Band 4 Assistant Psychologist- Cancer Psychology

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an assistant psychologist to join the Clinical Health Psychology team based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The post is a 12-month fixed term position with the Cancer Psychology Service. (0.6wte). This post offers a unique opportunity to be part of developing a new inpatient service for Cancer patients receiving treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

You will be part of a team of Cancer psychologists and link with medical teams working with this patient group. In addition, you will be supporting the Clinical psychologist in collecting outcome data from staff and patients about their experiences of the inpatient service we offer. There will also be opportunities for shadowing clinical experiences, teaching and training and regular attendance at Cancer and Psychology meetings within the department.

The post holder will be warmly welcomed into a supportive team of psychologists who work within a variety of medical specialities. The post holder will be working under the supervision of a clinical psychologist and will receive regular clinical supervision. The post would suit somebody wishing to pursue a future career in clinical psychology.

The post holder will assist in a variety of defined tasks as outlined by the Cancer Psychology service lead psychologist. These tasks will encompass both clinical and non-clinical responsibilities, including but not limited to:

• Supporting qualified psychologists with direct client interactions, including assessments and treatment.
• Supporting qualified psychologists with providing consultation and supervision to other professionals.
• Supporting outreach and engagement initiatives with medical teams
• Supporting qualified psychologists in audit and research of the inpatient initiative, including collecting and analysing data, resource preparation and presenting and writing reports related to project development

Tasks will be agreed and reviewed at appropriate intervals under the supervision of a qualified psychologist, but the post holder will be expected to take these tasks forward independently on a day-to-day basis.

• An upper second-class honours degree or higher in psychology.
• Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.

• Experience of work with people with mental health problems or disabilities, or other relevant problems or disabilities (e.g. learning disabilities, organic impairment).
• Previous experience as an Assistant Psychologist (paid or unpaid), Assistant Clinical Psychology Practitioner (paid or unpaid), Research Psychologist in an applied clinical setting or qualified member of a relevant health care profession.
• An awareness and understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems and disabilities and of contemporary issues in the field.
• An awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic communities and from other minority groups and of the service issues arising within a multi-cultural urban area.
• Awareness of boundary issues between professionals and between clients and psychologists.
• An understanding of statistical analysis commensurate with an honours degree in psychology.

• Paid work in a setting providing direct care.
• Experience working with patients affected by physical health conditions.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience of collecting research data, including questionnaire design and interviewing.
• Experience using microcomputers and associated software for purposes of data analysis and reporting, including databases and statistical programmes such as SPSS., Adaptable and able to work flexibly when required (e.g. in the light of changing service priorities).
• Capacity for tolerating frustration, change and high levels of demand with an ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Capacity to attend to and concentrate on clinical and research related information on a frequent basis (e.g. when undertaking client assessments or analysing statistical data) and to concentrate for prolonged periods of time on an at least occasional basis (e.g. when undertaking psychometric assessment).
• Capacity to frequently sit in constrained positions for client assessment and therapy.
• A commitment to the involvement of service users and carers on the development and delivery of mental health and other care services.

• An interest in working with people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
• A desire to explore a career in professional psychology.

• An upper second-class honours degree or higher in psychology.
• Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional…