Assistant Psychologist in Epsom

Surrey Downs Health & Care The Community Neurorehabilitation Service comprises Neuropsychology, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Dietetics, and Specialist Nursing. The team delivers coordinated rehabilitation pathways for individuals with complex acquired neurological conditions (e.g. traumatic brain injury, stroke), optimising the use of secondary, tertiary, and community services to support recovery from the acute event through to discharge. The service includes a small number of inpatient neuro-rehabilitation beds, an Early Supported Discharge service, and community-based rehabilitation.

Minimum requirements include:

• An upper second-class honours degree (or higher) in Psychology with eligibility for Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society;
• Experience and understanding of the needs of individuals with acquired brain injury and related neurological conditions;
• Experience of cognitive/neuropsychological assessment under supervision;
• The ability to apply psychological principles within a healthcare setting to practical problems;
• A valid UK driving licence and access to a car for work purposes are essential.

This role includes safeguarding responsibilities and requires an Enhanced DBS check.

Main duties of the job:

• Support and enhance the provisions of a clinical psychology and neuro rehabilitation service to clients with acquired neurological disorders and their carers, working as a member of the multi-therapy team in both inpatient and community settings.
• Provide psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the clinical 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.
• Must plan and organise own workload.
• Assist in clinically-related administration tasks, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, and undertaking some teaching.

Person specification:

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
• Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society
• Evidence of short specialist courses to enhance understanding of clinical practice
• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of psychology, and/or research and design and analysis
• Neuropsychology/neuroscience component to degree

• Experience of administering cognitive/neuropsychological tests and measures
• Experience of people with acquired brain injuries (e.g. traumatic brain injury, stroke), e.g. in a personal, voluntary or paid capacity, with an understanding of their related needs and difficulties
• Experience of working with people with neurological conditions in a rehabilitation setting
• Work with health professionals e.g. Psychologist, Occupational Therapist
• Working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Familiarity with administering a broad range of cognitive and other psychological tests used within clinical practice, and their implications for rehabilitation

• Good communication skills including: Ability to communicate verbally and in writing, sensitive information
• Experience of people with acquired brain injuries (e.g. traumatic brain injury, stroke), e.g. in a personal, voluntary or paid capacity, with an understanding of their related needs and difficulties to patients, families, carers and other professionals
• Using empathic, motivational and persuasive skills to address possible barriers to treatment
• High standard of report writing
• Proficient in a range of computer software
• Experience of implementing and evaluating treatment programmes with people with neurological conditions or head injury
• Experience of research/audit/project work
• Experience using computers for database or data-analysis
• Understanding of community setting
• Car owner / driver

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.