Job Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and reflective Band 4 Assistant Psychologist to join the innovative Dental and Oral-maxillofacial Trauma (DOT) Psychology service based at the Royal London Hospital and Whipps Cross Hospital. The post holder will be based primarily with the Orthognathic jaw surgery service, within the Adult (ADOT) pathway, however you will be expected to support the work of the wider DOT-Psychology service as and when required; including joint projects, training and service development opportunities.



Patients accessing the Orthognathic jaw surgery service may present with appearance-related distress, physical pain or mental health difficulties amongst other presenting needs. They may be offered pre and post-surgery support including direct therapy, support with decision making, coping strategies or adjustment to their appearance. The psychology team works on a collaborative basis with the multi-disciplinary team to offer holistic and person-centred support.



The assistant psychologist has a key role in supporting the daily running of the service including preparing for and attending MDT clinics, supporting with clinical assessments and administrative processes and writing letters and reports. The post holder will demonstrate a keen interest and experience in working within mental and/or physical health settings and in providing high quality psychological services. It is essential to demonstrate excellent communication skills, organisational skills, be able to work under their own initiative and be responsive to feedback and development.



The assistant psychologist will work alongside two other assistant psychologists within the DOT-Psychology service. The service has an ethos of supportive team working, valuing all members of the team and focusing on supporting our assistant psychologists to develop professionally in line with their career goals. We value diversity of experience, background and thought and welcome applications from under-represented communities.



Please answer the following two questions in your supporting statement:



Why are you are interested in this specific post?



How will you apply your skills and experience to this role?



Applicants who have not answered these two questions or who appear to have used AI tools within their statement will be removed from the shortlisting process. Statements should be no more than 500 words and will marked down if they are longer than this. This is a cap and not a target.



Our Values 2025 - 2030



Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are:

We are kind.



We are respectful.



We work together with our communities.



These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.



Starting with NELFT



NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.



Probationary Period



This post will be subject to a probationary period.



High Cost Area Supplement - Inner London



This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 20% of the basic salary (minimum payment of 5,609 and a maximum payment of 5,941 - 8,466 per annum, pro rata for part time



At NELFT, we are committed to building a workforce that reflects and supports the diverse communities we serve. As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen local employment and deliver high-quality, person-centered care, we will prioritise applications from individuals living in our local boroughs and surrounding areas.



DOT-Psychology is a NELFT service working in collaboration with Barts Health Trust.



Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.



We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.



Certificates of Sponsorship



Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.



Use of AI



Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.