Higher Assistant Psychologist
At a glance
- Band
- Band 5
- Contract
- Fixed-term
- Pattern
- Part-time
- Posted
- 27/08/2026
- Closes
- 10/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This is a 6-month fixed-term Higher Assistant Psychologist post covering maternity leave within the Intensive Positive Behaviour Support Service (IPBS). The role supports young people with learning disabilities and autism who present with distress behaviours or mental health issues, aiming to prevent hospital admissions. The postholder will assist with service evaluation, assessment, and interventions under the supervision of Clinical Psychologists, utilising Positive Behaviour Support and lifeworld approaches. There are opportunities to deliver training and contribute to research.
Essential criteria
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
Desirable criteria
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
- Knowledge and Experience
- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions.
- Skills and Competencies
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
- A high standard of report writing.
- Education and Qualifications
- Upper 2nd class honours degree, or higher, in psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of British Psychological Society.
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
- Knowledge and Experience
- Paid or unpaid work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities.
- Experience as an assistant/research psychologist.
- Knowledge of evidence based practice
- Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
- Experience with client group relevant to post.
- Experience of psychometric test administration and interpretation.
- Experience of providing individual or group interventions.
- Skills and Competencies
- High level of communication skills (written and oral), including an ability to communicate and work in highly emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers and colleagues.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health / cognitive impairment / disability context.
- Computer literate, including use of databases & data analysis, e.g. SPSS for Windows.
- Demonstrates graduate level knowledge and experience of research and research methodology.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
- A high standard of report writing.
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 5 at £29,970 – £36,483 a year, across England.
This advert: £32,073 – £39,043 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 11d ago · Closes in 4d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust
Higher Assistant Psychologist
The closing date is 10 September 2026
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Higher Assistant Psychologist post to provide 6 months maternity leave cover with the Intensive Positive Behaviour Support Service (IPBSwithin the Specialist Children and Young People's business unit. IPBS comprises of services for young people with a learning disability and autistic young people who may present with distress behaviours and/or mental health presentations that increase their risk of hospital admission.
This post is to work across both the learning disability and autism pathways utilising both Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) and lifeworld approaches to deliver trauma informed care. The Higher Assistant Psychologist post within the team is a highly valued, varied and responsible role that supports service evaluation, assessment and interventions delivered under the supervision of experienced Clinical Psychologists. There are additional opportunities to deliver training to partner agencies. A high level of professional support and continuing professional development will be available to the postholder.
Main duties of the job
To support the assessment and formulation of casework for service users who have substantial and complex needs.
To deliver prescribed psyc
Join the community to read the full pack, responsibilities and person-specification in one place.
Your seat is reserved — activate it
CareerHive is included with your CareerHive Skool community membership. If you haven't claimed your account yet, join the community (or sign in with the same email you joined with) to unlock the full advert, the apply link, HiveMind AI interview & application suite, your private vault, and daily sponsorship alerts.