Job summary
ARCH (Addictions Recovery Centre Hillingdon) is well established partnership service between CNWL and Via. We provide structured treatment and support for people with drug and alcohol difficulties.
We have three upcoming Assistant Psychologist roles in ARCH which will cover the core service, the Recovery Day Programme (RDP) and the Rough Sleeper's team. The start date for each of these posts will be staggered between November 2025 and January 2026.
To enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the service, across all sectors of care; providing data collection, data analysis, and assessment under the management and supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures.
To participate in clinical governance and utilise research skills for audit, service development and research within the area served by the multi-disciplinary Drug and Alcohol team.
Main duties of the job
Clinical
To undertake Psychosocial Inventions and Workshops of clients referred to the Drug and Alcohol Service. This may include using motivational interviewing techniques, self-report measures, risk assessment, rating scales, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client's care. Providing evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT to help people overcome their addiction).
To work in a highly emotive atmosphere with clients with substance use problems on a regular basis, and be able to communicate sensitive and complex information, whilst maintaining a high degree of professionalism at all times. May be subject to verbal aggression in individual sessions.
To assist in the co-ordination and running of therapeutic groups, under the supervision of a qualified member of staff.
Duty assessments in ARCH may require testing of bodily fluids, and therefore direct contact with urine and / or saliva.
Management, recruitment and service development
To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.
To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
The post holder will be required to attend and contribute, where appropriate, to the regular professional meetings of the Adult Psychology Specialty and other Departmental meetings.
About us
This is a unique opportunity to work in the ARCH team and work closely with the people who use our services, families, friends and carers.
We believe that the best health is delivered by multidisciplinary teams working well together in partnerships with other teams and services to provide seamless care.
We have been offering assessments, BBV testing, harm minimisation, psychoeducation and motivational support delivered in a holistic manner to dual diagnosis clients, rough sleepers and service users in the criminal justice pathway.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Details
Date posted
07 October 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 4
Salary
£32,199 to £34,876 a year per annum inc. HCAS (pro rata if P/T)
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
333-D-AD-0564
Job locations
Old Bank House
64 High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1JP
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the advertised role, please refer to the job description & person specification included in the documents section of this advert.
KEY RESPONSIBLITIES (Research and Clinical Governance)
- To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work.
- To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects on a regular basis in order to help develop and improve service provision. This may include complex audits / service evaluation using qualitative or quantitative methods.
- To undertake production of questionnaires, data collection, setting up of databases and spreadsheets, data analysis, and the production of reports and presentation of summaries to colleagues using IT and statistical programmes, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and SPSS.
- To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research using the internet and online databases e.g. Psych info, to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other multi-disciplinary team members.
- To carry-out practice-based research using validated questionnaires, reflective scientist practitioner skills, etc, as routine
Job responsibilities
For further information about the advertised role, please refer to the job description & person specification included in the documents section of this advert.
KEY RESPONSIBLITIES (Research and Clinical Governance)
- To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work.
- To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects on a regular basis in order to help develop and improve service provision. This may include complex audits / service evaluation using qualitative or quantitative methods.
- To undertake production of questionnaires, data collection, setting up of databases and spreadsheets, data analysis, and the production of reports and presentation of summaries to colleagues using IT and statistical programmes, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and SPSS.
- To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research using the internet and online databases e.g. Psych info, to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other multi-disciplinary team members.
- To carry-out practice-based research using validated questionnaires, reflective scientist practitioner skills, etc, as routine
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/ or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Previous clinical or research experience in the field of psychology.
- Post-graduate work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities
Desirable
- Post-graduate research experience
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Experience using microcomputers for databases or data-analysis, especially excel for Windows.
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context
- An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
- High standard of report writing
PERSONAL
Essential
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines. An ability to interact with people with mental health problems disabilities.
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
Desirable
- An interest in working with people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
Qualifications
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/ or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Previous clinical or research experience in the field of psychology.
- Post-graduate work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities
Desirable
- Post-graduate research experience
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Experience using microcomputers for databases or data-analysis, especially excel for Windows.
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context
- An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
- High standard of report writing
PERSONAL
Essential
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines. An ability to interact with people with mental health problems disabilities.
- Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
Desirable
- An interest in working with people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
Additional informationDisclosure 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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details
Employer name
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Old Bank House
64 High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1JP
Employer's website
https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Old Bank House
64 High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1JP
Employer's website
Salary range
- £32,199 - £34,876 per year