Assistant Psychologist

Are you are interested in being part of cutting-edge research within Mental Health care? Are you looking to develop your research skills and experience further? If yes, then this opportunity could be for you. We are looking to appoint anAssistant Psychologistto a Wellcome Trust-funded programme of research, calledSleeping Better: two linked randomised controlled clinical trials treating sleep problems psychologically in young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis or people who have been diagnosed with psychosis. You can read more about the study here:https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/research/oxford-cognitive-approaches-to-psychosis/projects-1/sleeping-better You will be primarily responsible for the delivery of therapy to participants in the study. Therapy delivery for the project will be based in the catchment areas of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The post will provide excellent experience of engaging individuals at the early stages of psychosis; delivery of a specialist CBT intervention 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. Training will be provided in the Sleeping Better treatment. No experience with delivering therapy is required. A full driving license is essential as you be required to travel to locations not easily accessible by public transport., As the Assistant Psychologist, your main duties will be:

• To deliver the sleep intervention in line with the treatment manual and study protocol, under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist/psychological therapist, as part of the Sleeping Better trial.
• To establish a trusting and supportive relationship with those taking part in the Sleeping Better therapy.
• To contribute to the screening and recruitment of patients with psychosis and young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis.
• To attend and contribute to study fidelity rating meetings, supervision, and regular training sessions with other study staff members, and to record activity in notes and reports.
• 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., The R&D department in Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust is a large and vibrant department with research assistants and clinical research practitioners working across a variety of projects.
As the Sleeping Better trial Assistant Psychologist, you will work directly with the Senior Research Assistants, the trial co-ordinator/lead psychologist and with the Sussex Principal Investigator Professor Kathryn Greenwood (Professor of Clinical Psychology) locally. You will also receive expert training and supervision with international leaders in their fields and through the multidisciplinary research group (Oxford, Bristol, Glasgow and Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear). There will also be opportunities to meet staff on other projects and from different disciplines, and to take up CPD opportunities to strengthen your clinical and research experience. There are regular psychosis research lab meetings, and Sussex Psychosis Research interest Group (SPRiG) seminars to further strengthen your knowledge and skills.

We are looking for highly motivated candidates with excellent communication skills who are able to build a strong rapport and relationship with both service users and staff; who have excellent research and IT skills and the ability to work flexibly and deliver high quality therapy with service users with a psychosis diagnosis., This position doesnotmeet the threshold for skilled worker sponsorship for a health and care worker visa. We canonlyaccept applications for candidates whodo not require sponsorshipand have anunrestricted right to work in the UKfor the duration of this contract, or who meet the skilled worker threshold for sponsorship and can evidence a minimum of 4 years of experience in an NHS equivalent role at the same professional level