“Working with people with learning disabilities as a trainee clinical psychologist has provided me with a huge variety of experiences in complex assessment, formulation, and intervention. Not only this, but I have been able to do a lot of indirect work with wider systems, as well as some service-related research, which I feel has really developed my skillset. The client group is diverse and interesting, and it feels like important work that intersects with areas such as race, ethnicity, disability, poverty, and inequality.”
Introduction
A trainee clinical psychologist is a role designed to help progression to becoming a qualified clinical psychologist.
Trainee clinical psychologists work with people of all ages and in a variety of settings in physical and mental healthcare. The role contributes to the core work of clinical psychologists and provides a training ground with regular supervision in which to practice and develop skills as a clinician and researcher.
Salary, hours and benefits
| Average salary | £31,365 to £37,890 |
| Typical hours | Standard hours are usually around 37.5 hours a week |
| You could work | – |
| Benefits |
|
| Career Framework level | 4-5 |
What you’ll do
Your day-to-day duties may include:
- working with people with learning disabilities and their families,
- working with mental health difficulties experienced by people with learning disabilities,
- work designing Positive Behaviour Support Plans for challenging behaviour,
- consultation with wider systems such as paid carers and day centres,
- learning disability diagnostic assessments,
- dementia assessments of people with learning disabilities,
- multidisciplinary and multi-agency working,
- delivering psychologically-informed teaching and workshops to day centre staff,
- planning, conducting, analysing and writing up audits and service-related research,
- updating patient and work records.
Working environment
You could work in an NHS inpatient, community or social services setting and/or provide input into community-based settings such as people’s homes, residential and supported living services, day services, and educational settings. You may be required to travel to different sites based on the individual needs of those you are supporting.
Characteristics and skills required
You’ll need:
- a desire to help people,
- knowledge of psychology,
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail,
- the ability to work well with others,
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure,
- sensitivity and understanding,
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations,
- excellent verbal communication skills,
- computer and IT skills,
- skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods,
- ability to make links between relevant psychological theory to inform clinical practice,
- ability to work both autonomously and with other disciplines in a professional manner,
- ability to work with cultural sensitivity with service users from a variety of diverse backgrounds, including working with interpreters.
Restrictions and requirements
You’ll need to pass enhanced background checks.
Career path and progression
Once qualifying, you will become a qualified clinical psychologist.
| Career Framework level | Role | Degree? |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Assistant Psychologist An assistant psychologist seeks to improve lives and promote health and independence for people with learning disabilities by providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions, and assisting in clinically related administration, the conduct of audits, the collection of outcome statistics, and/or other project work as appropriate under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist working within the service. | Yes |
| 5 | Trainee Clinical Psychologist Trainee clinical psychologists work with people of all ages and in a variety of settings in physical and mental healthcare. The role contributes to the core work of clinical psychologists and provides a training ground with regular supervision in which to practice and develop skills as a clinician and researcher. | Yes |
| 6 | Specialist Clinical Psychologist Working as a band 7 clinical psychologist within a learning disability service is a varied role that involves working both with adults diagnosed with learning disabilities (defined as a reduced intellectual ability that impacts the person’s ability to complete everyday activities) and the systems around them. This could include families, carers, and staff teams, in addition to other health professionals. | Yes |
| 7 | Highly Specialist Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychologist Qualified psychologists apply psychological knowledge and skills to help individuals and those who support them to have a good quality of life. Psychologists working in the field of learning disability use a wide range of clinical skills, including formal assessment, formulation, therapeutic interventions, teaching, and consultation. | Yes |
| 8 | Consultant Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychologist As consultant psychologist, you will be a leader, for example lead for learning disability psychology across a whole NHS trust, although in some cases a consultant psychologist may cover one geographical or specialist area. | Yes |
| 8 and 9 | Head / Director of Psychological Therapies As head/director of psychological therapies, you will be the lead for all the psychological therapies across all care groups within the organisation. You will work closely with the chief executive/chief operational officer, medical and nursing leads, and the chief finance officer to ensure the delivery of safe and effective psychological therapies in the organisation. | Yes |
How to become a Trainee Clinical Psychologist
To become a trainee clinical psychologist you will need to have an undergraduate degree or masters level degree in psychology, relevant clinical and research experience or acceptance to a university training course.
Work
You could start as a healthcare assistant or support worker in a hospital or community care setting. You could apply for an assistant psychologist or research assistant post, with some experience.
Once you have gained appropriate, relevant experience, you may apply for a trainee clinical psychologist doctoral post through the Clinical Psychology Clearing House.
Volunteering and experience
You’ll find it useful to get some paid or voluntary experience in a mental health setting. This will help when you apply for jobs.
You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust for advice about opportunities.
From within health and social care
If you are already working in the health and social care sector and you are looking for a new challenge, then you can change career to become a psychologist within learning disability and autism support and care. To qualify, you will need a degree in psychology (usually at 2.1 and above), which gives you Graduate Basis for Registration with the BPS.
From outside health and social care
You can get into this job through:
- an undergraduate or Masters level degree in psychology,
- relevant clinical and research experience,
- acceptance to a university training course.
Work
You could start as a healthcare assistant or support worker in a hospital or community care setting. You could apply for an assistant psychologist or research assistant post, with some experience.
Once you have gained appropriate, relevant experience, you may apply for a trainee clinical psychologist doctoral post through the Clinical Psychology Clearing House.
Volunteering and experience
You’ll find it useful to get some paid or voluntary experience in a mental health setting. This will help when you apply for jobs.
You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust for advice about opportunities.
From within health and social care
If you are already working in the health and social care sector and you are looking for a new challenge, then you can change career to become a psychologist within learning disability and autism support and care. To qualify, you will need a degree in psychology (usually at 2.1 and above), which gives you Graduate Basis for Registration with the BPS.
From outside health and social care
If you want to work in health and social care and you are looking for a new challenge, then you can change career to become a psychologist within learning disability and autism support and care. To qualify, you will need a degree in Psychology (usually at 2.1 and above), which gives you Graduate Basis for Registration with the BPS.
Financial support
Training places on doctorate in clinical psychology training courses in England are principally full-time salaried positions within the NHS at band 6 AfC for those students meeting the home fees eligibility criteria.
Current opportunities
Most NHS trusts advertise their vacancies on NHS Jobs. Some advertise on trust websites. You can find a list of trusts on NHS Choices.
Some job opportunities may be in social care settings and available through Community Care or Local Authority websites.