Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Clinical Associate in Psychology Apprentice - Inpatient Psychology

The closing date is 22 November 2026
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Job summary
We are recruiting a Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP) apprentice to join our adult inpatient wards in North East Essex (Colchester)

We are very excited to welcome applicants for this award-winning new type of psychology role! Clinical Associates in Psychology will have completed a degree in Psychology and will fill an identified skills gap between assistant psychologists and qualified Psychological Practitioners. Successful applicants will offer evidence based psychological interventions on our adult inpatient wards.

These posts are fixed term post for 18 months (18 month apprenticeship, with the possibility of an additional month to support induction), which allow the completion of the CAP Master qualification. The expected start date of this training is late January / early February 2027. If successful in their training, CAPs can apply for a Band 6 CAP role upon qualification.

The CAP role is a new psychology career path in its own right. Therefore the selection process will aim to recruit those suitable for and committed to completing the training for this role. This advert may close early due to receiving a high number of applicants.

This vacancy may close early due to a high number of anticipated applications.

Main duties of the job
The CAP Apprenticeship is an eighteen month full-time training divided between work-based experience (up to 4 days per week) and academic teaching and study, which leads to a Masters level qualification.

The main duties of this job involve both direct and indirect work, including 1-1 work with service users and group interventions. The apprentice will develop excellent assessment, formulation and intervention skills as well as an ability to work short-term with Service Users who present in distress in hospital. The successful applicant will provide high quality, evidence based psychological interventions, often working with people who have long-standing or complex difficulties in our inpatient settings.

CAPs are trained to work with a particular service user group and in this case with adults with mental health problems. This post will be based on adult psychiatric inpatient wards in South East Essex, working alongside qualified Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Assistant Psychologists as part of a psychological services contribution to the multidisciplinary team.

We are keen to hear from applicants with a Psychology degree who have a commitment to working in the local area and who are passionate about working in acute inpatient care.

About us
Psychological Services operate as a distinct Care Unit, and have been established as one of six Clinical Care Units across the Trust. We have services well-integrated into MDTs throughout all the Care Units, as well as having distinct services within our Care Unit, such as the Eating Disorders Service, Parent Infant MH, Maternal Mental Health and Neurodiversity services.

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.

• Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
• Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
• If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
• Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Details
Date posted: 13 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 18 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 364-B-635
Job locations: The Lakes, Colchester, CO4 5JL, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
To learn more about working within our Services at EPUT, please view our recruitment videos, where members of the team share their experiences and insights into their roles and what it is like working within our Psychological Services, here at EPUT.

Please view our video link here: Psychological Services

We, the Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team aim to understand the impact of trauma and adverse experiences on an individuals crisis presentation within the hospital setting. We work together with our MDT colleagues and wider Care unit colleagues to ensure our Service Users experience purposeful inpatient admissions.

Working in an inpatient setting allows you to be part of a patients individual recovery journey, working with them directly but also indirectly for example by supporting our staff teams, shaping the service we all work in and developing this further. We are committed to tailor making interventions and care to individuals needs and very much value the clinical and professional development of our psychological services team members.

EPUTs Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team cover 6 inpatient sites across Essex. Each site has a Principle Lead overseeing the area/areas. Our team is comprised of Principle/Senior Practitioners, Arts Psychotherapists, trainees and CAPS. We acknowledge the excellent day-to-day work of our staff team and also pride ourselves on new creative practice as evidenced by recent innovations; such as our Out of Hours access to psychological groups scheme and our nationally recognised staff training packages.

We ensure our staff have access to CPD, reflective practice and peer support. Our CAPs are supported by Psychologists who are dedicated to the support and development of CAPs in our team.

If you would like to be a part of shaping and contributing to innovation in inpatient care, are a champion of quality initiatives and have an interest in delivering interventions for people with who are in crisis then we are keen to interview you.

For more information please see attached Job Description and Person specification.

Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
An honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology at 2.1 or better OR Successful completion of a BPS accredited post-graduate Psychology conversion programme with 2.1 equivalent or above OR a 2.2 honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology with appropriate additional experience (or contextual information) demonstrating academic potential.
Eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered membership of the British Psychological Society.

Desirable
Further continuing professional development relevant to work in mental health and/or psychological interventions

Experience
Essential
Paid or voluntary experience relevant to working in health, mental health and/or psychological service settings, including work in community groups.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a setting with service users presenting with severe and enduring mental health difficulties
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of working with carers.
• Experience of working with groups and/or delivering group interventions.
• Experience of audit and/or service evaluation.
• Experience working within an inpatient or acute setting

Knowledge/ Skills
Essential

• Graduate level knowledge of psychological theory and research.
• Graduate level knowledge of mental health presentations.
• Graduate level knowledge of research design and methodology.
• An awareness of wider healthcare systems, NHS services and the role of psychological services within the NHS.
• Ability to undertake Masters level study.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to build rapport, communicate empathically and sensitively in a manner appropriate to the context and recipient.

Desirable

• Skills in conceptualising, analysing and communicating complex information.
• Knowledge and understanding of the needs and profile of the local community.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Employer details
Employer name: Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address: The Lakes, Colchester, CO4 5JL, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://eput.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Lead for Adult Inpatient Psychological Services, Dr Sophie Bellringer, sophie.bellringer@nhs.net

Supporting documents
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