Job summary
We are offering a Golden Hello (10% of salary) for those in post for 2 years and a relocation package of up to £8,000
An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Clinical or Forensic Psychologist, who is passionate about working with women who require secure care, to join the Women's Forensic Service within the West London Specialist and Forensic Service. This is a full-time Band 8a post (1.0wte) but the post could also be appointed at Band 7 as a preceptorship towards an 8a role for the right applicant wishing to develop from Band 7. Part time or flexible working will be considered. Responsibilities would be adjusted accordingly. A relocation package is also available for qualifying individuals.
West London NHS Trust provides a broad range of forensic mental health care in adult male, female and adolescent services, across high, medium and low security settings, as well as in a community and court diversion setting. The trust provides specialist forensic mental health care across eight boroughs in North West London, in addition to national enhanced medium and high secure services.
Main duties of the job
Working within the Women's Service will provide you with the opportunity to work within the country's largest NHS provider of female medium and low secure services with women with diagnoses of personality disorders and/or mental illness who have a history of either offending or high risk behaviours.
You will be responsible for providing a high quality psychology service on two medium secure wards. As a core member of the MDT, you will be responsible for developing and implementing psychologically informed treatments for a diverse group of female service users who present with enduring mental disorders (both mental illness and personality disorder) and serious forensic histories and extremely complex needs. As such you will be able to utilise varied skills in assessment, formulation and evidence-based intervention, tailored to meet the challenging needs of the inpatient client group. As well as individual ward-based work, the post holder will contribute to a cross-ward group therapy programme.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK. It provides a broad range of forensic mental health care in adult male and female services, across high, medium and low security settings, as well as in a community and court diversion setting. West London Forensic Service was recently rated as outstanding by the CQC.
Psychology plays a valued and integral role within West London Forensic Service. We are committed to providing high quality, evidence based interventions within a recovery framework. The psychological therapies department, which comprises a team of over thirty psychologists and psychological therapists, is well-established and supportive with high standards of clinical supervision and excellent opportunities for continuing professional development.
We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will work as a qualified psychologist on two medium secure wards, providing a high quality, specialist applied psychology service to culturally diverse service-users with enduring mental health difficulties and offending histories within secure care.
You will hold a doctorate in clinical, counselling or forensic psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) or forensic psychology equivalent, as accredited by the BPS. You will be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
You will have experience of working as a qualified psychologist in a forensic clinical setting or equivalent, providing specialist psychological assessments (including risk assessment and management), individual and group therapies, and psychological advice and consultation to others involved in service user care. Some experience of working in a forensic service or similar is essential if applying for a Band 7 preceptorship. You will also have experience of administering, scoring and interpreting formal personality tools and/or neuropsychological assessments. Experience of teaching, training and supervising others is essential (desirable for Band 7 preceptorship).
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will work as a qualified psychologist on two medium secure wards, providing a high quality, specialist applied psychology service to culturally diverse service-users with enduring mental health difficulties and offending histories within secure care.
You will hold a doctorate in clinical, counselling or forensic psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) or forensic psychology equivalent, as accredited by the BPS. You will be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
You will have experience of working as a qualified psychologist in a forensic clinical setting or equivalent, providing specialist psychological assessments (including risk assessment and management), individual and group therapies, and psychological advice and consultation to others involved in service user care. Some experience of working in a forensic service or similar is essential if applying for a Band 7 preceptorship. You will also have experience of administering, scoring and interpreting formal personality tools and/or neuropsychological assessments. Experience of teaching, training and supervising others is essential (desirable for Band 7 preceptorship).
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good honours degree in Psychology. Eligibility for graduate membership of BPS
- Post-graduate doctorate in clinical / forensic psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or those in lateral transfer) as accredited by the BPS.
- Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council
Desirable
- Other related academic qualifications
- Evidence of post-doctoral training in psychological therapy techniques
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a qualified (specialist) psychologist for a minimum of one year in a forensic clinical setting (or equivalent)
Desirable
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
- Experience of having facilitated/co-facilitated psychological therapy groups
- Experience of working clinically with female service users in secure settings
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
Knowledge
Essential
- Advanced specialist knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of psychology applied to forensic clinical practice
- Completion of at least 1 year's supervised practice in specialist forensic clinical practice
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for work with mentally disordered offenders
Desirable
- Specialist knowledge of the assessment and treatment of trauma.
- Specialist theoretical and practical knowledge of the assessment and treatment of personality disorder and mental illness.
Skills
Essential
- Able to provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information, where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills such as would be required when communicating in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere
- Able to make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the evaluation of a range of options (e.g. the assessment of specialist clinical conditions and the determination of treatment options), Where expert opinions may differ
- Able to plan, prioritise and organise own service user caseload, treatment programmes (individual or group) involving other staff, and other aspects of the work such as research activity
Desirable
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good honours degree in Psychology. Eligibility for graduate membership of BPS
- Post-graduate doctorate in clinical / forensic psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or those in lateral transfer) as accredited by the BPS.
- Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council
Desirable
- Other related academic qualifications
- Evidence of post-doctoral training in psychological therapy techniques
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a qualified (specialist) psychologist for a minimum of one year in a forensic clinical setting (or equivalent)
Desirable
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
- Experience of having facilitated/co-facilitated psychological therapy groups
- Experience of working clinically with female service users in secure settings
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
Knowledge
Essential
- Advanced specialist knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of psychology applied to forensic clinical practice
- Completion of at least 1 year's supervised practice in specialist forensic clinical practice
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for work with mentally disordered offenders
Desirable
- Specialist knowledge of the assessment and treatment of trauma.
- Specialist theoretical and practical knowledge of the assessment and treatment of personality disorder and mental illness.
Skills
Essential
- Able to provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information, where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills such as would be required when communicating in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere
- Able to make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the evaluation of a range of options (e.g. the assessment of specialist clinical conditions and the determination of treatment options), Where expert opinions may differ
- Able to plan, prioritise and organise own service user caseload, treatment programmes (individual or group) involving other staff, and other aspects of the work such as research activity
Desirable
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
