Senior Practitioner Psychologist

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust; Rainham; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust’s Community Forensic Psychology Service invites a Practitioner Psychologist to join a multidisciplinary team focused on prevention and keeping people in the least restrictive settings.

The post involves assessments and evidence-based interventions for service users with complex mental health issues, including psychosis, trauma histories and substance misuse, with opportunities for group and family work in community settings. Some inpatient work may be required.

Responsibilities

• Assess and provide evidence-based interventions to service users with complex mental health issues including psychosis, trauma histories and substance misuse.
• Deliver individual, group, and family work, primarily in the community with some inpatient work possible.
• Offer consultation to forensic and non-forensic colleagues and contribute to multidisciplinary work.

Job description

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and competent Practitioner Psychologist to join our Community Forensic Psychology Service. This is an exciting area of forensic services to work in with an emphasis on prevention and keeping people in the least restrictive settings. The post holder would join a well-established and well respected forensic team: NELFTs low-secure forensic unit, Morris ward, has previously ranked first in the UK and Ireland according the Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services (QNFMHS) and we remain proud of the services we offer.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide assessment and evidence-based interventions to service users who typically present with complex mental health issues including psychosis, trauma histories and substance misuse, in addition to offending behaviour. Interventions will include individual, group, and family work. The post holder will work mainly with service users in the community but some work with inpatient service users and teams may be required. This post would suit someone with a strong interest in multidisciplinary working and working with wider systems including family and carers. The role will require creative and innovative input including offering consultation to forensic and non-forensic colleagues. Good applicants would be passionate about addressing discrimination and inequalities and have an awareness of how this affects mental health, recovery and risk. The psychology department is friendly, supportive and innovative: You would have good access to CPD opportunities across the Trust. We actively support the development of leadership skills and aim to nurture our staff and support them in their development. Members of the wider psychology department have strong links to academic institutions and are engaged in research and teaching on the North Thames clinical training courses. The boroughs covered by the Trust are very diverse and we would actively encourage applicants to apply who represent this diversity.

About us

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and community services for over 4.9 million people living in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and across Essex. We work to ensure our patients, their friends and family, feel confident that their health needs are well met. With an excellent reputation for research and development, our skilled health professionals are at the cutting edge of evidence-based innovation, opening up the possibilities for better ways of working and delivery of care.

Job responsibilities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities. Please see attached Job Description.

Starting with NELFT NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London (B&D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, CEME) This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Working for Us Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.

Our Values 2025 - 2030

• We are kind.
• We are respectful.
• We work together with our communities.

These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.

Startng with NELFT (delete for internal only)

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Goodmayes Hospital.

Probationary Period This post will be subject to a probationary period.

High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London (B&D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, Goodmayes) This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,870 to a maximum of £6,137 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Certificates of Sponsorship Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Use of AI

We value applications that genuinely reflect each candidate’s own skills, experience and motivations. We therefore strongly discourage the use of AI-generated content in applications.

Applications should be written in your own words and accurately represent your knowledge, skills and experience.

We reserve the right to reject an application where we reasonably believe AI has been used to generate or materially contribute to its content.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.

We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.

For an informal chat or to arrange a visit, please contact:

Name: Rachel Smith or Teresa Wolowiec
Job title: Professional Leads for Forensic Psychology Service - job share
Email: [e-mail] or [e-mail]

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for detailed essential and desirable criteria.

Desirable

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for detailed essential and desirable criteria.

Experience

Essential

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for detailed essential and desirable criteria.

Desirable

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for detailed essential and desirable criteria.

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.

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