Job summary
Due to career progression we have an exciting opportunity to join a progressive, psychology led and trauma informed team.
We are seeking a part time clinical or forensic psychologist to provide specialist psychological support for the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway (OPD) in North Staffordshire.
The OPD pathway is a psychologically-led, joint initiative between His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and NHS England for high risk offenders who experience coexisting personality related difficulties.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced clinical or forensic psychologist to become the new clinical lead within our community OPD pathway.
As well as working within our established OPD pathway, this role will allow for close liaison with other partnership and support agencies, providing a fully holistic, psychologically informed care pathway for our cohort.
We also facilitate staff well-being sessions and reflective practice sessions for colleagues within the probation service.
This post is for 22.5 hours a week - Days and hours of working can be flexible.
Opportunity to work remotely for PART of the role.
Main duties of the job
The OPD pathway has three aims;
- To reduce levels of re-offending
- To improve the psychological health and wellbeing of this client group
- To improve the skills, confidence and attitudes of the workforce
The role therefore involves providing consultation to probation officers and approved premises staff, developing formulations of this client group, developing and delivering relevant training and completing time-limited joint working with clients and probation staff.
In addition, there will be regular opportunities for consultation, providing training and supervision of assistants and trainees.
As the OPD service continues to evolve, the post holder gain opportunities to contribute to service development and leadership within the team.
About us
Our Trust is on an incredible journey of innovation and we'd like you to be part of it. To excel you will be an enthusiastic, caring and compassionate registered professional who is looking to work within a Trust that is ambitious to perform well and has been told by the Care Quality Commission that it is the fastest improving Mental Health Trust in the Country. Whether you are about to qualify, newly qualified or an experienced practitioner, we want to meet you and discuss the possibility of you joining this great Team.
Our vision is 'To be Outstanding in all we do and how we do it.' Our teams pride themselves on compassion, team work and resilience.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work autonomously in undertaking highly specialised single case consultations with individual probation service staff to develop an understanding of the offenders presentation, symptoms and related management difficulties within a psychological framework. The post holder will be required to provide consultation in relation to the most complex clients, exhibiting the most challenging behaviour where assessing and managing risk will be a very high priority. The post holder will be consulting on cases where there is a history of physical and/or sexual abuse and the emotional demands of the role will extremely high.
To utilise highly specialist psychological skills to develop case formulations that provide detailed psychological understanding of the offenders presentation, symptoms and related management issues taking into account different theoretical models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that will inform safe and effective future care and management.
To make highly skilled decisions in advising probation service staff and partners, in the development of evidence-based management plans for offenders who have personality disorder and to sensitively monitor the efficacy of the management plans through regular consultations with staff, adjusting and refining psychological formulations and maintaining a number of different provisional hypotheses.
To utilise highly specialist psychological skills to contribute to risk assessment and management in cases where the cost of errors is high, placing particular demands on the post-holders professional judgements, decision-making and clinical skills.
To maintain a high level of professionalism despite regular exposure to highly emotive, distressing and disturbing material including first and second hand accounts of serious violent and sexual offending.
To work autonomously with probation service staff within a highly specialist clinical field to identify offenders who have personality disorder and to support staff in recognising cases where a psychological understanding will contribute to effective and safe care and management.
To develop excellent working relationships with the Senior Probation Officer (SPO) and probation service staff that will underpin effective liaison, communication and learning.
To work with the SPO to develop screening methods to aid the identification of offenders with personality disorder.
To communicate in a manner that is accessible and meaningful to probation service staff, highly complex information concerning client formulation and management/treatment plans.
To produce written communication for probation staff as required to summarise key points from case consultation and case formulation meetings. To accurately summarise and synthesise complex information based on psychological theories in a format that is accessible and meaningful to probation staff.
To provide expertise and advice to facilitate the development of an environment where probation staff gain knowledge and understanding of personality disorder and develop skills that enable them to work effectively and safely with the client group. To provide advice on the psychological aspects of risk assessment and management.
To provide probation staff with access to a psychologically-based framework for understanding and managing offenders with personality disorder through dissemination of psychological research, knowledge and theory.
To be able to concentrate for long periods of time whilst exercising autonomous responsibility for decision-making. The post holder is required to remain seated for long periods listening to distressing and disturbing material whilst maintaining the highest levels of expert judgement, application of complex skills and professional conduct.
To ensure the development and articulation of best practice in psychology within the service area by exercising the skills of a reflexive and reflective scientist practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of clinical psychology, personality disorder and forensic psychology.
To attend clinical meetings within the partnership project and to co-ordinate meetings with other professionals as appropriate.
To establish and maintain appropriate personal supervision in line with NSCHT and professional body requirements to ensure highest standards of professional practice.
To maintain own CPD to meet the guidelines of relevant professional bodies including British Psychological Society (BPS), HCPC and KSF to ensure highest standards of professional practice.
To adhere to the code of ethics of the relevant professional bodies, including the British Psychological Society, HCPC and NSCHT.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work autonomously in undertaking highly specialised single case consultations with individual probation service staff to develop an understanding of the offenders presentation, symptoms and related management difficulties within a psychological framework. The post holder will be required to provide consultation in relation to the most complex clients, exhibiting the most challenging behaviour where assessing and managing risk will be a very high priority. The post holder will be consulting on cases where there is a history of physical and/or sexual abuse and the emotional demands of the role will extremely high.
To utilise highly specialist psychological skills to develop case formulations that provide detailed psychological understanding of the offenders presentation, symptoms and related management issues taking into account different theoretical models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that will inform safe and effective future care and management.
To make highly skilled decisions in advising probation service staff and partners, in the development of evidence-based management plans for offenders who have personality disorder and to sensitively monitor the efficacy of the management plans through regular consultations with staff, adjusting and refining psychological formulations and maintaining a number of different provisional hypotheses.
To utilise highly specialist psychological skills to contribute to risk assessment and management in cases where the cost of errors is high, placing particular demands on the post-holders professional judgements, decision-making and clinical skills.
To maintain a high level of professionalism despite regular exposure to highly emotive, distressing and disturbing material including first and second hand accounts of serious violent and sexual offending.
To work autonomously with probation service staff within a highly specialist clinical field to identify offenders who have personality disorder and to support staff in recognising cases where a psychological understanding will contribute to effective and safe care and management.
To develop excellent working relationships with the Senior Probation Officer (SPO) and probation service staff that will underpin effective liaison, communication and learning.
To work with the SPO to develop screening methods to aid the identification of offenders with personality disorder.
To communicate in a manner that is accessible and meaningful to probation service staff, highly complex information concerning client formulation and management/treatment plans.
To produce written communication for probation staff as required to summarise key points from case consultation and case formulation meetings. To accurately summarise and synthesise complex information based on psychological theories in a format that is accessible and meaningful to probation staff.
To provide expertise and advice to facilitate the development of an environment where probation staff gain knowledge and understanding of personality disorder and develop skills that enable them to work effectively and safely with the client group. To provide advice on the psychological aspects of risk assessment and management.
To provide probation staff with access to a psychologically-based framework for understanding and managing offenders with personality disorder through dissemination of psychological research, knowledge and theory.
To be able to concentrate for long periods of time whilst exercising autonomous responsibility for decision-making. The post holder is required to remain seated for long periods listening to distressing and disturbing material whilst maintaining the highest levels of expert judgement, application of complex skills and professional conduct.
To ensure the development and articulation of best practice in psychology within the service area by exercising the skills of a reflexive and reflective scientist practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of clinical psychology, personality disorder and forensic psychology.
To attend clinical meetings within the partnership project and to co-ordinate meetings with other professionals as appropriate.
To establish and maintain appropriate personal supervision in line with NSCHT and professional body requirements to ensure highest standards of professional practice.
To maintain own CPD to meet the guidelines of relevant professional bodies including British Psychological Society (BPS), HCPC and KSF to ensure highest standards of professional practice.
To adhere to the code of ethics of the relevant professional bodies, including the British Psychological Society, HCPC and NSCHT.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An honours degree and membership of the British Psychological Society Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology OR Forensic Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience as a Clinical or Forensic psychologist with experience at senior psychologist level and substantial experience of the following: oSubstantial experience of working as a qualified psychologist with people with severe and enduring mental health problems; including offering assessment and clinical interventions for a wide range of presenting problems including personality disorder
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- An honours degree and membership of the British Psychological Society Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology OR Forensic Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience as a Clinical or Forensic psychologist with experience at senior psychologist level and substantial experience of the following: oSubstantial experience of working as a qualified psychologist with people with severe and enduring mental health problems; including offering assessment and clinical interventions for a wide range of presenting problems including personality disorder
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
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).
