Honorary assistant psychologists

We recruit a number of honorary assistant psychologists into established placements. In order to make the recruitment of honorary assistant psychologists fairer and more standardised, we recruit a ‘pool’ of honorary assistant psychologists, who are then be matched to suitable placements as they arise, based on their experience and particular interests. Previously many honorary positions have been arranged through personal connections, but we hope that this new standardised and skills-based method of recruitment will be more equitable.

We particularly welcome applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds, especially those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities which are currently underrepresented in psychology.

If successfully recruited, honorary assistant psychologists will provide clinical support to a qualified clinical psychologist in one of the services in South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The role may involve contribution to; clinical assessments, running groups, collecting feedback, research and data analysis, and clinical administration. There will be formal training within the department that candidates are placed, as well as access to CPD opportunities throughout the trust. Candidates will be expected to keep a reflective log-book of their experiences, and will have regular supervisions and access to regular reflective meetings with other honorary assistant psychologists. Each post-holder will be matched to an established assistant psychologist in the trust as a mentor who can provide advice on career progression and job applications.

Placements are one or two days a week for six months as a standard, though if beneficial to the post-holder, and related to specific project work, extensions may be offered by the supervisor. These limits are in place to ensure that post-holders are able to continue with part-time paid employment or studies with the rest of their time, and that they are looking to move on into paid assistant psychologist work in the near future, which they will receive support with from SLaM. 

The term ‘honorary’ means that these posts are unpaid, but unlike voluntary work post-holders will still sign a contract whereby SLaM make commitments to provide training and experience in return for the time-commitment (to be arranged based on your availability). You will not be reimbursed for travel to/from your main place of work, but if you are required to travel away from that place as part of your work, then these travel expenses can be claimed back from the department you are assigned to.

Entry requirements 

These posts are intended as a stepping stone to substantive Assistant Psychologist posts and for that reason we will not consider applications from those who have already held an Assistant Psychologist post.

Applicants must have at least a 2:1 degree in psychology that is accredited as providing graduate basis for chartered membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society.

Alternatively an applicant may have a 2:1 degree in a subject other than psychology and have undertaken a masters conversion course in psychology which gives them GBC. Please make this clear in your application, and note that this is not the same thing as MBPsS.

Applicants must also have scored at least 60 per cent in the statistics modules of their degree.

Finally applicants should be able to start within 3 months of applying.

Please note we receive high demand for clinical internships and voluntary experience. Our primary obligations are to provide placements for NHS commissioned training programmes and so we cannot accept or respond to direct enquiries for experience.

How to apply

We are currently not recruiting. Please check again in the near future. We regularly recruit honorary assistant psychologists into a pool, from which we can then place them as suitable placements come up. Each round of recruitment will be advertised here with information about how to apply.

For any other queries about the post, please email HAPplacements@slam.nhs.uk

Please do not send your CV/resume as they will not be kept on record.

Please note

All paid positions will be advertised on NHS Jobs.

Search for positions

You may also want to join our local Aspiring Psychologists network.

To join, please email the network via aspiring_psychologists@kcl.ac.uk