Job Summary
Veterans’ NHS Wales (VNHSW) is the national NHS service for military veterans with service related mental health problems. The VNHSW team based in the hub in Cardiff are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Clinical Psychology Assistant Practitioner (CPAP) to join them.
The successful applicant will support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within Veterans’ NHS Wales. The CPAP will work closely with the Director and the Clinical Psychologist in providing skilled assistance in clinically related administration, conduct of audits and service evaluation of psychological and psychosocial interventions, teaching and staff support in the administration of the service.
The CPAP will also have the opportunity to deliver low intensity, time limited and manualised 1 to 1 interventions under appropriate supervision from a qualified practitioner and in line with part 1 activity, e.g. Guided Self-Help for veterans with PTSD.
Main duties of the job
To support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within Veterans’ NHS Wales by:
- Providing skilled assistance in clinically related administration, conduct of audits and service evaluation of psychological and psychosocial interventions, teaching and staff support in the administration of psychosocial techniques for part 1 services
- Working independently according to a plan agreed with Director management, informed by the psychological and psychosocial project needs of the services and within the overall framework of the Mental Health Measure and UHB policies and procedures
- Delivering tier 0 and part 1 psycho-educational guided self-help (GSH) as provided by VNHSW up to a maximum of 4 sessions (2 days)
- Providing specific low intensity, time limited and manualised 1 to 1 interventions under appropriate supervision from a qualified practitioner and in line with part 1 activity, e.g. CCBT, Guided Self-help for veterans with PTSD.
- Assisting qualified staff as a co – therapist in the delivery of other psychological and psychosocial based interventions relevant to part 1 activity and services.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this role; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of common mental health problems e.g. Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD
- Awareness of theory and models that underpin counselling and/or evidence based psychological therapies
Skills
Essential
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mild to moderate and/or stable and severe and enduring mental health difficulties
- An understanding of psychology applied to health care, and the ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context
- High level interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills, including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
- Good IT skills
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers, and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance
Desirable
- Experience using computerised programmes for maintaining databases and data analysis (in particular SPSS)
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates high standard in written communication.
- Able to write clear reports and letters.
- Ability to manage own caseload and time.
- Experience of working with therapeutic groups.
Desirable
- Previous experience of working with brief, focussed counselling interventions and/or evidence based psychological interventions under appropriate supervision
- Experience of care work.
- Experience of working in a Primary Care context.
- Previous experience of audit and/or service evaluation
Qualifications
Essential
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
- Upper second class honours or higher BSc in Psychology
Desirable
- Demonstrate an interest in delivering psychological therapies
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Organised and reliable.
- Empathic interpersonal style.
- Able to be flexible towards service requirements
Other
Essential
- Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervision.
Desirable
- Ability to speak Welsh/other nonEnglish languages, and a willingness to use this ability, where relevant, in the work context
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.
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: 14 July 2025
