Company: Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Apply for the Band 5 Apprentice Clinical Associate Psychologist

Location: Bristol

Job Description:

Band 5 Apprentice Clinical Associate Psychologist

Apprentice Clinical Associate Psychologist (Band 5, 1.0 WTE – 37.5 hours)

AWP NHS Trust Specialised Services provide the Gambling Service for the South West of England. This new team provides treatment to people who want help with their gambling as well as to their families and significant others.

We have a new position available for an apprentice Clinical Associate Psychologist, to deliver specialist psychological interventions to people seeking help for gambling. The role involves completing the Masters Programme in Clinical Associate in Psychology at the University of Bath (funded by Health Education England), which takes 18 months and starts in September 2026. Once qualified you will commence a Band 6 position as a Clinical Associate Psychologist. The training is demanding and candidates should be committed to becoming a Clinical Associate Psychologist and working with people experiencing gambling harms.

We are a remote working service but the role will involve attendance at the University, some face to face appointments across the south west, and monthly in-person team meetings. The role will also involve working at least one evening per week to deliver clinical sessions.

Main duties of the job

To undertake a structured programme of learning including personal study, academic work, placement learning and assessment leading to the award of an MSc in Clinical Associate Psychology and employment as Clinical Associate Psychologist (Band 6).

To undertake specialised psychological assessments, treatments and other types of clinical intervention appropriate to this level of training with individual & groups of service users.

The trainee will receive supervision within the job role to ensure that they meet the required levels of competence to complete the MSc course and the end point assessment.

To become able to work independently, initially under supervision, on a day-to‑day basis. This work will be supervised and reviewed regularly with supervision usually being offered by a qualified Clinical Psychologist.

Trainee Clinical Associate Psychologists are required to abide by the BPS Code of Conduct and meet induction standards, and NHS employers are required to abide by the Code of Practice for employers.

About us

We are the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

We aim to provide High Quality, Compassionate Care everywhere, every day. This means our services will be safe, clinically effective and provide a positive all round experience for our patients, families and carers. And we believe passionately in treating everyone with kindness, respect and empathy.

Key to this is providing a supportive and safe environment for our 4,000 staff where we all feel welcome and able to do the best we can for those we support. Our staff and teams work incredibly hard delivering services across more than 90 locations, covering 2,200 miles, to more than 1.8 million people.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Right to Work in the UK: This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application, as the organisation is unable to support sponsorship for this post.

Job responsibilities

To undertake structured interviews, psychological assessments and observations of individuals and groups.
To assist in the development of psychological formulations of complex clinical problems and the development and delivery of care plans, which include psychological treatment and/or management of the service user problems including risk assessments.
To determine appropriate psychological intervention, taking into account a range of potentially conflicting clinical information and dynamics under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.
To carry out psychological and psychometric tests, to develop interview and observation skills and to assess service user/patient needs.
To design, implement, modify an appropriate, bespoke psychological interventions with service users and groups under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.
To communicate confidential and personal information concerning psychological needs, obtained through assessments and interventions, to colleagues within and outside of the Trust and to the service user and their family.
To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
To provide emotional support to service users and carers/family members.
To keep appropriate records of work and inform relevant others through letters or reports defined within the policies for AWP.
To work as a member of a multidisciplinary ward or community team.
To follow a person‑focused and evidence based approach with service users and their families/carers.
To work in partnership with service users.
To work in accordance with National NHS and placement providers policies and regulations, as well as those of relevant professional bodies.
The post holder will be required to work in situations where there are barriers to acceptance and exposure to aggression.
Received regular clinical supervision in accordance with Programme requirements and good clinical practice.

Clinical Supervision, Teaching and Training

In conjunction with supervisor and University Tutor, to plan and prioritise own workload, research and individual and group sessions.
May assist with providing specialist training to other psychologists, trainees and assistants and appropriate.
May be required to demonstrate own duties to other graduate psychologists.

Research and Development / Audit Activity

To plan, monitor and evaluate own work, using clinical outcomes assessments, small-scale research methodology and statistical procedures.
To plan and undertake formal MSc research, as agreed with the University programme staff as required by the Programme.
To plan and undertake relevant research/audits, using appropriate methodology and statistical procedures, as agreed with the clinical supervisor(s).
To enhance own knowledge of clinical psychology, specific client groups and types of psychological difficulty through reading, literature searches and personal study.
To comply with the requirements of research governance, evidence-based practice and ethical considerations.

Equipment Used

Computer/laptop/PowerPoint projector for database, research, e‑mail, Internet, presentations.
Computerised and Audio‑visual recording equipment for use in assessment and specialist treatment programmes.
Psychological assessment tests and associated materials.
Expected to have knowledge of manual handling and other equipment within the area.

Systems Used

To maintain appropriate records of own work, in electronic and hard copy, in line with AWP policies and professional guidelines.
To maintain relevant administrative systems of own work, electronic and hard copy, in line with relevant guidelines.
To submit statistical information, activity and quality data of own work as required by the University programme and AWP.
To work process material relevant to the MSc programme (such as essays, case studies, service‑oriented research projects, clinical audits and the MSc thesis and end point assessment), using suitable word processing and spreadsheet software.
To use information technology as appropriate, within direct clinical work, research and treatment interventions.

Assignment and Review of Work

To undertake clerical functions requiring some familiarity with applied psychology, including literature searches, maintaining training packs, information leaflets, inputting data and other tasks necessary for the efficient running of the service and/or training needs.
To undertake computerised literature searches using major clinical databases such as: PsychoInfo, Medline and Cochrane, to inform routine clinical work and as preparation for the design of MSc research and smaller scale placement‑based projects.
Clinical work is assigned and reviewed by the clinical supervisor on a weekly basis. On a day‑to‑day basis, trainees work independently within set guidelines, referring as necessary to the clinical supervisor.
Academic, research and clinical learning outcomes are assigned as per the curriculum of the MSc Course and end point assessment with accountability to the Director of the University Programme.
Trainees are responsible for managing the competing requirements of both academic and clinical components of training.

Decisions and Judgements

Trainees are required to make independent day to day clinical decisions and judgements based on detailed psychological assessment, within the parameters permitted by their professional guidelines and under the general guidance of their clinical Supervisor.
Planning for day-to-day clinical assessments and interventions takes place under the Supervisor’s overall guidance on a weekly basis by a designated Clinical Psychology Clinician. Where complexity increases in a given programme reference should be made back to the clinical supervisor at the earliest possible opportunity.
Trainees are expected to plan for and utilise effectively supervision to inform and develop their clinical practice.

Most Challenging / Difficult Parts of the Job

Work may be undertaken in very emotionally demanding situations, being faced with significant levels of distress or anger, or other challenging behaviours.
Working with service users/patients who experience psychosis, suicidal thoughts, self‑harm and substance misuse leading to emotional deregulation, behavioural disturbance and verbal and actual threats of harm.
Managing service users with deteriorating conditions, and dealing with the breaking of bad news with services users, their families and carers about their condition.
Tackling barriers to assessment and interventions such as lack of insight, or engagement with services, impairment in communication, sensory impairment or other brain impairments.
Being exposed to the threat of physical or verbal abuse.
Balancing the clinical and academic requirements required to progress on the course, learning about aspects of yourself and using this to develop as a clinician practitioner.
Developing capacity for accurate self‑awareness about current knowledge, skills and gaps to develop own learning objectives to meet needs of the job role.
Undertaking complex assessments with service users who have multiple needs, including adverse childhood experiences: complex social and housing needs: substance misuse difficulties and high levels of risk.

Communications Requirements

Trainees have ongoing communication with: Course staff (academic and clinical) in relation to the intended learning outcomes of the programme.
Local NHS psychology Tutors.
NHS Psychological Service Managers who have managerial responsibility for the Trainee as an employee.
Within clinical work: Communicate clearly and empathetically to service users, families and carers; Establish a rapport with individuals who have mental health problems or other difficulties; some of whom may be aggressive or distressed; Discuss and negotiate clinical work with colleagues within a multi‑disciplinary team; Discuss clinical work with other agencies and professionals Provide written reports and assessments for service users, their families and other staff involved in the care.

Physical Effort Requirements

Keyboard skills, sitting in one position for long periods when seeing service users.

Mental Effort Requirements

Sustain concentration for long periods of time on information from a number of sources, such as clinical sessions with clients, clinical meetings, service planning meetings, telephone consultation with staff and other Professionals. The use of good time management skills, requirement to change subject focus frequently and without prior notice. Workload can be unpredictable e.g. service users or staff may need to be seen urgently.

Emotional Requirements

Often required to deal with highly distressing, chronic and/or deteriorating conditions, where service users are acutely unwell with complex and significant mental health problems.
Manage service user and families distress by the effects of severe physical or mental illness.
Required to help other professionals, care staff and relatives deal with highly distressing situations.
Risks associated e.g. verbal and physical aggression.

General Requirements

Refer to the Job Description attached.

Person Specification

Education/Experience/Knowledge

Graduate Basis of Eligibility (GBE) membership of the British Psychological Society plus: 2:1 Honours degree in Psychology or 2:2 Honours degree in Psychology.
Attained at least Level 2 Maths and English (equivalent to GCSE grade 9-4 (A*-C)).
Experience of work in the NHS or outreach work, or local engagement work, experience of working in voluntary sector, working in community groups.
Work with patient groups with addictions or serious mental health problems: gambling, substance use, mental health care and/or working with carers and/or delivering therapeutic group interventions, working in MDTs, Experience of audit/research.
Good understanding and ability to apply formulations to presenting problems.
Basic understanding of addiction/mental health issues and approaches to treatment and intervention.
Basic understanding of health care systems and structures: staffing, roles and responsibilities, the role of hospitals, primary care and community care.
Graduate level knowledge of research design and methodology.
Up to date knowledge of psychological research and national guidance relevant to the client group.
Awareness of the potential impact of discrimination & disadvantage on addiction/mental health.
Ability to draw upon a specific theoretical knowledge base in the analysis of facts or situations to arrive at appropriate formulations, under clinical supervision.
Able to work seamlessly with other professional groups.
Ability to work under pressure.
Flexible and positive attitude to work.
Ability to be empathetic.
Ability to manage potentially distressing situations and events.
Being able to work flexibly across local environments.
Awareness of diversity of cultural norms and being able to respond to this appropriately.
Concentrate intensely for a substantial proportion of working time, during client contact, teaching/supervision sessions, team meetings, preparing written work etc.
Use IT packages – word processing, e‑mail and internet, SPSS, Excel and Access.
Ability to use or learn NHS clinical systems.
Work cross-culturally.
Manage effectively exposure to distressing/highly emotional circumstances.
Respectful and collaborative approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals.
Able to negotiate and ability to handle confrontation effectively and professionally.
Demonstrate excellent interpersonal, communication and active listening skills with service users, carers, staff and community partners.
Work with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
Contain and work with organisational stress and able to hold the stress of others.
Ability to use supervision appropriately and effectively.
Keen to learn new skills and to share learning with others.

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.

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Posted: July 2nd, 2026