Assistant Psychologist

An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Older Adult Psychology Service within Powys Teaching Health Board for an Assistant Psychologist to work with the Dementia Home Treatment Team (DHTT) in South Powys.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will join a small, friendly, and enthusiastic Dementia Home Treatment team based in Bronllys Hospital which provides short-term assessment, support, and intervention to individuals diagnosed with Dementia and their families/carers. The Assistant Psychologist will be involved in the delivery of psychological assessments and interventions under the supervision of the Senior Psychologist. This will include co-facilitating group interventions in addition to assisting in the development and delivery of additional evidence-based therapeutic approaches. There are close links with the Memory Assessment Services and Older Adult Community Mental Health Teams in Powys. The duties of the role will involve travel across Powys to residential services and to conduct home visits, so the ability to travel is essential.

The post will also require experience of managing routine outcome data, including analysing and interpreting such data to inform service evaluation and development.

The successful candidate can expect weekly clinical supervision with a qualified clinical or counselling psychologist and there are many opportunities to develop knowledge, clinical skills, and competence through additional training and CPD. There will be regular opportunities to link in with other psychology services and assistant psychologists across Powys.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY / PURPOSE: To support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the Dementia Home Treatment Team (DHTT) providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions, working according to a plan agreed with a qualified Psychologist and within the overall framework of the policies and procedures for the Service and alongside the DHTT MDT. The Assistant Psychologist will be involved in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work. Supervised by a qualified Psychologist, the Assistant Psychologist will be responsible for the psychological aspects of the multi-disciplinary/multi-agency care provided for individuals, families, and carers who have been referred to the DHTT.

The Assistant Psychologist will liaise with and provide an advisory service for a wide range of voluntary and statutory organisations. Time will be divided between clinical/administrative tasks and research/audit tasks as required. The Assistant Psychologist will carry an agreed caseload in collaboration with the DHTT Manager and supervising Clinical Psychologist. This work will be managed and reviewed at weekly intervals by the Clinical Psychologist.

Person Specification

• Honours degree in Psychology/Eligibility for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
• Previous employment or voluntary or research work with individuals with psychological and/or other difficulties
• Knowledge of clinical use of psychological assessments
• Experience of working in an MDT
• High level communication skills (verbal and written)
• Knowledge and skills in the use of a range of computer packages e.g. Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SPSS
• Experience of data analysis
• Research, presentation and reporting skills
• Demonstrate PTHB Values: Compassion, competence, communication, courage, and commitment
• Ability to work reliably and consistently under supervision
• Good interpersonal skills, sensitivity, tolerance, self-motivation, and enthusiasm
• Ability to accept and use supervision effectively
• Ability to travel
• Knowledge of, or additional training in, working with individuals with Dementia / older adults with a history of mental health difficulties
• Postgraduate training / experience in relevant area of Applied Psychology and in Research
• Experience of working with individuals with dementia and their families/carers
• Experience of administering standardised psychological assessments
• Experience of group work
• Good time management and ability to prioritise workload
• General administrative experience and team working
• Ability to speak Welsh

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.