Clinical/Forensic/Counselling Psychologist

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Boston; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a highly skilled Clinical Psychologist to lead a dynamic team in delivering specialized services for neurodiverse individuals. This role offers the opportunity to shape psychological practices within a supportive environment, focusing on trauma-informed care and innovative therapeutic interventions. With a commitment to professional development and collaboration, you will engage with multidisciplinary teams and contribute to meaningful outcomes in a forensic setting. If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of individuals with complex needs, this position is an exciting opportunity to advance your career in a respected organization.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Professional development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Access to training programs

Qualifications

• Must be registered with the HCPC as a practitioner Psychologist.
• Experience in forensic clinical psychology practice with neurodiverse individuals.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership to develop and deliver the SOLAR Service.
• Engage in multi-disciplinary team discussions and decision making.

Skills

Forensic Clinical Psychology

Neurodiversity Expertise

Therapeutic Intervention Skills

Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration

Psychometric Assessment

Education

Honours degree in Psychology

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

Tools

WAIS

ABAS

ADOS

SPSS

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We are supportive of flexible working arrangements and engagement with wider OPD pathway meetings, specifically the PERS Clinical Leads meetings for the sharing of good practice across the PERS services. Support, supervision and line management will be provided by the Consultant Psychologist. Whilst the contract is currently 12 months fixed term, there is work underway to align and remodel the staffing structure, so there may be opportunity for extension or for the role to be converted into a substantive post.

The post holder will provide clinical leadership to a small team of NHS and Prison staff to develop and deliver the SOLAR Service. They will work as part of a team to deliver the PERS model for individuals with difficulties arising from trauma and problematic personality traits and most likely to struggle in open conditions.

The post holder will contribute to and lead multi-disciplinary team discussions and decision making processes.

The post holder will be responsible for engaging with their own supervision and reflective practice and to support team members in offering supervision and reflective practice.

The post holder will work in partnership with the Custodial Manager and Head of Function to produce outcome data, audits and evaluation and to liaise with commissioners for performance review as required. They will also work collaboratively to support the development of awareness and psychologically informed working practices and culture within the prison environment.

The post holder will work with the Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Area Manager to support the development of the SOLAR service.

The post holder will liaise with the wider OPD pathway team at a national and regional level.

Please be advised Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has made the difficult decision to serve notice on its offender health contracts. Over the coming months, we will be working with NHS England on the transition of the services to a new provider. We still need to recruit to these valued positions and welcome your application. But, in line with our values, honesty is important, so please note that if you are successful that in time your employment would move from Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to another provider who would then be your new employer.

Person specification

Physical Requirements

Essential criteria

• Able to sit still for long periods in clinical settings or report writing
• Ability to train in breakaway techniques for personal safety

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Honours degree in Psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
• Doctorate in Clinical or Forensic or Counselling Psychology. Must be able to demonstrate eligibility for chartered status as a Clinical or Forensic or Counselling Psychologist and be registered with the HCPC as a practitioner Psychologist.
• Must be registered with the HPC as a Clinical or Forensic Psychologist.

Desirable criteria

• Post Graduate qualification related to neurodiversity (autism/ADHD/Intellectual Disabilities)
• Chartered Clinical or Forensic status

Training

Essential criteria

• Evidence of post-qualification training, experience and developing expertise in a highly specialist area related to autism
• Advanced knowledge, experience and expertise in forensic services, autism, learning disability and/or neurodiversity services and systems gained through specialist training and supervised practice.
• Training has included models of psychopathology, psychometric assessment, developmental psychology through the life span and two or more distinct approaches to therapeutic intervention relevant to working with Neurodiverse people.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Highly specialist experience and expertise in forensic clinical psychology practice with Neurodiverse people and specifically, people with ADHD, Autism and /or learning disabilities
• Significant experience of working effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience of providing and evaluating evidence based highly specialist psychological interventions to address complex problems and needs of neurodiverse males with autism/ADHD/learning disabilities/personality disorder and complex trauma in a forensic setting.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of teaching, training and supervision to staff, MDT colleagues, and other psychologists.
• Evidence of leadership roles e.g. in leading projects within the service or Trust.

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Can demonstrate highly specialist knowledge and skills across a range of aspects of clinical and forensic psychology relevant to autism, learning disability and neurodiverse conditions
• Knowledge and demonstrated awareness of how issues of diversity (race, culture, identity, gender and sexuality) can be taken into account in service provision with autism.
• Experience of psychological representation on committees and consultation (internal management meetings, to other services / external agencies / non psychology staff)

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of leadership roles e.g. in leading projects / clinical work within the service or Trust.

Skills

Essential criteria

• Highly specialist skills in at least one model of therapeutic intervention relevant to neurodiverse individuals
• Skills in providing advice and training to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment, formulation, and risk management in neurodiversity
• Record of clinical effectiveness in a forensic autism and LD service.
• Highly specialist ability use WAIS/ABAS/ADOS tools for diagnostic assessment in context of complex trauma and Personality Disorders.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of SPSS, databases/spreadsheets
• Presentations / dissemination of material at conferences / senior management meetings.
• Proven skills (competent) in more than one model of therapy.

Additional Information

• We reserve the right to close the post early once we have received a sufficient number of applicants.
• The Trust believes in treating everyone with dignity and respect and encourages applications from all sectors of the community. We guarantee an interview to candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum essential criteria.
• In submitting an application form, you authorise Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to confirm from your previous or current NHS employer and other prior employers; previous NHS service details and personal data held about you. This data will be transferred using NHS Electronic Staff Record and third party systems via an automated process and only used for the purposes of obtaining and maintaining accurate employment records, should you be appointed to the post. Should you require any further information please refer our Privacy Policy shown on the Trust website, please click here for more information.
• For eligible posts, DBS disclosures are mandatory before commencement of employment. If you are in a position that is deemed a regulated adult and/or child care role, you will not be able to start your employment until we have received a satisfactory DBS Disclosure. The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Convictions which would otherwise be considered as 'spent' will also be checked as part of an Enhanced DBS Disclosure.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Job Description and Person Specification (PDF, 362.6KB)
• Colleague Benefits (PDF, 16.1MB)
• About Nottinghamshire Healthcare (PDF, 1.5MB)
• Colleague Benefits (PDF, 16.2MB)