Job summary
This is an exciting and unique opportunity to join the newly developed Forensic Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (FIND) Community Team in South-West London & St George's Mental Health Trust (SWLSTG).
The FIND Team will work closely with the newly developed Oak Unit, a Learning Disability and Autism (LDA) Ward, one of the four inpatient wards, which comprise the South-West London & St George's Forensic Service. Providing a safe transition for inpatients discharged from the Forensic Service is the Forensic Outreach Service (FOS) and the FIND Team will sit within FOS in order to provide specialist assessment, treatment and consultation to the Forensic Service in order to ensure a smooth, safe and clinically justified pathway to individuals with mental illness, offending history and learning disability with or without neurodevelopmental disorder.
The three forensic services of SWLSTG, South London and Maudsley (SLaM) and Oxleas together comprise the South London Mental Health and Community Partnership (SLP). The SLP's overarching goals centre on bringing care closer to home, improving patient pathways and outcomes by delivering excellent care in better environments. The SLP has a track record of delivering highly effective, clinically informed service developments in order to better meet the needs of service-users.
Main duties of the job
This role is part of a new and exciting service providing forensic community service to a specialist group who require expert interventions. The FIND service works with adults with a diagnosis of a learning disability (LD) and/or Autism (ASD) who also experience additional mental illness, co-morbid neurodevelopmental conditions, or behaviours which challenge and who have had contact with forensic services.
The post holder will be responsible for managing the Specialist LD/ASD Forensic Community Team within the Forensic and Prison Directorate. The service is supporting service users from across South London as part of the South London Partnership so travel across South London boroughs is expected.
As an expert practitioner, proactive leader and source of expert advice to clinicians, allied health care professionals, offenders and their carers, the post-holder will lead an integrated mental health service and develop a specialist practice-based clinical model of care to a ground breaking dynamic forensic LD&ASD team. To oversee and manage a team of Multi-Professionals.
The post holder will be expected to ensure the development of services that are comprehensive, flexible and promote a culture of service users and carers' involvement at every stage of the care pathway.
About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
About our location:
Springfield University Hospital, Tooting
You will be based in the newly developed Shaftesbury Building which opened to service-users in 2023.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist neuropsychological assessments of clients referred to the SWLSTG FIND Team.
- To provide formulations on service-users presenting problems and clinical needs and develop treatment plans.
- To provide psychological interventions where necessary to help the transition of service-users through the LDA pathway.
- To provide specialist consultation to the FIND Team and other Forensic Service colleagues.
- To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies serving the client group.
- To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide specialist advice to other professionals.
- To provide specialist training to MDT and other professionals and promote awareness of the FIND team within the Forensic Service.
- To contribute to the supervision of qualified psychologists within the forensic psychology and psychotherapies department, in particular with regard to the specialism of learning disability and autism.
- To provide supervision and mentoring to the FIND Team Assistant Psychologist.
- To contribute to the service-development of the FIND Team and its clinical evaluation.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist neuropsychological assessments of clients referred to the SWLSTG FIND Team.
- To provide formulations on service-users presenting problems and clinical needs and develop treatment plans.
- To provide psychological interventions where necessary to help the transition of service-users through the LDA pathway.
- To provide specialist consultation to the FIND Team and other Forensic Service colleagues.
- To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies serving the client group.
- To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide specialist advice to other professionals.
- To provide specialist training to MDT and other professionals and promote awareness of the FIND team within the Forensic Service.
- To contribute to the supervision of qualified psychologists within the forensic psychology and psychotherapies department, in particular with regard to the specialism of learning disability and autism.
- To provide supervision and mentoring to the FIND Team Assistant Psychologist.
- To contribute to the service-development of the FIND Team and its clinical evaluation.
Person Specification
Training & Qualification
Essential
- Relevant professional qualification (RMN, OT, Social Worker, Psychologist)
- Educated to degree, masters level or equivalent
Desirable
- Post-qualification training relating to mental health, neurodevelopmental disorders, addiction or risk assessment.
Experience
Essential
- Either community mental health experience or forensic experience is essential
- Working knowledge of current issues/agendas facing forensic LD & ASD patients
- Significant experience of and demonstrable achievement in clinical practice in variable settings
- Experience of providing professional support/supervision and motivation of staff
- Understanding of Health and Social Care Governance
- Experience of managing staff and liaising with other agencies
Desirable
- Proven commitment to service user involvement and carer involvement
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Knowledge of the key drivers behind community mental health care
- Ability to provide and receive complex and emotive information with staff, service users, carers and other stakeholders
- Ability to present service information and service development clearly
- An open and facilitative style of leadership which can be adapted when necessary to ensure delivery of objectives
- An understanding of effective systems for integrated governance and the management of clinical and non-clinical risks
- Good performance management skills combining clarity around expectations, direction and holding others to account
- Commitment to the aims and values of the NHS combined with high personal integrity
- Empathy towards the needs of people using mental health forensic and services, and a vision of how services can make step changes for improvement
- Resilient and self-motivated with drive and vision that is able to work on own initiative and manage a range of priorities across competing agendas
- Knowledge of current NHSE Transforming care model
Person Specification
Training & Qualification
Essential
- Relevant professional qualification (RMN, OT, Social Worker, Psychologist)
- Educated to degree, masters level or equivalent
Desirable
- Post-qualification training relating to mental health, neurodevelopmental disorders, addiction or risk assessment.
Experience
Essential
- Either community mental health experience or forensic experience is essential
- Working knowledge of current issues/agendas facing forensic LD & ASD patients
- Significant experience of and demonstrable achievement in clinical practice in variable settings
- Experience of providing professional support/supervision and motivation of staff
- Understanding of Health and Social Care Governance
- Experience of managing staff and liaising with other agencies
Desirable
- Proven commitment to service user involvement and carer involvement
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Knowledge of the key drivers behind community mental health care
- Ability to provide and receive complex and emotive information with staff, service users, carers and other stakeholders
- Ability to present service information and service development clearly
- An open and facilitative style of leadership which can be adapted when necessary to ensure delivery of objectives
- An understanding of effective systems for integrated governance and the management of clinical and non-clinical risks
- Good performance management skills combining clarity around expectations, direction and holding others to account
- Commitment to the aims and values of the NHS combined with high personal integrity
- Empathy towards the needs of people using mental health forensic and services, and a vision of how services can make step changes for improvement
- Resilient and self-motivated with drive and vision that is able to work on own initiative and manage a range of priorities across competing agendas
- Knowledge of current NHSE Transforming care model
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).
