Senior Registered Psychologist Clinical Lead

Career Choices Dewis Gyrfa Ltd; Cowdenbeath; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency seeks a Senior Registered Psychologist to serve as Clinical Lead for a PIPE at HMP Wymott. This full-time, permanent position focuses on managing complex dynamics within a psychological environment aimed at rehabilitation. The ideal candidate will have strong leadership skills, extensive experience in psychological assessment, and a commitment to reducing reoffending through training and consultancy. Flexibility for travel is required as part of the role, which prioritizes relational working with staff and offenders.

Qualifications

• Two years post registration experience preferred.
• Experience with complex individuals and risk assessments.
• Competence in delivering trainings and consultations.

Responsibilities

• Manage the PIPE service and maintain a healthy psychosocial environment.
• Supervise and mentor staff in psychological practices.
• Participate in clinical meetings and produce reports for commissioners.

Skills

Leadership

Psychological assessment

Group dynamics management

Education

Registered Psychologist

Minimum of 18 months post-registration experience

Job description

13605 - Senior Registered Psychologist – Psychology Services – PIPE - HMP Wymott - Clinical Lead

Employer:

Ministry of Justice

Location:

PR26 8LW

Pay:

£55,457 to £61,003 per year

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hours:

Full time

Disability Confident:

No

Closing Date:

01/03/2026

About this job

PIPE Clinical Lead, Senior Registered Forensic or Clinical Psychologist (Band 8) at HMP Wymott. Do you have a passion for reducing reoffending and relational working? Do you enjoy supporting other professionals to deliver positive and boundaried relationships with offenders to support rehabilitation? Then we have just the job.

• NorthWest Psychology Services (NWPS) are seeking a Clinical Lead for a 60-bed main location progression PIPE (Psychologically Informed Planned Environment) at HMP Wymott, which is a Category C prison.

This post is full-time, 0.9 (WTE) based on the PIPE and 0.1 (WTE) in the wider NWPS team. This role is a permanent role within NWPS as a Senior Registered Psychologist. The post holder will be part of the NWPS team and as such will be expected to engage in all necessary duties, including but not limited to mandatory training and reporting requirements, as well as completing duties as required by the PIPE role, including regular attendance at in-person national meetings at various locations and regular in-person group clinical supervision. Therefore flexibility to travel is a requirement of this post.

The post holder will be based on site on the PIPE at HMP Wymott for most of the working week with limited opportunity for flexible/ hybrid working due to the relational nature of the role. Placement as PIPE Clinical Lead would be collaboratively reviewed with the post holder after a period of not more than 3 years to ensure development needs of both the PIPE environment and the post holder are being met.

To be eligible, the post holder should have two years post registration experience at the point of taking up post. However, applications will be welcomed from psychologists who have a minimum of 18 months post registration experience; although they will not be able to formally take up the post until they have been registered for two years and subject to the necessary pre-employment checks.

The post holder will be working with complex individuals and staff and applying their experience and competence in psychology to reduce the risk of harm and re-offending by providing consultancy and delivering training for staff, undertaking complex risk assessments, conducting research and interventions, both as part of the PIPE Clinical Lead and generic NWPS roles. This is a non-operational job with line management responsibilities.

PIPE Context: Psychologically Informed Planned Environments (PIPEs) are part of the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway, which is jointly commissioned by the NHS and HMPPS. PIPEs are specifically designed, contained environments where staff members have additional training to develop an increased psychological understanding of their work. This understanding enables them to create an enhanced safe and supportive environment, which can facilitate the development of those who live and work there. They are designed to have a particular focus on the environment in which they operate; actively recognising the importance and quality of relationships and interactions. They aim to maximise ordinary situations and to approach these in a psychologically informed way, paying attention to interpersonal difficulties, for example those issues that might be linked to personality disorder. PIPEs are not treatment interventions.

• The PIPEs model has been developed as an environmental approach to enhance the delivery of core work within Prison and Probation (community) settings, where additional psychological or ‘psychosocial’ considerations are required.

Principal Clinical Lead Duties: The post holder will hold a strategic position as Clinical Lead for the PIPE service. They will have a key role in creating and maintaining a healthy psychosocial environment; ensuring that the unit adheres to the theoretical principles of the PIPE model. This will include design, delivery and oversight of the core components of the PIPE model, including group work and the management of group dynamics, delivery of group and individual supervision. It also requires the post holder to work closely with the Operational Lead. The post holder will manage the development of a positive and enabling milieu, ensuring that the delivery of psychosocial aspects of the PIPE service is compliant with policy and delivery arrangements. This will include ensuring the PIPE service works towards and meeting and maintaining the standards set out for the Enabling Environment accreditation.

Responsibilities as Clinical Lead: The post holder will be managing a wide range of complex dynamics within the environment and host organisation. This will require the post holder to take on a leadership role within the organisation, working effectively alongside operational and strategic leads for the service. The post holder will contribute to staff development by offering training, supporting and providing clinical supervision. They will also participate in individual and group (peer) supervision, provided in a central location by a group analytic consultant each month. The PIPE clinical lead will ensure that the application of the PIPE service supports and adheres to its agreed pathway function. Attendance at monthly Clinical Lead business meetings (London), monthly individual and group supervision sessions provided externally (Leeds) and quarterly contract review meetings with commissioners is integral to the role. You will also be required to provide a quarterly report for commissioners alongside the PIPE unit Custodial Manager.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties as part of NWPS: Please see the generic Band 8 Senior Psychologist job description and advert.