Assistant Psychologist - Cancer Psychology Service

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Psychologist to join a new psychology service for people affected by cancer across County Durham and Darlington and to support the Northern Cancer Alliance 'Improving Mental Wellbeing in Cancer' work.

This is a part-time post of 18.75 hours per week.

You will play a pivotal role in supporting the Consultant Psychologist to develop the service and use your communication, planning, and organisation skills to ensure that stakeholders are fully engaged, robust pathways are established, and all timelines are met.

This role may appeal to you if you are wishing to pursue a career in clinical psychology.

Main Duties of the Job

The postholder will support the development of a new psycho-oncology service across County Durham and Darlington. This role's initial focus will be on assisting with scoping projects, conducting audits, and engaging with staff to identify opportunities and needs. The successful candidate will play a key role in developing pathways, gathering and analysing data, and ensuring evidence-based practices underpin service delivery. This is a unique opportunity to be involved in shaping a service from its inception, with scope to eventually support in delivering assessments and interventions which you have helped to shape.

Job Responsibilities

The Assistant Psychologist will support the Northern Cancer Alliance's Improving Mental Wellbeing in Cancer workstream. The post holder will also support the Consultant Clinical Psychologist in setting up a new cancer psychology service in County Durham Darlington, which will include liaising with colleagues within and across organisations and boundaries, gathering information, and conducting audits to ensure service pathways are underpinned by the evidence base, producing high-quality written reports, developing and delivering presentations, and contributing to work to address health inequalities in access to psychological care in cancer.

Person Specification

Statutory Registration

Essential

• Eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.

Experience

Essential

• Experience using statistical software packages e.g. SPSS.
• Presentation skills.

Desirable

• Experience working as a Psychology Assistant (paid or voluntary).
• Experience working with people with a mental health condition or learning disability (paid or voluntary).
• Experience of clinical audit, research or service evaluation.
• Experience of using psychometric assessments.
• Experience of co-facilitating groups.

Special Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• An understanding of the needs and challenges of people in high distress and with psychological difficulties.
• An awareness of the application of psychology to health care.
• Understanding of issues relating to confidentiality.
• Awareness of the British Psychological Society Code of Conduct.
• Ability to communicate information (written and verbal) effectively in a manner appropriate to the individual and situation.
• Record keeping (within agreed timescale).
• Methodical and accurate approach to data collection and analysis.
• Ability to work reliably and consistently, to manage work agreed and to be managed.
• Ability to work collaboratively with members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team to provide an effective service.
• Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to people affected by cancer.
• Utilise psychometric tests competently.
• Ability to co-facilitate a therapeutic group session.
• Experience of conducting literature searches and reviews, designing research projects, implementing data collection procedures, analysing results, and disseminating findings.
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.

Desirable

• Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to people affected by cancer.
• Utilise psychometric tests competently.
• Ability to co-facilitate a therapeutic group session.
• Experience of conducting literature searches and reviews, designing research projects, implementing data collection procedures, analysing results, and disseminating findings.
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in psychology.
• Numeracy, literacy, and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent).

Desirable

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

Special Requirements

Essential

• Able to travel across Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post.
• This post is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring service check.

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.

Employer Details

Employer Name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

University Hospital Of North Durham
North Road
Durham
DH1 5TW