Overview
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is a Top Employer Award Winner and works in partnership to provide responsive and dependable primary care, mental health, intellectual disability and substance misuse services to the diverse and culturally rich communities we serve.
The London Women’s MHTR Service is part of the London Pathways Partnership (LPP), jointly provided by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, CNWL NHS Foundation Trust and Together for Mental Wellbeing. The role is to lead and develop the pan-London Women’s Mental Health Treatment Requirement service to reduce custodial sentences and improve wellbeing for women in the criminal justice system with mental health needs. The position is a maternity cover from December 2025 for approximately 10 months and will be responsible for operational service delivery across all courts in London, with a small, complex clinical caseload and supervision of the clinical team.
Our motto is “Caring NOT Judging”. We collaborate with the criminal justice system and other agencies to provide high-quality primary care and mental health services to those who may have offended or be at risk of offending, in the communities we serve.
Location: London area; type: full-time (maternity cover for approximately 10 months).
Note: This description reflects the original job information and responsibilities as provided.
Main duties and responsibilities
The Women’s Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) Service is funded through a partnership between the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I), Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and Office of Health Improvement and Disparities. MHTRs provide a psychologically informed treatment option within community sentences and support courts in decision-making about robust and effective treatment requirements. The role covers the current post holder’s maternity leave and includes operational oversight across all London courts, a small clinical caseload, and supervision of the clinical team.
Key duties include: organizing psychological and OPD (Offender Personality Disorder) provision, ensuring equitable and evidence-based services with robust referral and transition policies, and contributing to sentence planning and OPD strategies and guidelines. The role also involves leading on staff development, training, and liaison with partners to ensure co-led OPD services and staff supervision.
Specific responsibilities include leading on service development, governance, audit, policy, business development, and representation at contract review meetings and national forums. The role also includes teaching and training of junior staff, psychology students and trainees, and specialist nurses, as well as involvement in local Senior Management Teams and broader Health & Justice and LPP activities.
Working for our organisation
CNWL offers ongoing career progression, supervision, personal development plans, and access to internal and external training opportunities. Staff benefits include health and wellbeing services, cycle to work, season ticket loans, and access to MyTrustBenefits with discounts across retailers and opportunities for online courses. Free onsite leisure facilities and parking are available at CNWL sites where applicable. We support vaccination as part of NHS policies.
Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities
Lead on the organisation, management and clinical leadership of high-quality specialist OPD services, including HMP Highdown OPD and CNWL’s community OPD in London, within the London Pathways Partnership. Responsibilities include staffing, service model development, and ensuring alignment with OPD strategies and guidelines. Co-leadership with HMPPS partners, supervision of psychologists and OPD clinicians, and provision of teaching and training to junior staff and trainees. Contribute to Care Quality and to the development of OPD services within the Trust and LPP. Take an active role in Senior Management Teams and wider Health & Justice and LPP services, contribute to tenders and business development, and lead on investigations, audits, and policy development as appropriate. Represent OPD services in contract reviews and national forums, and contribute to research within the OPD Service Line.
Person specification
Skills
* Deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences
* Administer and interpret specialist psychological assessments from multiple data sources
* Communicate complex information sensitively with clients, carers and colleagues
* Plan assessment and intervention schedules for individuals and groups; organise CPAs and case reviews
* Lead psychology and psychotherapy service delivery involving partner agencies
* Administer psychometric tests; supervise others in test administration
* Strong consultation skills for multi-professional teams
* IT skills for data entry, analysis and teaching
* Provide teaching and training to professional groups
Qualifications
Essential qualifications
* HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist with Doctorate in Applied Psychology or MSc plus appropriate postgraduate training
* Post-qualification training in a specialism (PG Diploma or equivalent) or portfolio of supervised practice assessed to be equivalent to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher
* Completed training in clinical supervision
* Evidence of continuing professional development with HCPC
Experience
Essential experience
* Clinical specialist work in forensic mental health services under supervision
* Experience in leadership roles
* Experience in specialist psychological assessment and treatment for complex forensic cases
* Experience supervising assistant and trainee psychologists
* Experience teaching/training psychologists or other professionals
* Post-qualification experience addressing diversity in local communities
* Experience with post-doctoral research, audit or service evaluation
* Experience proposing and implementing service development projects impacting beyond own area
* Experience in recruitment
Desirable
* Publications in peer-reviewed journals/books
Abilities and knowledge
Abilities
* Work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team; contribute to team functioning
* Identify and apply clinical governance mechanisms
* Develop and use complex multimedia materials for presentations
* Maintain concentration and manage extended observations and interventions
* Manage emotionally stressful situations (victims of abuse, trauma, self-harm, aggression)
* Manage verbal aggression
Knowledge
* Knowledge of management and leadership theory and practice
* Advanced knowledge of specialized psychological therapies for women in criminal justice
* Advanced knowledge of psychopathology and evidence base for relevant treatments
* Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and psychometrics
* Knowledge of relevant legislation and safeguarding
* Doctoral-level knowledge of research methodology and statistics
* Knowledge of factors affecting access to mental health care
Seniority level
* Director
Employment type
* Full-time
Job function
* Health Care Provider
* Hospitals and Health Care
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