Psychologist (Offender Personality Disorder Pathway)

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Job summary

Psychologist | Permanent | 30 hours per week

Are you a compassionate Psychologist who is enthusiastic about Forensic Mental Health?

We are seeking a highly motivated Psychologist to provide relevant psychology support for the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway (OPD).

Our well established service continues to expand and will give you the opportunity to contribute to service development and leadership within the team. OPD is a small team of knowledgeable staff who are well supported and have access to opportunities for reflective practice, wellbeing strategies, training, supervision and CPD. Our team sits within the wider Forensic Service in Somerset, which also opens up opportunities to work alongside Specialist Community Forensic Team, Forensic Link Workers, Low Secure Ward and Advice and Support in Custody and Court.

The OPD pathway is a psychologically-led joint initiative between His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and NHS England for high risk offenders who experience a coexisting severe personality disorder.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a newly qualified psychologist seeking their first role post-qualification, with the potential to open doors for future progression to a Band 8a role across other teams within Forensic Services.

If you are a self-funded forensic psychology trainee (chartership or PHD) with relevant forensic experience, please do get in touch with us to discuss what we might be able to offer you.

Main duties of the job

The OPD pathway has three aims;

  • To reduce levels of re-offending
  • To improve the psychological health and wellbeing of this client group
  • To improve the skills, confidence and attitudes of the workforce

The role therefore involves providing consultation to probation officers and approved premises staff, developing formulations for this client group, developing and delivering relevant training and completing time-limited joint working with clients and probation staff.

This post asks for a range of skills across competencies and the main body of work will include consultation, formulation, reflective practice and training.

In addition, there will be regular opportunities for CPD and supervision of assistants.

We are open to a range of applications, if you are unsure if you meet the job description, please do get in touch to discuss in more detail. This can be arranged over MS Teams if helpful.

Please view feedback from a colleague working in a Psychology post within OPD/IIRMS for more information about the team.

About us

As an organisation, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust offers employees a wide range of benefits including flexible working, NHS pension scheme, generous annual leave allowance and a commitment to career development.You will be eligible for our Blue Light Card and a wide range of NHS exclusive shopping & leisure discounts.We are proud of our skilled, diverse workforce and as an inclusive employer we welcome applications from all backgrounds.Working in Somerset enables you to enjoy the idyllic countryside, areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable.Somerset offers the countryside and the cosmopolitan -- there is truly something for everyone!

Date posted

25 October 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

184-OL-GR-523

Job locations

Broadway House

Broadway Park

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 5LX


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key relationships include:

  • The wider forensic service.
  • Service users
  • Community Mental Health Teams
  • Safeguarding services
  • Responsible clinicians
  • Probation
  • Solicitors
  • Police
  • Social Care Agencies
  • GP's
  • Substance misuse services

Please see the attached job description for full duties.

Feedback given by an employee in a Psychologist post within OPD/IIRMS - 'This role is an excellent and varied opportunity to develop your consultation, formulation, reflective practice facilitation and clinical decision-making skills. Depending on service need, you will be given the creative licence to design and deliver bespoke training/workshops to probation practitioners and approved premises staff. For newly qualified practitioners, there is also an opportunity to practice and develop supervisory skills.

This is a fantastic way to understand the role of probation and work collaboratively to reduce reoffending and improve psychological outcomes for people on probation. This also includes holding a small caseload (dependent on service need) where you can 'think outside the box' to tailor and deliver time-limited interventions.

The team is small but incredibly supportive and work closely together, to ensure people on probation have access to the right level of support on the OPD pathway. There are strong working relationships between Psychology and OT to respond in a holistic manner.

There is consistent support through regular supervision and access to group reflective practice. There are opportunities for CPD to enhance knowledge and skills in your working with individuals with personality difficulties.

Finally, this is a hybrid role where you can comfortably manage your own diary allowing you to exercise autonomy and flexibility'.

Job responsibilities

Key relationships include:

  • The wider forensic service.
  • Service users
  • Community Mental Health Teams
  • Safeguarding services
  • Responsible clinicians
  • Probation
  • Solicitors
  • Police
  • Social Care Agencies
  • GP's
  • Substance misuse services

Please see the attached job description for full duties.

Feedback given by an employee in a Psychologist post within OPD/IIRMS - 'This role is an excellent and varied opportunity to develop your consultation, formulation, reflective practice facilitation and clinical decision-making skills. Depending on service need, you will be given the creative licence to design and deliver bespoke training/workshops to probation practitioners and approved premises staff. For newly qualified practitioners, there is also an opportunity to practice and develop supervisory skills.

This is a fantastic way to understand the role of probation and work collaboratively to reduce reoffending and improve psychological outcomes for people on probation. This also includes holding a small caseload (dependent on service need) where you can 'think outside the box' to tailor and deliver time-limited interventions.

The team is small but incredibly supportive and work closely together, to ensure people on probation have access to the right level of support on the OPD pathway. There are strong working relationships between Psychology and OT to respond in a holistic manner.

There is consistent support through regular supervision and access to group reflective practice. There are opportunities for CPD to enhance knowledge and skills in your working with individuals with personality difficulties.

Finally, this is a hybrid role where you can comfortably manage your own diary allowing you to exercise autonomy and flexibility'.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctorate degree in Clinical or Forensic Psychology or Qualification as a Forensic Psychologist.

Desirable

  • Further training / MSc in relevant area.

Experience

Desirable

  • Work experience with Forensic Mental Health.Experience of providing clinical supervision.

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • Ability to apply two or more distinct psychological approaches to formulation and intervention.Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly complex and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families/carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.Experience of providing recognised psychological interventions to clients presenting of complex mental health problems and risk.Able to negotiate and form collaborative partnerships with other professionals and agencies.Skills using word processing, presentation and spreadsheet applications.Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including, presentation of cases.Resilient management of own emotions to deal calmly with difficult situations and people (e.g, emotion or distress in a clinical setting).

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctorate degree in Clinical or Forensic Psychology or Qualification as a Forensic Psychologist.

Desirable

  • Further training / MSc in relevant area.

Experience

Desirable

  • Work experience with Forensic Mental Health.Experience of providing clinical supervision.

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • Ability to apply two or more distinct psychological approaches to formulation and intervention.Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly complex and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families/carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.Experience of providing recognised psychological interventions to clients presenting of complex mental health problems and risk.Able to negotiate and form collaborative partnerships with other professionals and agencies.Skills using word processing, presentation and spreadsheet applications.Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including, presentation of cases.Resilient management of own emotions to deal calmly with difficult situations and people (e.g, emotion or distress in a clinical setting).

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Broadway House

Broadway Park

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 5LX


Employer's website

https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Broadway House

Broadway Park

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 5LX


Employer's website

https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Hiring Manager

Carrie Brandom

carrie.brandom@somersetft.nhs.uk

07920236197

Date posted

25 October 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

184-OL-GR-523

Job locations

Broadway House

Broadway Park

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 5LX


Supporting documents

Please view the full job description on NHS Jobs for attached documents.

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