Band 8b Clinical or Forensic Psychologist - Bristol

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

The closing date is 28 April 2025

Job summary

AWP Secure Inpatient Servicesare seeking an experienced clinical, forensic, or counselling psychologist for a Band 8b maternity cover position. This role involves working with individuals experiencing significant mental health difficulties, such as psychosis, who present a substantial risk to others.

Secure Inpatient Servicescomprises Fromeside, an 81-bed medium secure unit, and Wickham, a 30-bed low secure unit, both located on the Blackberry Hill Hospital site in north Bristol. The service includes a specialist women's ward and an 8-bed ward for men with learning disabilities and/or autism. Our large, friendly psychology team has expertise in addressing a wide range of issues, including violence, sexual offending, fire setting, learning disabilities, autism, personality disorders, and psychosis.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead on the delivery of Medium Secure inpatient psychology services across Secure providing highly specialist therapy and assessment services to individuals with severe mental health problems and forensic histories referred to Secure Services from within the West of England catchment area.
  • Co-ordinate and deliver the clinical service and manage team activities under the supervision of the Head of Psychological Therapies.
  • Supervise and support Band 8a, Band 7, Trainees and assistant psychologists.
  • Provide direct clinical work, consultation, teaching, and staff support.
  • Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team (MDT), including psychiatry, nursing, arts psychotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists.
  • Conduct specialist assessments, develop complex formulations, and design and deliver individualised therapeutic interventions.
  • Facilitate therapeutic groups and engage in complex systemic work.
  • Participate in the continued development of the service, including liaising with key stakeholders.
  • Provide specialist clinical supervision to clinical psychologists and other staff working within the service and offer consultation to partner agencies and other stakeholders.
  • Engage in service development projects.

We welcome discussions with interested candidates about this exciting opportunity.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care. We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Date posted

14 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

342-SEC035-0425

Job locations

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 1EG


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached Job description and person specification . For more detailed information regarding the role please contact Hannah Ray.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached Job description and person specification . For more detailed information regarding the role please contact Hannah Ray.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral Clinical or Forensic Psychology qualification or equivalent
  • Eligible for Chartered Psychologist status
  • HPC Registered
  • Substantial post qualification and further specialist training in specified specialist intervention

Experience

Essential

  • Training others in mental health services topics
  • Clinical supervision/ consultation with other professionals including offering complex multi-agency consultations
  • Aware of evidence based assessment and therapeutic interventions with client group and to undertake such assessments and interventions.
  • Expert Psychological assessment skills and knowledge as well as formulation skills and knowledge.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral Clinical or Forensic Psychology qualification or equivalent
  • Eligible for Chartered Psychologist status
  • HPC Registered
  • Substantial post qualification and further specialist training in specified specialist intervention

Experience

Essential

  • Training others in mental health services topics
  • Clinical supervision/ consultation with other professionals including offering complex multi-agency consultations
  • Aware of evidence based assessment and therapeutic interventions with client group and to undertake such assessments and interventions.
  • Expert Psychological assessment skills and knowledge as well as formulation skills and knowledge.

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.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 1EG


Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 1EG


Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


For questions about the job, contact:

Team Manager

Hannah Ray

hannah.ray@nhs.net

Date posted

14 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

342-SEC035-0425

Job locations

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 1EG


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)