Higher Assistant Psychologist

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Harrogate Crisis and Home Treatment Team, based in Ripon. The Team operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The current service model is for Higher Assistant Psychologists to work day shifts, on rotation across the full 7 day period.

We are looking for an experienced assistant psychologist with experience of working in adult mental health settings and experience utilising Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills. The successful candidate would be expected to work within the team supporting patients in the community with Home Based Treatment as an alternative to a hospital admission.

Within the Crisis and Home Treatment Teams, there is a multidisciplinary way of working which consists of a Team Manager, Mental Health Nurses, Psychology, OT, Social workers, and Consultant Psychiatrists. The successful candidates will be supervised by our Consultant Psychologist and will have support from the multi-disciplinary team.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will be Higher Assistant Psychologist (HAP) and will join the multi-disciplinary Harrogate Crisis and Home Treatment Team. Tasks will include supporting assessment, signposting, and individual & group short-term interventions. The successful candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and will have experience of risk management and providing Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills in a Community Mental health setting.

About us

The Crisis and Home Treatment Teams across North Yorkshire and York are committed to delivering high-quality care to patients in the community as an alternative to hospital admission and phone support and triage when patients are experiencing an emotional or mental health crisis. The model of service delivery aims to provide timely, evidence-based, and accessible mental health assessment and treatment to meet the needs of patients. This post provides a fantastic opportunity to develop clinically whilst based within an enthusiastic and supportive team.

Job responsibilities

There will also be a requirement to provide short-term interventions one to one and in a group setting to patients who are in receipt of Home-Based Treatment as an alternative to Hospital admission.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree in psychology
• DBT informed training/experience
• Eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
• Numeracy, Literacy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)
• 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

• Experience working as a psychology assistant within an acute setting.
• Experience working with people with mental ill health or learning disabilities.
• Experience of working with patients who present with high levels of risk.
• Experience of call handling with patients who are experiencing high levels of distress in a crisis situation.

Knowledge

• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental ill health or learning disabilities

Skills

• Ability to work collaboratively with members of the MDT to provide an effective service.
• Ability to utilise skills to support patients in distress

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.