Higher Assistant PsychologistNHS

Job summary

We are delighted to offer a full-time Band 5 Higher Associate Psychologist (HAP) post within our Adult Inpatients Service based at St Nicholas Hospital, Jubilee Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3XT. We are looking for an enthusiastic psychology graduate, with interest and experience in working as an Assistant Psychologist in clinical settings, paid or voluntary, with mental health issues, to help provide specialist psychological input into our wards. Previous experience of working in an inpatient setting is desirable but not essential.

Adult Mental Health Inpatient Services provide care and treatment for service users with complex mental health needs, at a time of crisis. Care is provided by a multi-disciplinary team using a biopsychosocial model of understanding.Service users have often experienced trauma in their lives, and have a range of difficulties including psychosis, personality difficulties, neurodiversity andlearning disabilities, risk to self and others, and forensic issues.

Our Adult Mental Health Inpatient Psychological Service is an integrated part of the multi-disciplinary team. This post will focus on supporting specialist psychological assessment (including neuropsychological assessment), formulation and psychological interventions with service users, under the supervision of an experienced psychologist. The Higher Assistant Psychology role will also be instrumental in supporting family and group work within the inpatient environment.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will work within a multidisciplinary context to help the psychology team undertake specialised psychological assessments, treatments, and other types of clinical intervention appropriate to this level of training with individual clients/ groups of clients, and families. They will have weekly supervision from an experienced Practitioner Psychologist.

The successful applicant will manage a caseload and be responsible for providing effective evidence-based care in line with national and local guidelines. They will support the service in the delivery of training and service development initiatives.

Job description

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 5th November 2026

Closing date : 19th November 2026

We welcome your application.

Please note - this vacancy may close early once a suitable number of applications are received.

About us

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.

NHS Employees identified as at risk of compulsory redundancy and those eligible for the NENC Re-Deployment careers hub will receive prior consideration.

The post holder will be part of a supportive psychology team which provides Acute, Rehabilitation, and Older Adult inpatient services for Newcastle and Gateshead. The team is part of a valued trust wide psychological service which has a range of regular meetings and support activities to ensure professional governance and to promote evidence based and innovative psychologically informed care.

Working in inpatient services offers excellent opportunities to develop a range of skills. These include skills in both direct clinical work, as well as clinical leadership, service development, staff support, and training. We welcome contact from interested candidates to further discuss the role and to visit our service.