Higher Assistant Psychologist

This post will help us deliver a new treatment for people suffering with paranoia, suspicious thoughts and mistrust of others.
We are seeking a suitably motivated Higher Assistant Psychologist.
This post will provide excellent experience of engaging individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis; delivery of a specialist CBT intervention (Feeling Safer) with close supervision from a clinical psychologist; working within NHS services; and clinical trials methodology. The post would suit individuals interested in going on to pursue a career in clinical psychology or clinical research.
This is an exciting opportunity to deliver Feeling Safer to patients. A multi-centre randomised controlled trial treating NHS patients diagnosed with psychosis and with a current persecutory delusion will be undertaken to test the Feeling Safer treatment. Patients will be randomised to one of four conditions; (1) Feeling Safer in addition to treatment as usual, supported by peer support workers, (2) Feeling Safer in addition to treatment as usual, supported by assistant psychologists/graduate mental health workers, (3) Feeling Safer in addition to treatment as usual, supported by a clinical psychologist providing CBT therapy, (4) treatment as usual. Patients, Feeling Safer deliverers, and other mental health staff will also be interviewed to learn more about the therapy and how it may be used in the NHS.
Training will be provided in the Feeling Safer treatment. No experience with delivering therapy is required.
Main duties include delivering this new treatment. You will work closely with the trial manager, site PI, and colleagues across other sites to ensure you are trained, and competent in supporting the delivery of feeling safer. You will see participants in the trial, help them implement the skills and knowledge acquired from the Feeling Safer package. You will attend clinical supervision and support the trial more broadly with helping promote the study to local teams.
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
You will join a group of researchers, and clinicians actively trying to increase access to better treatments for people with Psychosis. As part of the Hub for Advancing Research in Psychosis, you will work alongside colleagues running a number of studies helping to improve our understanding and treatment of symptoms of psychosis.
You will be supported in your career development with appropriate CPD and regular supervision.
To deliver the Feeling Safer intervention in line with the treatment manual and study protocol, under the supervision of a clinical psychologist/psychological therapist, as part of the Feeling Safer trial.
To establish a trusting and supportive relationship with those taking part in the Feeling Safer therapy. High levels of engagement with participants will be expected from the post-holder.
To contribute to the screening and recruitment of patients with psychosis. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting community mental health teams and hospital wards. There are monthly recruitment targets.
To attend and contribute to study fidelity rating meetings, supervision, and regular training sessions with other study staff members.
You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
To produce brief clinical reports based on the treatment delivery as part of the trial.
You will need to follow standard operational procedures for the trial and NHS Trust policy regarding safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children.
To ensure high quality record keeping on the electronic patient record system and study specific session records.
You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel which would be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport
Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including training at the lead site, Oxford.
- Please find attached job description for full details.
**Advertising date**: 13 th May 2025
**Closing date**: 27 th May 2025