Assistant Psychologist

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Psychologist to join our friendly and supportive Community Team for Adults with Learning Disabilities.

As an Assistant Psychologist, you will assist in the provision of psychological assessments and evidence-based psychological interventions for adults with learning disabilities. You will also contribute to training, service development, audit and service evaluation activities, working as part of a multi-professional team.

We are seeking a Psychology Graduate with experience of working with people with learning disabilities. Experience of supporting individuals who present with challenging or complex behaviours would be advantageous, as would knowledge of systemic approaches and Positive Behaviour Support.

You will have opportunities to deliver therapeutic interventions under the supervision of an HCPC-registered Clinical or Practitioner Psychologist, while developing your skills in assessment, formulation and intervention. All clinical work will be supported through regular supervision and professional development.

We are committed to supporting Assistants who wish to further their careers within the psychology professions and encourage development opportunities whenever possible. We are looking for someone who is resilient, reflective, compassionate and motivated to work psychologically with this client group.

A full UK driving licence and permanent access to a vehicle with appropriate business insurance are essential for this role.

 

Main duties of the job

  • Assist qualified Clinical and Practitioner Psychologists in the assessment, formulation and delivery of psychological interventions for adults with learning disabilities.
  • Support psychological assessments through the administration of psychological measures, rating scales, interviews and information gathering.
  • Deliver brief, planned psychological interventions and therapeutic work under the supervision of a qualified Psychologist.
  • Develop positive therapeutic relationships with service users, families, carers and professionals.
  • Assist with research, audit, service evaluation and data analysis projects.
  • Contribute to the delivery of training and psychologically informed support to staff and care providers.
  • Maintain accurate electronic records and reports in accordance with professional and Trust standards.
  • Attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings and work collaboratively with a wide range of partner agencies.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • First degree in psychology.Eligibility for Graduate Membership of the BPS.

Desirable

  • A further qualification in an appropriate subject.

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in community settings.Demonstrable experience of working directly with a vulnerable client group, including experience of working psychologically with people with learning disabilities and/or mental health problems.

Desirable

  • Experience of developing therapeutic relationships with people who can be hard to engage.Experience of undertaking planned psychological interventions with adults who are experiencing mental health problems/behaviours that challenge others.

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • An understanding of the psychological assessment process to develop formulations, inform care and risk assessment. An understanding of and experience in research/audit and data analysis. Must be a car driver with a valid driving licence or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel throughout the Trust, to meet the needs of the service and willingness to drive to different locations across the county.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Closing Date: 04 August 2026

To apply for this job please visit somersetft.tal.net.