Assistant Psychologist CPA Project

An opportunity has arisen to work as an Assistant Psychologist in the forensic medium secure service, River House, in South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The postholder will join a large and enthusiastic team of psychologists and therapists who together deliver in-patient psychology & psychotherapy services. They will also work closely with the multidisciplinary ward-based teams to support the implementation, delivery and evaluation of a Quality Improvement Project.

The role will involve assisting the practitioner psychologist in the implementation and delivery of a specialist service development project (quality improvement) in River House. This will include assisting with project related administration, conducting measurements, collection of statistics, development of further audit and/or research projects, dissemination of the project, presentations, teaching and any additional project work. You will be expected to work following clinical guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, while closely supervised and regularly seeking help from clinical/professional supervisor or manager.

We are committed to collaborative working and co-development with service user involvement, this will be a key element in the specialist service development project. We have a commitment to working with families and carers wherever possible. Psychologists in the service work in a reflective and trauma-informed way, and reflective practice and staff support are cornerstones of the service model.

River House is a purpose built, 96 bedded facility in the grounds of the Bethlem Royal Hospital, serving the populations of the London Boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. A tiered system of wards exists within the MSU which includes two admission wards, two wards for patients who have achieved some stability and who are making greater use of therapeutic and recovery-oriented activities, and one female inpatient MSU. Patients have complex enduring mental health needs (primarily psychosis but also personality disorder, affective disorder and to a lesser extent learning disability and ASD) and offending behaviour needs.

The role will also provide opportunities to carry out or support psychological assessments (formal risk assessments, psychometric tests of symptomatology and cognitive functioning, personality screens, and self-report measures), to organise and facilitate groups and provide individual interventions under the supervision of a qualified psychologist. Past experience of working with individuals with severe and enduring mental health difficulties and of working within a forensic setting using structured assessments such as the HCR-20 is desirable.