Assistant Psychologist JD – Assistant DCP
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:
Assistant Clinical Psychologist
Accountable to:
Project Manager Harrow Carers - Operational
Consultant Clinical Psychologist - Clinical
Grade:
Assistant Clinical Psychologist
Base:
Harrow Carers
Liaises with: -
Other members of the team and other disciplines and
agencies responsible for clients’ care.
JOB SUMMARY
To support and enhance the psychological resources of carers and cared-for, as part of the
“Positive Psychology for Carers in Mental Health” a project teaching carers psychological skills to
help them manage mental illness in the family. Work will involve providing psychological
assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified professional
psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and
within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures. To assist in clinically related
administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research
projects, teaching and project work.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Based at Harrow Carers, but also expected to be community focussed, other sites, as required.
KEY RESULT AREAS
Clinical:
1. To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups as part of the Positive Psychology
project.
2. To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients/carers applying
psychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured
observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved
in the programme.
3. To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment
and/or management of carers/client’s problems, under the supervision of a qualified
professional psychologist, in community and other settings.
4. To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to
the benefit of all clients of the service as part of the project.
5. To attend and contribute at appropriate meetings.
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Assistant Psychologist JD – Assistant DCP
Teaching, training and supervision
1. In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance
with professional practice guidelines.
2. To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the project and across the
borough as agreed with the psychologist to whom they are accountable.
3.
To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties
4. To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.
Management, recruitment and service development
1. To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as
required.
2. To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
IT responsibilities
1.
The post holder will be expected to operate standard computer software programmes as
part of their day to day role. They will also input and maintain, appropriate computer and
manual statistical data and provide this to the service manager/Head of specialty when
necessary.
Research and service evaluation
1. To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
2. To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and
statistical programmes.
3. To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical
psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
4. To familiarise themselves with, and to comply with, the organisations requirements on governance.
General
1. To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of
practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development
programmes, in consultation with the post holder’s professional and team/operational/project
manager(s).
2. To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance
with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Harrow Carers
policies and procedures.
3. To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.
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Assistant Psychologist JD – Assistant DCP
4. To undertake specific administrative duties as required.
5. To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade, which may be required
from time to time by their Psychology and/or Project Manager.
To be noted:
 This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities, and the post holder
may be required to undertake other duties which fall within the grade of the job, in
discussion with the manager.

This job description will be reviewed regularly in the light of changing service
requirements and any such changes will be discussed with the post holder.

The post holder is expected to comply with all relevant policies, procedures and
guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and
Confidentiality of Information.
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Assistant Psychologist JD – Assistant DCP
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job title: - Assistant Clinical Psychologist
ESSENTIAL
DESIRABLE
TRAINING &
QUALIFICATIONS
An upper second class honours
degree or higher in psychology.
Entitlement to graduate
membership of the British
Psychological Society
Evidence of
examination results
EXPERIENCE
Voluntary or other, work with
people with mental health
problems and/or other
disabilities
High level communication skills
(written and verbal) including an
ability to communicate and
work in settings in which the
atmosphere may be highly
emotive.
Further post graduate
training in relevant areas
of professional
psychology, mental
health practice and/or
research design and
analysis.
Experience of paid work
in direct care provision.
Experience using
microcomputers for
databases or dataanalysis, especially SPSS
for Windows.
Interview/
application
form/references
KNOWLEDGE AND
SKILLS
Ability to communicate sensitive
information to patients, carers
and colleagues in a way that
addresses psychological
resistance.
An understanding of the needs
and difficulties of people with
mental health problems or other
disabilities.
HOW TESTED
Interview/application
form/references
High standard of report
writing.
Knowledge of Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy,
Solution Focused
Therapy and Positive
Psychology.
An ability to apply existing
psychological knowledge to a
mental health context
An understanding of
psychology applied to health
care.
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Assistant Psychologist JD – Assistant DCP
PERSONAL
An ability to interact effectively
with staff from all disciplines.
An ability to interact with people
with mental health problems
disabilities.
Ability to work independently,
reliably and consistently with
work agreed and managed at
regular intervals.
An interest in working
with people with mental
health problems or other
disabilities.
Interview/
application
form/references
OTHER
Ability to accept and use
supervision appropriately and
effectively.
A desire to explore a
career in Professional
Psychology
Interview/
application
form/references
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