Assistant Psychologist in Milton Keynes

Are you looking for the next step in your career, in an environment where you can develop and specialise your skills? Then join Chadwick Lodge as an Assistant Psychologist where you will have the opportunity to work with a dedicated team to make a real difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in society.

What you will be doing

You will be working in medium and low secure male forensic services providing specialist assessment and treatment for service users who have been detained under the Mental Health Act (1983, amended 2007), and have a history of complex mental health needs and offending behaviour as well as challenging behaviours such as deliberate self-harm.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and conscientious individual to join our team. The role holder will be part of an inclusive and supportive team of other Practitioner Psychologists, Forensic Psychologists in Training, Assistant Psychologists, and therapy staff. Interests and experiences in the department include DBT, CFT, CBT, deliberate fire setting, trauma, schema, sexual and violent offending, and risk management.

As an Assistant Psychologist you will work across our male forensic service supporting with completion of assessments and formulations, as well as facilitating group and individual treatments with our service users, under the supervision of a qualified Psychologist. You will also be supporting and contributing to collection and analysis of data and service evaluation, as well as co-facilitation of training workshops delivered across the hospital.

At Chadwick Lodge you will have the chance to develop specialist skills throughout your time with us. Your professional growth is important, which is why there are numerous career development opportunities to keep you learning and improving. The team has an excellent track record of supporting Assistant Psychologists on to their next steps in their career in Psychology, including successful admission on to doctoral training programmes.

As an Assistant Psychologist you will be:

• Holding a caseload of clinical work, including carrying out individual and group psychological intervention and developing formulations.
• Undertaking collaborative risk assessment and management for individual patients.
• Undertaking psychological assessments and their write up using appropriate psychometric measures, direct and indirect observations, and semi-structured interviews, under appropriate supervision.
• Attending relevant meetings to contribute to the planning and development of service improvements.
• Assisting in designing and delivering specialist workshops to others.
• Assisting with the delivery of reflective practice for staff.
• Maintaining clinical databases.
• Writing reports for various audiences.
• Service evaluation and other research tasks including collecting, analysing, and reporting upon an array of statistics.
• Undertaking clinically relevant audits.
• Maintaining highest standards of clinical governance, ethical practice, and data protection.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A BPS accredited recognised degree in Psychology conferring Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR).
• Experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist in a forensic and/or mental health setting in a similar role.
• Experience of maintaining office systems and undertaking administration tasks.
• Creative thinking, clinical efficacy, and a strong commitment to working with evidenced based models of therapeutic intervention.
• Strong organisation skills.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• To meet professional practice expectations including the HCPC standards of conduct, performance and ethics, and the BPS code of ethics and conduct.

Where you will be working:

Location: Chadwick Drive (off Saxon Street), Eaglestone, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK6 5LS. Chadwick Lodge, part of Elysium Healthcare, offers medium and low secure services providing specialist assessment and treatment for service users who have been detained under the Mental Health Act (1983, amended 2007) and have a history of offending behaviour. We also offer an Acute service for men requiring specialist support, and a locked rehabilitation intensive Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) service for women with a diagnosis of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD).

The service offers a broad spectrum of evidence-based therapeutic interventions, involving service users at every stage. The hospital's consultant-led multidisciplinary team has a wealth of clinical and research experience in forensic psychiatry. All programmes are designed to reduce the risk of re-offending and to maximise the potential and enhance the quality of life of each service user.

Chadwick Lodge secure services care for service users with complex and enduring mental illness who need to achieve stability in order to benefit from multidisciplinary interventions, helping them move on to community settings whenever possible.

What You'll Get

At Elysium Healthcare, we believe in taking care of the people who care for others, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and future:

• Annual base salary of £27,000 to £30,000, dependent on experience.
• The equivalent of 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays) – plus your birthday off and the option to buy additional annual leave, in our annual selection window.
• Career development and training to help you achieve your professional goals.
• Access to our Rewards & Benefits platform Ely-Vate; Your one-stop destination for everyday savings, exclusive benefits, and wellbeing hub!
• Wellbeing support and activities to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Access to Blue Light Card, which provides a range of exclusive offers and discounts.
• Life Assurance, for added peace of mind.
• Stream – instant access to earned wages when you need it, plus access to save, directly from your wages, alongside financial wellbeing support.
• 24/7 GP service and second medical opinion, to ensure you are the best you can be.
• Enhanced Maternity Package, so you can truly enjoy this special time.
• Pension contribution, to help secure your future.
• Free/subsidised meals and onsite/local free parking.

About your next employer:

Elysium Healthcare has over 8,000 employees and a unique approach to the delivery of care. With a network of over 90 services across England and Wales covering Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism, Children & Education, there is opportunity for you to grow and move. Elysium Healthcare is part of Ramsay Health Care with a global network that extends across 10 countries and employs over 86,000 people globally.

Elysium Healthcare follows safer recruitment of staff for all appointments and is a Disability Confident employer, committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment. It is a requirement that all staff understand it is each person's individual responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of service users. All candidates will be subject to a DBS disclosure.