Clinical Associate in Psychology

Go back Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

• The closing date is 13 January 2026

Here at HPFT we have a long history of delivering outstanding care, and we are taking our Acute Psychology Inpatient Services to the next level. We have expanded our psychological provision on all HPFT adult mental health inpatient wards and are establishing Trauma Informed Approaches.

Part of the expansion has been the embedding of Clinical Associates in Psychology (CAP) roles within the service. We currently have two CAPs who are an established and valued part of the diverse workforce and we wish to expand this provision.

We are looking for a caring and compassionate CAP to work alongside the multi-disciplinary team under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist on Dove Ward, a 16 bedded female acute assessment and brief treatment unit.

The successful candidate will hold a MSc for Clinical Associate in Psychology qualification or be nearing qualification.

To support in the embedding of trauma informed approaches across the ward including Team Formulations, delivering training and ensuring good data collection at all times. To assist in the formulation and delivery of intervention plans involving the psychological treatment of service users under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist. To assist in the coordination and delivery of therapeutic groups, and to lead on the roll of a new group program.

To be an integrated member of the multi-disciplinary team and promote psychological thinking to support holistic ways of working across the MDT. To support with the management of Assistant Psychologists.

To support and at times lead on robust outcome evaluation, service development and research.

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of ‘Outstanding’ from the Care Quality Commission.

Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

To work with other staff to assess service users in preparation for multidisciplinary reviews.

To attend and contribute to appropriate team and multi-disciplinary meetings.

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 Trust policies and procedures.

To perform other duties, appropriate to their grade, that may be required from time to time by the supervising Clinical Psychologist.

To work flexibly, in response to service user needs as agreed with the Unit.

• An honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology at 2.1 or better
• Successful completion of a BPS accredited postgraduate Psychology conversion programme with 2.1 equivalent or above
• A 2.2 honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology with appropriate additional experience (or contextual information) demonstrating academic potential.
• MSc for Clinical Associate in Psychology qualification or nearing qualification for same.
• Eligibility for registration on the British Psychological Society Wider Psychological Workforce register.
• Satisfactory Enhanced check with the Disclosure and Barring Service.
• Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
• Further postgraduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, therapeutic approaches and/or research design and analysis.
• Experience of undertaking a research project.
• Experience of working within acute adult mental health.

• High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the…