NELFT North East London Foundation Trust
Practitioner Psychologist/Psychological Therapist
The closing date is 06 November 2025
This is an exciting opportunity to work within a newly commissioned pan‑London Men's Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) service to reduce custodial sentences and improve the wellbeing of men in the criminal justice system with mental health needs. Mental Health Treatment Requirements were introduced by the Criminal Justice Act in 2003, recognising that for many individuals who offend, mental health and substance misuse issues underpin their offending behaviour. Treatment requirements offer courts an alternative to short custodial sentences and aim to prevent reoffending by addressing underlying vulnerabilities and improving quality of life. This service aims to increase the use of primary care treatment requirements as part of a community sentence, offering psychologically informed interventions and advice. The MHTR Service will also provide the courts with information and confidence to sentence to robust and effective treatment requirements.
North London Forensic Collaborative is the largest forensic provider collaborative in England and is a partnership between forensic services within five NHS Trusts including: North London NHS Foundation Trust – Lead Provider; Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust; East London NHS Foundation Trust; North East London NHS Foundation Trust; and West London NHS Trust.
Main duties of the job
This Band 7 post will be hosted by North East London NHS Foundation Trust as part of a team that works across the whole of North East London. Some posts in the team are hosted by NELFT and others by ELFT.
North London Forensic Collaborative are looking for three full‑time Band 7 Psychologists or Psychological Therapists. NELFT is recruiting one of these posts which will be responsible for assessing suitability and making recommendations for MHTRs across North East London, and for delivering short‑term psychological interventions for those sentenced to an MHTR. There are two equivalent posts being recruited via CNWL and we expect the services to work closely together to ensure consistency in the MHTR service offered across London.
The successful candidate will hold a clinical caseload and be responsible for supervision of the assistant psychologist team. We hope to recruit a staff team reflective of the population we serve and welcome applications from those with protected characteristics, including minoritised ethnic groups. Candidates will be considered for all NLFC posts at interview. All trusts support flexible working and applications for secondments to this substantive role will be considered.
We welcome applicants who are newly qualified or approaching qualification who are enthusiastic and dedicated to working in this field, with or without prior experience in secure or forensic services.
About us
Our Values 2025‑2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co‑produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
* We are kind.
* We are respectful.
* We work together with our communities.
These three values help us strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
Starting with Us
NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertakes a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop‑in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
High Cost Area Supplement – Inner London
This post also attracts a payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 20% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £5,415 to a maximum of £8,465 per annum pro‑rate for part time).
Job responsibilities
* Assessment of men prior to sentencing to consider suitability for an MHTR
* Providing short‑term psychological interventions for those who are sentenced to an MHTR
* Liaison with stakeholders including probation colleagues and court staff
* Supervision of pre‑qualified staff including trainees and assistant psychologists
* Involvement in service research, audits and development
* The postholder will supervise pre‑qualified psychological therapists including assistant psychologists
Please see attached document for full Job Description and Person Specification.
Anticipated interview date: Tuesday 18th November.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* HCPC Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist or registered as a psychological therapist
* Registered with professional body
* CPD: training in working with people with trauma presentations, research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
* Training in more than one psychological therapy
Experience
* Working with a range of client groups across the lifespan, with a range of complexity and challenge
* Interventions with complex groups
* Experience of delivering brief, primary care, CBT interventions or equivalent
* Teaching and training
* Own lived/living experience
* Knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies
* Legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
* Application of psychology in different cultural and specialist contexts
* Forensic experience
* Multicultural contexts
Knowledge
* Research experience
* Knowledge of forensic assessment
* Understanding of the current context of service provision within the NHS
* Knowledge of interventions with this client group
Skills
* Communication, including training others
* Working with challenging groups
* Willingness to work flexibly to meet demands of contracts, commissioners and other stakeholders to provide high‑quality and effective care
* Anti‑racist and anti‑discriminatory
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.
NELFT North East London Foundation Trust
£47,810 to £54,710 per annum (plus HCAS)
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