Higher Assistant Psychologist

We are recruiting to an Assistant Psychologist post (AP) to help evaluate the benefit of a new talking therapy for people with distressing voices (hallucinations).

The Talking with Voices (TWV) II trial is investigating whether a new form of psychological therapy promotes recovery, and reduces distress for voice hearers. This post offers the opportunity to work as part of a national team delivering and testing the therapy as part of a multi-site randomised controlled trial, funded by the EME of the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR).

The post will provide experience in engaging individuals with voices in the context of psychosis and other presenting issues; assessment; 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. You will be given full training in assessment, good clinical practice, and trust procedures.

The Post:
The currently advertised post is for 12 months with the likelihood it will be extended for another 19 months (following an internal pilot).

The post will be based in Gateshead but will involve travel across the Trust. The post holder will act as an assistant psychologist and work with the trial therapist and the site lead to help evaluate the treatment trial. The main role of the trial assistant will be as outlined below:

• Screening, recruitment, and assessment of patients with distressing voices for the TWV randomised controlled trial of psychological treatment. This will involve speaking to referrers regularly, attending clinical team meetings, visiting community mental health teams and hospital wards. There are monthly recruitment targets.
• Participants will be seen in clinic settings or at home across a large geographical area. This means there will be extensive travel whichwould be facilitated by having valid driving licence, and access to own or other independent means of transport.
• Good record-keeping will be needed, including updating medical records with trial progress and completing the recruitment database.
• You will need to produce regular reports on the recruitment process (including managing the recruitment database) and assessments.
• You will need to regularly enter and check data in the study databases.
• Attendance at supervision will be expected, and at appropriate research team meetings, including training at the lead site, Manchester.

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 broader group of researchers in the North East and work with colleagues conducting other research trials on the understanding and treatment of experiences like voices, visions and paranoia.

The ideal candidate will have experience in research and or working with people who have experienced voices. They should have the ability to organize and manage multiple interlinked components of the project and their work. They will need to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills and be able to conduct interviews and assessment with potentially vulnerable individuals. Most importantly, they will need to be enthusiastic about the research area and have a high level of motivation and commitment.

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 28thMarch 2023

Closing date : 11thApril 2023

We welcome your application.