Assistant Psychologist

Job summary

Are you a compassionate Assistant Psychologist who is enthusiastic about Forensic Mental Health?

We are seeking a highly motivated Assistant Psychologist to join our Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway service, based in Bridgwater. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a well-established and expanding service, where you will provide psychology support for high-risk offenders with complex needs.

The OPD pathway is a psychologically-led joint initiative between His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and NHS England, designed to work with offenders who present with a coexisting severe personality disorder. The pathway has three aims:

• To reduce levels of re-offending
• To improve the psychological health and wellbeing of service users
• To improve the skills, confidence and attitudes of the workforce

You will be joining a small but highly skilled team, well supported with access to reflective practice, wellbeing strategies, training, supervision, and CPD. Being part of the wider Somerset Forensic Service, you will also have opportunities to work alongside the Specialist Community Forensic Team, Forensic Link Workers, Low Secure Ward, and Advice & Support in Custody and Court.

Main duties, tasks & skills required

As an Assistant Psychologist in our OPD team, you will:

• Assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans, including brief, planned psychological interventions under supervision.

• Develop therapeutic relationships with service users, maintaining professional boundaries and delivering compassionate care.

• Work closely with a wide range of partners including probation, courts, police, safeguarding services, community mental health teams, and voluntary sector organisations.

• Undertake data collection, analysis and reporting to support service development and evaluation.

• Contribute to training and service development projects, helping build psychological skills within the wider workforce.

• Communicate psychological information effectively to a range of audiences, adapting appropriately to different professional settings.

• Keep accurate and timely records using Trust systems, ensuring adherence to confidentiality and data protection standards.

• Use regular clinical supervision to reflect on and develop your practice.

• Travel across Somerset as required to support the delivery of the OPD service (a valid driving licence and access to a vehicle with business insurance is required).

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

This post is ideal for someone who is passionate about forensic psychology and motivated to develop their skills in this specialist field. With supervision from qualified Clinical Psychologists, you will play a key role in supporting the delivery of the OPD pathway and developing psychologically-informed practice across the service.

The role will involve:

• Supporting the Psychologist to provide consultation and formulation to Probation Officers
• Supporting the Psychologist to provide reflective practice to the Approved Premise staff
• Gaining experience in forensic and clinical psychology through direct work with service users, multidisciplinary collaboration, and service development activities.
• Assisting with the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as psychoeducation, behavioural strategies, and risk management approaches.
• Supporting reflective practice and wellbeing strategies within the team.
• Undertaking literature searches, research, and audit to support service delivery and best practice.
• Actively contributing to the OPD team's culture of compassion, resilience, and continuous learning.
• Benefiting from a structured programme of supervision, CPD, and opportunities to shadow other forensic services within Somerset.

This is an exciting opportunity for an aspiring Psychologist to develop specialist experience in forensic mental health within a supportive, multidisciplinary environment

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

• Evidence of a good standard of Literacy / English language skills
• 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.

For help with your application, contact:

Carrie Brandom

carrie.brandom@somersetft.nhs.uk

07920236197