Principal Forensic Psychologist

Integrated Care System; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A public health care institution in Surrey is seeking a Principal Forensic Psychologist. You will oversee innovative mental health therapies for individuals involved with the Criminal Justice System. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in clinical supervision and a strong background in applied psychology. This role offers generous professional development opportunities, flexible working, and a commitment to staff wellbeing.

Benefits

Generous maternity and paternity leave

Options for flexible working

Health and Wellbeing support

Free flu vaccinations annually

Salary sacrifice vehicle scheme

Qualifications

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology, accredited by BPS.
• Currently registered with HCPC and eligible for chartered status with BPS.
• Experience dealing with severe and enduring mental health problems.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and support assessment and treatment interventions.
• Implement policies and propose service developments.
• Lead the team in implementing treatment plans.

Skills

Clinical supervision

Liaison with partner agencies

Training delivery

Service development

Education

Post-graduate doctoral training in applied psychology

Registration with HCPC

Job description

Go back Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Principal Forensic Psychologist

The closing date is 19 August 2025

Band 8b Principal Psychologist - Primary MHTR - Permanent

Are you passionate about developing and evaluating an innovative treatment pathway, to improve access to mental health therapies in the community for complex individuals, who are involved with the Criminal Justice System?

Are you enthusiastic about integrating mental health services within probation services?

Do you want to become involved with treatment provision for people who often fall through the gaps?

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) is seeking a highly motivated Principal Psychologist to join our Primary Care Mental Health Treatment Requirement (PC -MHTR) Team in Surrey.

You will:

- Supervise and support the assessment, formulation and treatment interventions provided by Assistant Psychologists and other mental health practitioners in the team.

- Work closely with community mental health, probation services and NHS England commissioners.

- Implement policies and propose service developments to expand the service.

- Contribute to teaching and to the national evaluation of the service.

Main duties of the job

MAIN DUTIES: **Please refer to the attached Job Description**

In summary:

An exciting and unique opportunity has arisen for Band 8b Principal Psychologist for the Primary MHTR service in Surrey. This is a unique role for a highly skilled and motivated individual.

Key tasks include:

• Accepting clinical responsibility for service users and supervising the delivery of the interventions
• Liaison with partner agencies
• Deliver training and clinical consultation
• Service development and evaluation.

We welcome interested candidates to have an informal discussion before applying to make sure this is the right post for them.

About us

By joining Team MPFT, you will be helping your communities and in return for this, we will support you by;

• Supporting your career development and progression
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Options for flexible working
• Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days) and the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
• If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients
• Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
• Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
• Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
• Free car parking at all trust sites
• Free flu vaccinations every year
• Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)

Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.

Job responsibilities

**Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification**

In summary:

To complete suitability decisions and reports, decide whether a recommendation for PC-MHTR is appropriate, agree a decision to treat or decline and give reasons in writing.

To make decisions about treatment options considering both theoretical and therapeutic models and complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual. Supervise the delivery of psychological interventions.

To lead the team in implementing plans for the formal treatments of a service users mental health problems based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the service users problems and employing methods of proven efficacy in community settings.

To communicate with partner agencies about clients treatment and keep up to date clinical records.

To initiate project developments, including complex audit and service evaluations.To travel across different sites in Surrey and provide cover (online) to other PC-MHTR sites in the South East and / or West Midlands when your clinical lead colleagues are on leave.

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology (or its equivalent), as accredited by the BPS
• .Currently registered with HCPC and eligible for chartered status with the British Psychological Society
• Additional post graduate level training in at least one psychological therapy e.g. CBT, CAT

EXPERIENCE

• Substantial experience of working as a qualified psychologist with people with people with severe and enduring mental health problems who present a serious risk of harm to others

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

• High level skills in providing liaison, consultation and clinical supervision to professional and non-professional colleagues in health and non-health settings

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.

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust