Job summary
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Clinician to lead and clinically manage a Psychologically Informed Planned Environment (PIPE) within the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway. As the Clinical Lead, you will shape a safe, enabling, and psychologically centred environment for individuals with complex personality needs who have recently been released from prison. The service is based within a Probation Approved Premises in Peterborough, supporting rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.
This pivotal role involves overseeing PIPE service delivery, ensuring the integrity of the PIPE model, facilitating therapeutic group work, and contributing to national service development. You will provide clinical supervision, develop staff capability, and work closely with key stakeholders, including HMPPS, the NHS, and the wider OPD network. This is a fulfilling and dynamic role that helps shape a trauma-informed and relationally focused service.
Please get in contact with Emma.britton@cpft.nhs.uk - if you would like a tour of the service or talk about the role.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will hold a strategic position as Clinical Lead for the PIPE service.
The post holder will be managing a wide range of complex dynamics within the environment and host organisation. This will require the post holder to take on a leadership role within the organisation, working effectively alongside operational and strategic leads for the service.
They will have a key role in maintaining a healthy psychosocial environment; ensuring that the unit adheres to the theoretical principles of the PIPE model. This will include design, delivery and oversight of the core components of the PIPE model, including group work and the management of group dynamics.
The post holder will manage the development of a positive and enabling milieu, ensuring that the delivery of psychosocial aspects of the PIPE service is compliant with policy and delivery arrangements. This will include ensuring the PIPE service maintains the standards set out for the Enabling Environment award.
The post holder will contribute to staff development by offering training, supporting and providing clinical supervision. They will also participate in individual and group (peer) supervision, provided in a central location by a Group Analytic Consultant each month. They will also attend the Clinical Leads Business Meeting along with other Clinical Leads.
About us
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting andempowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.
Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.
Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.
For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- To manage the delivery of the PIPE model in line with the PIPE service specification and national guidance; developing operational structures and approaches so that they are appropriately psychologically and psychosocially informed.
- To develop necessary psychosocial conditions required to support progression through the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway, ensuring the service has a focus on the lived experience of service users.
- To develop and implement socially-creative, semi-structured activities within the PIPE in order to contribute to a healthy psychosocial environment. To ensure these sessions are responsive and adhere to principles of service user involvement and engagement.
- To develop a culture that promotes planned and psychologically informed responses from staff in relation to the host environment. This includes consideration of institutional dynamics and processes.
- To support and manage the referral and assessment process for those applying to the PIPE, ensuring any relevant population and criteria considerations are taken into account, and all decisions are documented. Also, to liaise with the national Clinical Development Lead for PIPEs where appropriate.
- To ensure that there is consistency and equity in approach from frontline members of the PIPE team, managing and mitigating the clinical impact of staffing structures, e.g. shift patterns or long absences.
- In conjunction with the Operational Lead to ensure the weekly programme of activities in the PIPE meet both clinical and operational requirements.
- To oversee the delivery of the structured and socially-creative groups and to develop further groups as the need arises.
- To ensure the unit maintains the recognised Enabling Environment award status, in conjunction with the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
- To promote and support a culture of innovation and creativity in the approach to working within the PIPE framework.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- To manage the delivery of the PIPE model in line with the PIPE service specification and national guidance; developing operational structures and approaches so that they are appropriately psychologically and psychosocially informed.
- To develop necessary psychosocial conditions required to support progression through the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway, ensuring the service has a focus on the lived experience of service users.
- To develop and implement socially-creative, semi-structured activities within the PIPE in order to contribute to a healthy psychosocial environment. To ensure these sessions are responsive and adhere to principles of service user involvement and engagement.
- To develop a culture that promotes planned and psychologically informed responses from staff in relation to the host environment. This includes consideration of institutional dynamics and processes.
- To support and manage the referral and assessment process for those applying to the PIPE, ensuring any relevant population and criteria considerations are taken into account, and all decisions are documented. Also, to liaise with the national Clinical Development Lead for PIPEs where appropriate.
- To ensure that there is consistency and equity in approach from frontline members of the PIPE team, managing and mitigating the clinical impact of staffing structures, e.g. shift patterns or long absences.
- In conjunction with the Operational Lead to ensure the weekly programme of activities in the PIPE meet both clinical and operational requirements.
- To oversee the delivery of the structured and socially-creative groups and to develop further groups as the need arises.
- To ensure the unit maintains the recognised Enabling Environment award status, in conjunction with the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
- To promote and support a culture of innovation and creativity in the approach to working within the PIPE framework.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology (or its equivalent), as accredited by the BPS, including two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the HCPC and/or BPS.
- Registration as an Applied Psychologist with the HCPC. OR Professional qualification (e.g.) RMN/OT/Social Worker/psychotherapist, an Additional post graduate level qualification in one or more recognised NHS psychotherapy model, such as: DBT, CAT, CBT etc, Registered as a qualified practitioner with the NMC, SWE or HCPC
Desirable
- Formal training/qualifications in clinical supervision. Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology/psychotherapy. Additional, post-qualification short courses
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a qualified practitioner 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.
- Experience of working as a qualified practitioner with people with severe and enduring mental health problems who have come into contact with the criminal justice system and who have committed violent and sexual offences.
- Experience of working with the criminal justice models to understanding staff teams and service dynamics. Experience of providing liaison, consultation and clinical supervision to professional and non-professional groups in health or non-health settings. ` system with up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation
- Experience of working across in - patient, community and residential settings. Experience of teaching, training and providing professional/clinical supervision to others, including use complex multi - media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
- Well-developed skills in risk assessment and risk management including skills to prevent, de - escalate and manage verbal and physical aggression from clients on a day-to-day basis
Desirable
- Specific experience of working in inpatient or community mental health settings or in prison or other secure settings.
- Experience of working with Probation, NOMS or other criminal justice agencies in prison, community or Approved Premises
- Experience of providing liaison, consultation and clinical supervision to professional and non-professional groups in health or non-health settings.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of clinical assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, of highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professionals
- Specialist knowledge and skills in the assessment, formulation, treatment and management of mentally disordered offenders including personality disordered offender, in hospital, community and criminal justice setting
- Skills in risk assessment and risk management including skills to prevent, de - escalate and manage verbal and physical aggression from clients on a day to day basis
- Skills in providing consultation and supervision to other professional and non - professional groups.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific complex presentations (e.g. issues associated with diagnoses of BPD/EUPD).
- Knowledge and skills in relation to substance misuse, severe and enduring mental illness and/or other highly specialised forensic service user needs.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Interpersonally calm and able to defuse difficult, volatile situations.
- Able to tolerate ambiguity and to take decisions in situations of incomplete information.
- Ability to exercise appropriate levels of self-care and to monitor own state, recognising when it is necessary to take active steps to maintain fitness to practice.
- Good organisational skills
- Motivated towards personal and professional development with a strong CPD record.
Other
Essential
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
- Ability to organise and implement self-directed travel between working offices across the region and to attend national meetings.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling effective working within the Multi-Disciplinary Team.
- Ability to contain and work with high levels of distress from clients.
- Ability to contain and work with organisational stress
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology (or its equivalent), as accredited by the BPS, including two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the HCPC and/or BPS.
- Registration as an Applied Psychologist with the HCPC. OR Professional qualification (e.g.) RMN/OT/Social Worker/psychotherapist, an Additional post graduate level qualification in one or more recognised NHS psychotherapy model, such as: DBT, CAT, CBT etc, Registered as a qualified practitioner with the NMC, SWE or HCPC
Desirable
- Formal training/qualifications in clinical supervision. Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology/psychotherapy. Additional, post-qualification short courses
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a qualified practitioner 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.
- Experience of working as a qualified practitioner with people with severe and enduring mental health problems who have come into contact with the criminal justice system and who have committed violent and sexual offences.
- Experience of working with the criminal justice models to understanding staff teams and service dynamics. Experience of providing liaison, consultation and clinical supervision to professional and non-professional groups in health or non-health settings. ` system with up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation
- Experience of working across in - patient, community and residential settings. Experience of teaching, training and providing professional/clinical supervision to others, including use complex multi - media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
- Well-developed skills in risk assessment and risk management including skills to prevent, de - escalate and manage verbal and physical aggression from clients on a day-to-day basis
Desirable
- Specific experience of working in inpatient or community mental health settings or in prison or other secure settings.
- Experience of working with Probation, NOMS or other criminal justice agencies in prison, community or Approved Premises
- Experience of providing liaison, consultation and clinical supervision to professional and non-professional groups in health or non-health settings.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of clinical assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, of highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professionals
- Specialist knowledge and skills in the assessment, formulation, treatment and management of mentally disordered offenders including personality disordered offender, in hospital, community and criminal justice setting
- Skills in risk assessment and risk management including skills to prevent, de - escalate and manage verbal and physical aggression from clients on a day to day basis
- Skills in providing consultation and supervision to other professional and non - professional groups.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific complex presentations (e.g. issues associated with diagnoses of BPD/EUPD).
- Knowledge and skills in relation to substance misuse, severe and enduring mental illness and/or other highly specialised forensic service user needs.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Interpersonally calm and able to defuse difficult, volatile situations.
- Able to tolerate ambiguity and to take decisions in situations of incomplete information.
- Ability to exercise appropriate levels of self-care and to monitor own state, recognising when it is necessary to take active steps to maintain fitness to practice.
- Good organisational skills
- Motivated towards personal and professional development with a strong CPD record.
Other
Essential
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
- Ability to organise and implement self-directed travel between working offices across the region and to attend national meetings.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling effective working within the Multi-Disciplinary Team.
- Ability to contain and work with high levels of distress from clients.
- Ability to contain and work with organisational stress
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).
