Principal Forensic Psychologist

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust; Southampton; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 73,000; Part time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a highly motivated Principal Psychologist to enhance mental health therapies for individuals involved with the Criminal Justice System. This role involves leading a team to provide innovative treatment pathways and integrating mental health services within probation settings. The successful candidate will supervise psychological assessments and interventions, contribute to service evaluations, and ensure effective communication with partner agencies. Join a supportive organization that values career development and offers excellent benefits, including flexible working and generous leave options.

Benefits

Excellent NHS Pension scheme

Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave

Options for flexible working

Up to 27 days annual leave

Free car parking at all trust sites

Free flu vaccinations

Salary sacrifice car options

Health and Wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Must have UK professional registration and substantial experience in psychology.
• Desirable: Additional training in psychological therapies like CBT.

Responsibilities

• Supervise assessment and treatment interventions by Assistant Psychologists.
• Implement policies and propose service developments for mental health services.

Skills

Psychological assessment

Treatment intervention

Clinical supervision

Project development

Education

Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology

HCPC registration

Chartered status eligibility with BPS

Job description

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

About

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust provides physical and mental health care, learning disability and adult social care services across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. In addition, we provide services on a wider regional and national basis including perinatal, eating disorder and forensic services. We deliver out-of-area sexual health services, and our Inclusion service offers psychological and drug & alcohol services, in the community, and in prisons, and has contracts across the country.

As an organisation we serve a population of 1.5 million and currently employ around 9000 members of staff.

We have a wide range of exciting opportunities for people looking to work in a truly integrated NHS organisation. By joining MPFT you will become part of a team who are empowered and supported to deliver care in a way which is consistent with our values:

• Putting people at the heart of what we do
• Empowering people to improve care and wellbeing
• Delivering better health, better care in partnership

Key details

Location

Site: Southampton Probation Office
Address: Town Quay House, 7 Town Quay, Southampton
Postcode: SO14 2ET
Major / Minor Region: Staffordshire

Contract type & working pattern

Contract: Permanent
Hours: Part time - 28 hours per week (Mostly office based Monday – Friday 9-5)

Salary

Salary: £62,215 - £72,293 per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Grade: (NHS AfC: Band 8b)

Specialty

Main area: Psychology / Specialist

Job overview

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 Hampshire.

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

Working for our organisation

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
• Excellent NHS Pension scheme
• 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)

And more. We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.

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

Detailed job description and main 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 user’s mental health problems based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the service user’s problems, and employing methods of proven efficacy in community settings.
• To communicate with partner agencies about client’s treatment and keep up to date clinical records.
• To initiate project developments, including complex audit and service evaluations.
• To travel across different sites in Hampshire 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.

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.

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING

Essential criteria

• 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

Desirable criteria

• Additional post graduate level training in at least one psychological therapy e.g. CBT, CAT

EXPERIENCE

Essential criteria

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

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

Desirable criteria

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

Further details / informal visits contact

Name: Lara Arsuffi
Job title: Principal Psychologist
Email address: [email protected]
Telephone number: 07890394654
Additional information: Email is preferred contact method