Assistant Psychologist
Aylesbury
Part Time
£28,392 - £31,157 per annum | pro-rata
Expires: 27/10/2026
Band 4
18 months (Contract duration is fixed term of 18 months)
About the Role
Job overview
Please note that this is an internal only role and therefore only current employees of Oxford Health are eligible to apply.
Are you passionate about working alongside individuals experiencing acute mental health difficulties?
Are you looking to develop your skill set further in a supportive setting?
We are seeking a committed and motivated individual to join Sapphire Ward (Male Acute Inpatient Ward) at the Whiteleaf Centre as an Assistant Psychologist.
Under the supervision of qualified psychological practitioners, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to deliver a range of psychological interventions both on an individual basis as well as within groups.
This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who is keen to develop a career in mental health and to gain key skills which will help further their development. This role is ideally suited to a graduate in Psychology, who has experience working with people with severe mental illness.
Please note this role is a 18 month fixed term post due to limited funding working 30 hours per week on a part-time basis.
Main duties of the job
Key roles of the Assistant Psychologist will include:
- To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving psychological intervention, under the supervision of the Clinical Psychologist.
- Deliver group work as part of the wards therapeutic programme.
- Encourage the development of the psychological skill set of the multidisciplinary team through contribution to training / teaching / supervision / consultation and reflective practice.
- Curation of appropriate psychological resources.
- Attendance and contribution to appropriate multi- disciplinary meetings.
Please use the JD provided as an attachment to see a full detailed description of the main responsibilities.
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
- Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the “supporting statement” element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.
The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview, and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their application. We kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of their experience and must take care to ensure the use of AI tools does not generate an application that does not accurately reflect their knowledge, skills and values.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- An upper second-class, or first class honours degree in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable criteria
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or disabilities
- Experience of working autonomously and managing a caseload of patients (under the clinical supervision of a qualified practitioner psychologist)
- Experience in communicating sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues.
Desirable criteria
- Evidence/ knowledge of promoting/supporting active user/carer involvement/participation
- Experience delivering group work
- Experience of working on a ward
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of psychological theories relevant to mental health conditions and their treatment
- High degree of organisational skills, ability to adjust priorities.
Desirable criteria
- Familiarity with delivering supervised CBT for people with complex conditions.
- Experience using computers for databases or data-analysis, especially SPSS for Windows.
Skills and Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- Enthusiastic about working with people experiencing mental health crisis
- Experience of understanding and managing risk in a clinical setting
Desirable criteria
- Skills in engaging positively with a wide range of people with respect for diversity and encouraging inclusion.
Documents to Download
Assistant Psychologist (Male Acute Ward) JD and PS (PDF, 128.4KB)
Guidance Notes for Candidates Applying for a job at OHFT (PDF, 424.6KB)
Recruiter Contact Details
Name: Dr Nargis Islam
Title: Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01865 901326