust with their physical, mental and financial health. In addition to the support offered from our occupational health provider Team Prevent.
• Counselling support and lifestyle information with advice on a variety of personal matters
• “In our Gift” providing a platform for your voice to be heard to inform change
• The opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
• Opportunities for flexible working (depending on the role)
• Career development opportunities and coaching plus access to in house training programs
• Innovative research training program entitled STARS (Supporting the advancement of Research Skills)
• Child Care Vouchers Scheme
• Recognition and engagement through our staff LOVE awards, LOVE long service awards and Staff Engagement Surveys
• NHS discounts available via the Blue Card and Red Guava scheme

The Adult Acute Inpatients service in Shrewsbury provides a service to people admitted to hospital with acute mental health difficulties. Team members work with service users, family caregivers and professional carer’s. The team consists of psychiatric nurses, support workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and occupational therapists. The assistant psychologist will perform a range of duties under the direct supervision of a qualified Clinical Psychologist including;

• Direct patient contact (including assessment and formulation work)
• Indirect clinical support e.g. compiling and maintaining educational materials
• Clinically related administrative support
• Literature searches and research related activity
• Audit and research activities
• Assisting with teaching and training activities as require

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) is an award winning organisation with over 9000 employees. We are one of the largest integrated Health and Social Care providers, covering services across North & South Staffordshire, Shropshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Isle of Wight and Essex.

Demonstrating our strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and in context of our objective aligned to the growth of diversity across the workforce; we are particularly seeking applications from individuals who may be from under-represented groups, such as black, Asian or other ethnic groups, individuals with a disability, or LGBTQ+ individuals who meet the specific criteria.

We are embedding values based and inclusive recruitment practices to ensure that all applicants, from any backgrounds, have an equal chance of success in achieving a role with us.

• To assist in the provision of a clinical psychology service to clients referred to the inpatients service.
• To work independently according to a plan agreed with the Ward Manager and Ward Psychologist and within the overall framework of the service’s policies and procedures.
• To undertake psychological assessments and a clinical history from newly-referred clients including observation, self-report measures, rating scales, and interviews with patients and significant others
• To participate in regular supervision with one or more qualified clinical staff.
• To help recover service provision following COVID-19 related disruption
• To assist in the co-ordination and running of therapeutic groups
• To support colleagues within inpatients mental health services for example via one-to-one or group intervention.
• To provide input to, as required, therapeutic groups (including on digital platforms)

To review case files, depositions etc. where appropriate, analysing that information, providing summaries and reports under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information about the role.