Overview
This is an exciting opportunity to join and help develop our expanding Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Services for women. Options is a treatment and support service running primarily modified forensic Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Programmes, offering treatment for service users identified on the Personality Disorder Pathway. We offer 1:1 EMDR therapy, staff training, consultation and formulation services to probation and prison colleagues to support women through their sentence plan and into the community.
Service users report improvements in how they manage emotions and relationships. "I\'ve noticed genuine changes in my behaviour since doing Options. I\'ve learned new ways to deal with problems and think about things better. I am more able to think before I react to things."
You will join an established staff team of psychologists and prison officers with interests in team working, personality disorder and neurodiversity. The expanded service includes an increase in psychologists and an arts therapist.
Main duties of the job
* To provide psychologically informed care and interventions to service users of the OPD services, including the delivery of specialist individual and group therapy including outreach support and stabilisation with women at HMP Downview
* To work with the team to support women on the Offender Personality Disorder pathway and to promote a trauma informed, risk cognisant environment and service
* To develop and support psychological formulations that enhance staff\'s ability to support the women in their sentence progression
* To provide training and participate in audit and research that aims to improve the service
* To supervise prison and qualified and pre-qualification NHS team members including trainee psychologists
About us
By joining CNWL you will join a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide an array of mental health and OPD services across London and the home counties. Our staff are dynamic and welcoming and the networking and CPD opportunities are central to our services ethos. We have active research forums and promote our services and work through academic and clinical forums. All staff receive regular supervision and are supported with career aspirations and progression.
Excellent staff benefits, our benefit packages are among the best in London and include health and wellbeing services, season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme. You are entitled to become a member of MyTrustBenefits, an online portal with discounts and online courses.
HMP Downview is in easy reach of London and surrounding areas. The prison offers onsite leisure facilities and free parking for all staff.
Details
Date posted: 30 October 2025
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £61,631 to £68,623 a year per annum inc HCAS (pro rata if P/T)
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 333-D-HJ-1919
Job locations: HMP Downview, Sutton Lane, Sutton Surrey, SM2 5PD
Job responsibilities
Please see attached detailed job description and person specification. We are a friendly team and encourage any prospective candidate to contact us with any questions and/or to book an informal visit.
Person Specification
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
* Essential: Doctoral level training in clinical, forensic or counselling psychology, including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, equivalent to that accredited by the BPS
* Essential: HCPC Registered as a practitioner psychologist
* Essential: Evidence of post-qualification specialist training, experience and developing expertise in a specialist area of clinical practice relevant to this role
* Desirable: Pre- or post-qualification training in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
* Essential: Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings
* Essential: Experience with diverse client groups and handling highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse, and risk of physical abuse
* Essential: Experience of representing psychology within multidisciplinary care
* Essential: Experience of applying psychology in different cultural contexts and working within a multicultural framework
* Essential: Knowledge of theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies for difficult groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis, additional disabilities)
* Essential: Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC
* Desirable: Experience of working in secure environments and/or forensic mental health
* Desirable: Experience of trauma informed approaches
* Desirable: Lived experience of mental health issues
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES
* Essential: Skills in complex psychological assessment, intervention and management requiring sustained concentration
* Essential: Strong communication skills to convey complex information to clients, families and professional colleagues
* Essential: Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
* Essential: Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology and data analysis
* Essential: Competence in supervision of junior psychology staff and trainees
* Essential: Ability to maintain clinical governance and practice under emotive conditions
* Essential: Broad knowledge of models of assessment, management and treatment of offenders with mental health issues and personality disorders
* Essential: Ability to work with complex needs including sexual and violent offending and self-harming behaviours
* Essential: Strong planning and organisational skills for clinical service provision
* Essential: Experience of software such as SPSS and Excel
* Essential: Ongoing commitment to CPD in forensic populations
* Desirable: Ability to write reports for varied audiences, including courts and purchasers of services
DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE CHECK
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure submission to check for any previous convictions.
CERTIFICATION AND SPONSORSHIP
Applications from job seekers who require Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. All applicants should be aware of UK criminal records requirements for overseas applicants.
UK REGISTRATION
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For information see the NHS Careers website.
EMPLOYER DETAILS
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Address: HMP Downview, Sutton Lane, Sutton Surrey, SM2 5PD
Employer's website: cnwl.nhs.uk/work
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