Job summary
This post offers an exciting opportunity for a Clinical/Forensic/Counselling Psychologist or Psychological Therapist to work with offenders with complex personality difficulties and with Probation Service London (PSL) as part of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway.
The North East London Integrated Community Pathways Service (NE ICPS) is a team of Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Clinical Practitioners, and Probation Officers that provides both direct and indirect support to people on probation presenting with complex personality difficulties and a high risk of harm to others. We have the joint aims of reducing offending and improving psychological wellbeing.
Main duties of the job
In the indirect component of the work, the post holder will be responsible for providing support to probation practitioners in identifying and managing people on probation who present a high risk of serious offending that is linked to personality difficulties. This will include offering individual and group consultations, joint working, training, staff support, and reflective practice.
In the direct component of the work, the post holder will carry out intake assessments for the NE ICPS, including structured risk assessments, and make recommendations for risk management and treatment.
The post holder will oversee the work of clinical practitioners working with the individuals presenting with the highest level of risk and need. The post holder will also provide enhanced therapeutic interventions (e.g., Mentalisation Based Therapy, EMDR, Schema Therapy) and other evidenced based interventions for people with complex trauma and personality difficulties.
The post holder will utilise research skills in audit and other research and development activities. They will supervise and direct the work of junior psychological therapists and assistant and trainee psychologists as required. The post holder will work autonomously within professional guidelines, policies and procedures of LPP's services, and overarching objectives of LPP and the OPD Pathway.
About us
London Pathways Partnership (LPP) is a consortium of five NHS Trusts co-delivering a pan-London Integrated Community Pathway Service (ICPS) for the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway alongside Probation Service London (PSL) colleagues. The OPD Pathway programme provides services to men and women with complex psychological difficulties and serious offending histories, and to the multi-agency professionals working with them. LPP also co-delivers OPD services in four prisons in partnership with HMPPS Prison Service staff. The ICPS delivers consultation, training, and joint casework to PSL and assessment, case management, and therapeutic interventions to service users.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Person Specification
Education/Qualification/Training
Essential
- Registration and post-graduate (or equivalent) qualifications as Practitioner Psychologist or Psychological Therapist
- Evidence of CPD in accordance with HCPC recommendations
- Accredited training in structured professional judgement (SPJ) risk assessments
- Breakaway training
Desirable
- Post-qualification training in an additional specialised area relevant to forensic psychology
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Additional relevant clinical and/or managerial knowledge and skills acquired through formal training, long or short courses, formal supervision (individual and/or group), structured self-study, or experience
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management, including the use of theoretical models to analyse information and develop formulations upon which to base choice of treatment
- Skills in delivering psychological interventions in individual and group formats, adapted to meet the needs of the individual or group
- Skills in the practice of at least one specialised psychological therapy appropriate to the treatment of patients with complex needs, personality disorder, dual diagnosis, substance misuse, offending, such as CBT, and high level knowledge of the theory and practice of one other
- Ability to plan and deliver teaching and training of psychology and non-psychology staff
- Knowledge of the evidence base for psychological interventions with the forensic client group
- Skills in effective oral and written communication of complex and/or clinically sensitive information to a wide range of recipients both within and outside the NHS, including the ability to produce letters, reports, and associated documentation appropriate to its readership, and to overcome barriers to understanding and acceptance
- Skills in providing advice and consultation to other professionals and carers
- Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own work
- Basic computing skills: word processing, email, Internet
- Knowledge of the legal framework in which forensic services operate, and of other agencies and systems involved in the treatment/management and care of mentally disordered offenders
- Ability to identify risk relevant to forensic work. Skills in risk assessment and risk management
- Postgraduate level knowledge of research methodology, including research design, and complex statistical analysis: audit skills
- Ability to plan and deliver teaching and training sessions; high level presentation skills
- Ability to produce high quality professional results to specified deadlines and other time constraints
- Ability to effectively manage verbal aggression and the risk of physical aggression from patients or carers
- Ability to effectively manage frequent exposure to highly distressing/ emotional circumstances
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult-to-treat groups (complex needs, personality disorder, dual diagnosis, substance misuse, offending)
- Skills in an area of specialist clinical or research interest
- Ability to use advanced IT packages
- Awareness of diversity, and ability to provide a service that is appropriate to a diverse range of people
- Knowledge of team and organisational dynamics
- Ability to use multi-media presentation materials
Experience
Essential
- Post-qualification experience in a forensic or rehabilitation specialism
- Experience of providing specialist psychological assessments and treatment interventions to patients with complex problems, including severe mental illness, personality disorder, substance misuse, offending behaviour and/or dual diagnosis
- Experience of working across a range of settings including inpatient, outpatient and/or community
- Experience of working with a variety of patients reflecting a wide range of clinical severity
- Experience of providing clinical supervision
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both in the context of a multidisciplinary care plan and for patients managed by psychologically-based care plans
Desirable
- Experience of representing psychology in various teams and working groups
- Experience of working with personality disorder in a forensic setting
- Experience of working in a multi-cultural setting, including working with interpreters
- Experience of teaching or training
Other
Essential
- Ability to recognise, contain and work with organisational and personal stress
- Ability to work creatively, co-operatively, reliably, and consistently both as an independent practitioner and in multi-disciplinary and team settings
- Respectful approach to patients, carers, colleagues, and others
- Willingness to negotiate and ability to handle confrontation effectively and professionally
Person Specification
Education/Qualification/Training
Essential
- Registration and post-graduate (or equivalent) qualifications as Practitioner Psychologist or Psychological Therapist
- Evidence of CPD in accordance with HCPC recommendations
- Accredited training in structured professional judgement (SPJ) risk assessments
- Breakaway training
Desirable
- Post-qualification training in an additional specialised area relevant to forensic psychology
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Additional relevant clinical and/or managerial knowledge and skills acquired through formal training, long or short courses, formal supervision (individual and/or group), structured self-study, or experience
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management, including the use of theoretical models to analyse information and develop formulations upon which to base choice of treatment
- Skills in delivering psychological interventions in individual and group formats, adapted to meet the needs of the individual or group
- Skills in the practice of at least one specialised psychological therapy appropriate to the treatment of patients with complex needs, personality disorder, dual diagnosis, substance misuse, offending, such as CBT, and high level knowledge of the theory and practice of one other
- Ability to plan and deliver teaching and training of psychology and non-psychology staff
- Knowledge of the evidence base for psychological interventions with the forensic client group
- Skills in effective oral and written communication of complex and/or clinically sensitive information to a wide range of recipients both within and outside the NHS, including the ability to produce letters, reports, and associated documentation appropriate to its readership, and to overcome barriers to understanding and acceptance
- Skills in providing advice and consultation to other professionals and carers
- Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own work
- Basic computing skills: word processing, email, Internet
- Knowledge of the legal framework in which forensic services operate, and of other agencies and systems involved in the treatment/management and care of mentally disordered offenders
- Ability to identify risk relevant to forensic work. Skills in risk assessment and risk management
- Postgraduate level knowledge of research methodology, including research design, and complex statistical analysis: audit skills
- Ability to plan and deliver teaching and training sessions; high level presentation skills
- Ability to produce high quality professional results to specified deadlines and other time constraints
- Ability to effectively manage verbal aggression and the risk of physical aggression from patients or carers
- Ability to effectively manage frequent exposure to highly distressing/ emotional circumstances
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult-to-treat groups (complex needs, personality disorder, dual diagnosis, substance misuse, offending)
- Skills in an area of specialist clinical or research interest
- Ability to use advanced IT packages
- Awareness of diversity, and ability to provide a service that is appropriate to a diverse range of people
- Knowledge of team and organisational dynamics
- Ability to use multi-media presentation materials
Experience
Essential
- Post-qualification experience in a forensic or rehabilitation specialism
- Experience of providing specialist psychological assessments and treatment interventions to patients with complex problems, including severe mental illness, personality disorder, substance misuse, offending behaviour and/or dual diagnosis
- Experience of working across a range of settings including inpatient, outpatient and/or community
- Experience of working with a variety of patients reflecting a wide range of clinical severity
- Experience of providing clinical supervision
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both in the context of a multidisciplinary care plan and for patients managed by psychologically-based care plans
Desirable
- Experience of representing psychology in various teams and working groups
- Experience of working with personality disorder in a forensic setting
- Experience of working in a multi-cultural setting, including working with interpreters
- Experience of teaching or training
Other
Essential
- Ability to recognise, contain and work with organisational and personal stress
- Ability to work creatively, co-operatively, reliably, and consistently both as an independent practitioner and in multi-disciplinary and team settings
- Respectful approach to patients, carers, colleagues, and others
- Willingness to negotiate and ability to handle confrontation effectively and professionally
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).
