Assistant Psychologist

Job summary

Are you an Assistant Psychologist who would like an opportunity to working a within a new Specialist Forensic Mental Health Team?

Somerset FT have recently received significant funding to establish and build a Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT) and are seeking a skilled and motivated assistant psychologist to help support the psychology provision within the MDT.

The SCFT will be responsible for overseeing the care of Somerset patients who are currently detained to a secure hospital within the South West Provider Collaborative region.

The aim of the SCFT is to reduce the length of patient stay for patients in secure hospital and work to prevent admission to secure care by

*Providing enhanced community support, to facilitate, support and maintain discharge processes.

*Providing clear, tiered levels of intervention with the aim of admission avoidance, including risk management.

*Encouraging proactive discharge discussions for longer stay patients who may have faced barriers to the discharge process.

*Supporting community placements.

The post holder will be an assistant psychologist who will support the delivery of psychologically informed, risk managed care for a cohort of patients with complex forensic mental health needs.

Early applications are encouraged, as this posting may close sooner than anticipated if a large number of applications are received.

Main duties, tasks & skills required

Key role responsibilities will include:

• Supporting psychological interventions for patients actively under the care management of the SCFT
• Delivering tiered levels of psychological assessment, formulation and intervention for the SCFT caseload, appropriate to experience and under supervision
• Autonomous work within professional guidelines
• Utilising research skills for audit, policy, and service development.
• Supporting individual / group supervision for SCFT staff as appropriate.
• Delivering psychology-based training to the MDT as identified.
• The team office will be in Bridgwater, however there will be an expected element of reimbursed travel across the County of Somerset and the South West Provider Collaborative region.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job description

Communication and Key Working Relationships

The role involves working along wider health care teams, agencies, including probation, courts, and the police. There is therefore a need to communicate complex information in an accessible way.

Key Relationships:

* SCFT Lead Psychologist and Team Psychologist

* Somerset Specialist Community Forensic MDT

* Forensic Operational Service Manager

* Community Psychology colleagues

* Inpatient psychology colleagues

* Other MDT's within the Forensic Service

* Somerset FT Forensic Locality Leads

* Criminal Justice agencies, including police and court staff

* South West Provider Collaborative colleagues

* Trust staff across professions

* Trust audit department

* Service users and their families

Responsibility for Patient / Client Care, Treatment & Therap