Assistant Psychologist

Job summary

Are you a compassionate Assistant Psychologist who is enthusiastic about forensic mental health?

We're looking for a motivated and thoughtful individual to join our Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway, where you'll play a key role in delivering psychologically-informed support to individuals with complex needs.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a well-established and expanding service, where you'll work closely with experienced Clinical Psychologists and be supported to develop your skills in assessment, formulation and intervention. You'll be part of a small, knowledgeable and supportive team that values reflective practice, wellbeing and continuous professional development.

The OPD Pathway is a specialist service and a joint initiative between His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and NHS England, working with high-risk offenders who experience severe personality disorder. Our team sits within the wider Somerset Forensic Service, offering opportunities to collaborate with a range of services including community forensic teams, inpatient settings, and criminal justice partners.

Due to the nature of this role and required police vetting, applicants must have lived in the UK for a minimum of three years and we are unable to consider applications that require visa sponsorship.

This vacancy may close early once sufficient applications have been received, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Main duties, tasks & skills required

• Support Clinical Psychologists in delivering specialist forensic psychology input within the OPD pathway
• Assist with psychological assessments, including risk assessments, structured interviews and psychometric measures
• Contribute to the development of psychological formulations and care plans
• Deliver brief, structured psychological interventions under supervision
• Build and maintain therapeutic relationships with individuals who may be difficult to engage
• Work collaboratively with a wide range of professionals including probation, police, courts, social care and health teams
• Assist in data collection, audit, research and service evaluation activities
• Contribute to service development projects and the ongoing improvement of the OPD pathway
• Maintain accurate clinical records and produce reports as required
• Actively engage in supervision, training and reflective practice

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

As an Assistant Psychologist within the OPD service, you will provide specialist psychological support to individuals within the criminal justice system who present with complex needs, including severe personality disorder. Working under the supervision of qualified Clinical Psychologists, you will play an integral role in both direct clinical work and wider service delivery.

You'll be involved in supporting a range of psychological assessments by gathering and analysing information from multiple sources, including service users, families, and partner agencies. This will include administering psychometric measures, contributing to risk assessments, and helping to inform psychological formulations that guide care and intervention planning.

A key part of your role will be assisting in the delivery of brief, structured psychological interventions and supporting service users to engage with treatment plans, always maintaining professional boundaries and a compassionate, respectful approach.

You will work closely with a wide network of professionals across health, social care and criminal justice settings, including probation services, police, courts, safeguarding teams and community mental health services. This requires the ability to communicate complex psychological information in a clear and accessible way to a variety of audiences.

The role also includes contributing to the development and evaluation of the service. You will support data collection, audits and research activity, helping to inform evidence-based practice and continuous service improvement.

You will be expected to manage your own workload effectively, maintain accurate electronic records, and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings. Regular clinical supervision will support you to reflect on your practice, develop your skills, and ensure safe and effective care delivery.

This role requires resilience, emotional awareness and a strong commitment to working psychologically with individuals who may present with challenging behaviours and complex histories. In return, you will be supported in your professional development, with access to training, supervision and opportunities to progress within the psychology profession.

The post will involve travel across Somerset and working across a variety of settings, including NHS sites and partner agency locations.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• First degree in psychology (first or upper second).
• 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 mental health problems.
• Experience of undertaking planned psychological interventions with adults who are experiencing mental health problems

Desirable

• Experience of working with people with mild to moderate mental health problems
• Experience of developing therapeutic relationships with people who can be hard to engage

Additional Criteria

Essential

• 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.

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.

For help with your application, contact:

Carrie Brandom

carrie.brandom@somersetft.nhs.uk

07920236197