Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP) to join our Mental Health Rehabilitation Services team within Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

As a Clinical Associate Psychologist, you will play an important role in improving the mental health and wellbeing of people accessing rehabilitation services. Working within a psychology and trauma-informed model of care, you will undertake specialised psychological assessments, contribute to bespoke clinical formulations, deliver structured evidence-based interventions, and participate in research and service improvement activities.

You will work as a semi-autonomous practitioner, managing your day-to-day clinical work independently whilst receiving regular supervision and support from a HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist. This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified Clinical Associate Psychologist who is passionate about delivering high-quality psychological care and working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team to support recovery-focused outcomes.

Based within the Rehabilitation Pathway, you will work closely with service users, carers, psychology colleagues, recovery partners and wider health and social care professionals to provide compassionate, person-centred and evidence-based interventions.

Main duties of the job

• Undertake specialised psychological assessments with individuals who may present with complex and enduring mental health needs.
• Contribute to the development of psychological formulations to inform care planning and treatment delivery.
• Deliver structured, evidence-based and psychologically informed interventions, both individually and in groups, appropriate to your training, competence and experience.
• Work with service users within a psychology and trauma-informed framework to promote recovery and improve mental wellbeing.
• Conduct psychological and psychometric assessments and observations, under the guidance of a Practitioner Psychologist.
• Assess and manage clinical risk in consultation with supervising psychologists and the wider multidisciplinary team.
• Develop and maintain therapeutic relationships with service users, carers and families.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary colleagues, statutory agencies, and voluntary sector partners to support positive outcomes.
• Contribute to audit, research, service evaluation and quality improvement initiatives.
• Deliver training, support and psychologically informed guidance to colleagues and partner agencies where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and produce professional reports and correspondence in line with Trust standards.

About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job responsibilities
The Clinical Associate Psychologist will work within Mental Health Rehabilitation Services, supporting the provision of high-quality psychological care to adults experiencing complex mental health difficulties.

The post holder will improve the mental health of people within mental health rehabilitation services by undertaking specialised psychological assessments, contributing to bespoke clinical formulations, delivering structured, evidence-based and psychologically informed interventions and undertaking agreed research activity, all appropriate to the post holder's level of training, competence and experience.

Working within a psychology and trauma-informed service provision model, the post holder will function as a semi-autonomous practitioner, managing their own caseload and clinical responsibilities whilst working within clearly defined professional boundaries.

The post holder will work autonomously on a day-to-day basis, under supervision and direction from a registered Practitioner Psychologist and within the scope of practice set out within the Apprenticeship Standard for Clinical Associate Psychologists and their own training.

All clinical work will be overseen and reviewed regularly through supervision provided by an HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist. Other qualified healthcare professionals may also contribute to supervision where appropriate.

Qualifications
Essential

• Masters level qualification as an Adult or Child and Young Person's (as relevant to the specific post) Clinical Associate Psychologist in Applied Psychology accredited by the BPS.
• Successful completion of the end point assessment for a CAP Apprenticeship.
• Current full membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and registration on the BPS Wider Psychological Workforce Register.

Desirable

• Further training in a specific model of Psychological Intervention

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working as a trainee, apprentice or qualified Clinical Associate Psychologist within the specific clinical area of practice (e.g. Community Adult Mental Health services, inpatient urgent care).
• Experience of working effectively under supervision from a registered Practitioner Psychologist.

Desirable

• Experience of contributing to the delivery of specific psychological interventions/protocols.
• Experience of providing supervision to health or social care staff.
• Experience of developing therapeutic relationships with people who are hard-to-engage.
• Experience of delivering training.

Additional Criteria
Essential

• Must be a car driver with a valid driving licence or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel throughout the Trust, to meet the needs of the service and willingness to drive to different locations across the county.

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).