Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychologist - Forensic Psych Services

Bidvane; Runwell; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training and CPD opportunities

NHS staff discounts

Settling-in guidance

Job summary

Bidvane is seeking a HCPC-registered psychologist to join the Forensic Psychological Services Department at Brockfield House. The full-time post covers low- and medium-secure wards for adult men and women, involving assessment, formulation, and delivery of specialist interventions within a multidisciplinary team.

Applicants must have HCPC registration and postgraduate psychology training covering psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, neuropsychology and at least two therapies, with experience

Qualifications

• HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist.
• Postgraduate psychology training covering psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, neuropsychology, at least two therapies and lifespan development.

Responsibilities

• Assess inpatients using psychological tests, measures and interviews; ensure safe use of equipment.
• Develop and implement evidence-based formulations and treatment plans.

Skills

Forensic psychology

Risk assessment (SPJ)

Teamwork

Independent work

Communication

Education

HCPC registration

HCPC-accredited postgraduate psychology training

Job description

The post sits in the Forensic Psychological Services Department at Brockfield House, working with its multidisciplinary team. It delivers specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for inpatients with complex mental health, risk and forensic needs. The full‑time role covers low‑and‑medium‑secure wards for adult men and women, and newly qualified psychologists may be appointed at Band 7. Applicants need HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist and the specified professional and postgraduate psychology training.

What the job involves

• Assess forensic inpatients using psychological and neuropsychological tests, self‑report measures, rating scales, structured observations and interviews, and ensure assessment equipment is used safely
• Develop and implement evidence‑based psychological treatment and management plans using appropriate formulations
• Deliver specialist psychological interventions for individuals, families and groups across teams, adapting formulations and considering different explanatory models
• Evaluate treatment options in light of theoretical and therapeutic models and complex historical and developmental factors

What’s required

Qualifications

• Professional training in psychology
• HCPC‑accredited postgraduate training covering psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, neuropsychology, at least two distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist

Experience

• Experience working with varied client groups and problems across the full range of clinical severity, while maintaining professionalism amid distress, verbal abuse and threats of physical abuse
• Experience teaching and training mental health staff on working with offenders and/or adults with learning disabilities
• Experience applying psychology in different cultural contexts
• Experience providing clinical supervision to staff doing group and individual work with forensic mental health or forensic learning disability patients

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of forensic psychology models, including offending, risk assessment approaches such as Structured Professional Judgement, and offence‑related therapy
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with the clinical team and other professionals
• Teamwork, ability to inspire others and negotiate mutually beneficial outcomes
• Ability to work independently
• Confidence and approachability

Nice to have

• Experience administering and interpreting Structured Professional Judgement risk assessments, including HCR‑20, RSVP and SARA
• Experience initiating and actively contributing to service development
• Personal experience of mental health problems

What’s offered

• Training and continuing professional development opportunities
• Season ticket loans
• NHS staff discounts
• Annual leave buying and selling scheme
• Opportunity to work bank shifts in other areas
• Salary sacrifice schemes, including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Option to request flexible working from the first day of employment
• Settling‑in guidance and a buddy programme for overseas staff