Senior Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychologist

NHS; Greater London; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK is seeking a Senior Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychologist to join a multidisciplinary team focused on supporting service users. The successful candidate will engage in direct psychological intervention, community integration, and service development while supervising qualified psychologists and trainees. Ideal for professionals with a robust background in adult mental health and a passion for improving patient care. Attractive salary package between £58,698 and £65,095 per annum, inclusive of HCA.

Qualifications

• Post-qualification experience in adult mental health with forensic specialism.
• Evidence of CPD in accordance with BPS recommendations.
• Experience providing teaching, training and clinical supervision.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct psychological intervention and lead MDT working.
• Involve in service development and strategic roles.
• Utilize research skills in audit and engage in research activities.

Skills

Experience in adult mental health

Skills in psychological assessment

Ability to manage aggression

Education

Post Graduate Doctoral level training in Clinical, Forensic or Counselling Psychology

Registered as a practitioner psychologist by the HCPC

Tools

Complex statistical analysis tools

Job description

Senior Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychologist

The East London Community Forensic Service (ELCFS) is seeking a Senior Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychologist to join our multidisciplinary team. The ELCFS was commissioned following the successful pilot of the Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT) model in East London. We offer support for service users as they leave the inpatient Forensic Directorate to reintegrate and re-establish lives in the community. Borough based multidisciplinary teams include RCs, Social Workers, CPNs, Psychologists, OTs, Family Therapists, Arts Therapists, Drugs and Alcohol Practitioners, Peer Support Workers and Carer Peer Support Workers.

The overarching aims of the ELCFS are 1. to provide inreach support to help service users move safely towards discharge and so reduce length of stay in secure care, and 2. to provide enhanced support in the community, to promote sustained recovery and quality of life in the community, reducing recalls to hospital.

There are various components to the ELCFS model, including: developing service user skills; support in accommodation; accessing education and employment; addressing substance misuse; access to psychological and recovery focused therapies; working with carers; peer mentorship; and the development of care pathways and system relationships. There is a strong focus on service user involvement and collaboration with community organisations.

We would welcome applications from those with relevant experience at Band 7 as a development opportunity

Main duties of the job

In addition to direct psychological intervention, both individual and group, the role also involves a significant amount of MDT working, including leading on psychological formulation and risk meetings. Band 8a Psychologists across the service are responsible for the supervision and line management of qualified psychologists, other therapists in the team, as well as peer support workers, trainees and students from training courses with established links to the Forensic Directorate.

Psychologists are involved in service development and take up strategic roles in relation to service objective as required. Psychologists will be required to utilise research skills in audit and engage in other research and development activities. There are teaching and training opportunities and established links with University courses across London.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Job responsibilities

Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

• Post Graduate Doctoral level training in Clinical, Forensic or Counselling Psychology or equivalent accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
• Evidence of CPD in accordance with BPS recommendations
• Either: Recognized qualification or training in psychotherapy supervision or Clinical supervision training for doctoral clinical /counselling psychology trainees.
• Registered as a practitioner psychologist by the HCPC.
• Post Qualification Training in a Psychotherapy Modality: e.g. SFT, DBT, CFT, EMDR, CBTp, CBT for trauma.

Experience

• Post-qualification experience in adult mental health, including experience at highly specialist level in a forensic or rehabilitation specialism, across different settings/levels of security (e.g. inpatient and community; medium and low security)
• Advanced level experience of risk assessments and risk management
• Providing specialist psychological assessment and intervention across a range of care settings including community and inpatient.
• Providing teaching, training and clinical supervision including teaching professional groups outside of psychology.
• Co-produced clinical care, including goal setting, using a Recovery approach
• Experience of representing psychology in various teams and working groups
• The use of QI or other improvement methodology in clinical settings

Knowledge and Skills

• Additional relevant clinical and/or managerial knowledge and skills acquired through formal training, long or short courses, formal supervision (individual and/or group), structured self-study, or experience - or a combination of these - to an appropriate level approved by the Head of Psychology and demonstrated by certification, documented supervision logs, management appraisal documentation and/or assessment at interview.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management, including the use of theoretical models to analyse information and develop formulations upon which to base choice of treatment
• Postgraduate level knowledge of research methodology, including research design, and complex statistical analysis: audit skills
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult-to-treat groups (complex needs, personality disorder, dual diagnosis, substance misuse, offending)
• Ability to effectively manage verbal aggression and the risk of physical aggression from patients or carers
• Knowledge of National and Government directives relevant to the development and delivery of forensic mental health services.
• Ability to use advanced IT packages

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.

£58,698 to £65,095 a yearPer annum incl HCA