Overview
The Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) programme is a jointly commissioned initiative by NHS England and His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, aiming to provide a pathway of psychologically informed services for a highly complex and challenging offender group with severe personality difficulties and high risk of harm or reoffending. Our OPD Pathways service offers a consultation and formulation service to offender managers across 9 Surrey and Sussex probation offices. The Intensive Intervention & Risk Management Services (IIRMS) forms part of the wider OPD Pathway. You will lead a cross counties service covering Sussex and Surrey, providing professional and clinical leadership to a dedicated, skilled multi-disciplinary and multiagency team. You will work closely and collaboratively with regional senior probation officers and Kent, Surrey and Sussex (KSS) provider collaborative colleagues in similar posts. The role will also supervise the Clinical Leads for Brighton and Crawley Primary Care Mental Health Treatment Requirement team (Reflect Service), based at Brighton and Crawley Probation offices.
Responsibilities
* Provide professional and clinical leadership to OPD and IIRMS teams providing consultations to offender managers and direct clinical support to a high-risk group with offending histories.
* Ensure contractual KPI performance and reporting, and clinical governance.
* Represent the Forensic CDS and SPFT in negotiations, collaborations and strategy development with the general manager and Probation Service senior colleagues.
* Deliver comprehensive, accessible and evidence-based training plans.
* Develop and support a competent, skilled and psychologically informed offender manager workforce working with people with offending backgrounds, presenting with high risk/challenging behaviours and complex personality difficulties.
* Supervise the Clinical Leads for the Reflect Service as described.
About us
At Sussex Partnership we are committed to providing opportunities for flexible working. If you would like to work differently or different hours to those advertised, please get in touch to discuss this in more detail.
Consider the lifestyle in Sussex: coastal and countryside access, renowned cycle routes and walks, the South Downs National Park, coastal towns, easy access to airports (Gatwick and Heathrow within 90 minutes), and connections to Brighton, London via local and national routes.
Details
* Date posted: 30 September 2025
* Pay scheme: Agenda for change
* Band: Band 8c
* Salary: £76,965 to £88,682 a year pro rata
* Contract: Fixed term
* Duration: 13 months
* Working pattern: Part-time, Flexible working
* Reference number: 354-FH-20558
* Job locations: Brighton Probation, Lancaster House, 47 Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 9QA
Job description / Job responsibilities
You will be an applied psychologist with a core HCPC-recognised qualification and significant experience at Principal or Consultant level, preferably in a service working with people with offending histories, high risk/challenging behaviours, and complex personality challenges. Demonstrate excellent consultation, communication and collaboration skills with a range of stakeholders within Health and Criminal Justice, and experience in leadership roles as a teacher, trainer and mentor to staff.
See attached Job Description and Personal Specification for full details. For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Michael Lawson, Lead for Psychology and Psychological Therapies, Forensic Healthcare CDS, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, 07471 217851, michael.lawson@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk (Mon-Thu).
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology (or equivalent for those educated before 1996 or outside the UK) as approved by the HCPC, including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
* For forensic psychologists in forensic settings: Masters degree with British Psychological Society qualification in forensic psychology or equivalent.
* Post doctoral / post-qualification training in one or more specialised areas of psychological practice relevant to the Service.
* HCPC Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist.
Knowledge / Experience
* Doctoral level knowledge of applied psychology including lifespan developmental psychology, psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, neuropsychology, and multiple psychological therapies.
* Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology.
* Extensive experience as a qualified psychologist within the Specific Care Group/Service and leadership roles in mental health services.
* Knowledge of national policy frameworks and the mental health economy within the Trust services.
* Experience in providing clinical leadership within a multidisciplinary mental health provider context and in representing services in local or regional policy forums.
* Experience working with diverse client groups across life stages and care settings, including handling high-stress, emotive, and potentially abusive environments.
* Experience exercising full clinical responsibility for service users' psychological care within a multidisciplinary care plan.
Other information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure to be checked by the DBS.
Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. See UK Visas and Immigration guidance for details. UK criminal records guidance applies for overseas applicants.
UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. See NHS Careers for details.
Employer details
Employer: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Brighton Probation, Lancaster House, 47 Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 9QA
Employer website: https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/
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