An exciting position has arisen for a Band 8b Principal Psychologist role at the Rivendell Service at HMP New Hall. Band 8a psychologists with sufficient leadership experience are encouraged to apply for this role, which is an excellent development opportunity.
Health and Justice Services part of the Specialist Service Network for GMMH are working in partnership with HMP New Hall to implement the National Offender Personality (OPD) strategy. The Rivendell team comprises of clinical and forensic psychologists, a project administrator and HMPPS officers working collaboratively to provide a therapeutic environment for service‑users presenting with complex personality presentations linked to their offending behaviours.
Rivendell provides an intensive two‑year intervention service for up to 16 women. The service prides itself on offering a strong partnership arrangement with HMP New Hall.
This role provides a wide breadth of experience in delivering assessments and therapeutic work, working alongside the clinical lead to provide leadership for the service, partnership working, supervision, training and consultation.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide clinical leadership alongside the consultant psychologist and clinical lead for Rivendell. They will work closely with our clinical and forensic psychologists to support the delivery of the service.
The post holder will be expected to support the wider day‑to‑day delivery of the clinical model, working in partnership with a range of prison staff, wider stakeholders and adhering to the OPD pathway specifications.
The post holder will be responsible for supporting the formulation‑driven care for a small caseload of service‑users. The completion of risk assessments, formulations and interventions will be a part of the role.
The post holder will be expected to provide highly specialist psychological advice and consultation to non‑psychological colleagues within the professional team.
The post holder will take the lead in managing the referral process and liaising with referrers to consider the most appropriate pathway options.
The postholder will be expected to propose and support service development.
There will be scope for consultation work with other disciplines, to work collaboratively with other agencies to support our client group and to deliver training to prison staff both within Rivendell and the wider prison.
Job responsibilities
See attached job description and job specification.
This role provides a wide breadth of experience in delivering assessments and therapeutic work, working alongside the clinical lead to provide leadership for the service, partnership working, supervision, training and consultation.
Ideally, we hope to attract candidates with existing experience in the area of personality disorder and the criminal justice system.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
* Doctoral degree in clinical or forensic psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) or Masters degree in Forensic psychology plus experience working in a therapeutic environment.
* Current HCPC registration as a clinical or forensic psychologist.
* Further post graduate or specialist training in psychology, mental health practice or therapeutic skills.
Experience
* Further specialist managerial experience and training, including extensive supervision and management of clinical staff. Significant experience of service development and leadership. Experience of developing assessments, formulations and therapeutic intervention to people presenting with complex mental health, personality difficulties or offending behaviours.
* Worked within a trauma‑informed environment.
* Experience of working professionally within a custodial or secure environment.
* Worked specifically with the needs of women.
* Experience of providing supervision and training to multi‑disciplinary staff.
Knowledge
* Knowledge and awareness of the factors that contribute to complex personality presentations, emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties.
* Knowledge of psychological models and treatment approaches for working with those presenting with complex personality difficulties.
* Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of psychological approaches to the treatment of the users of forensic mental health and/or criminal justice services.
* Awareness of the OPD pathway strategy.
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.
Consultant Clinical & Forensic Psychologist
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