Senior Practitioner Psychologist

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Practitioner Psychologist for its Community Forensic Psychology Service. The role focuses on prevention and keeping people in the least restrictive settings, within a well-established forensic team linked to Morris ward, noted for quality in forensic mental health services.

The post involves assessment and evidence-based interventions for service users with complex mental health issues, including psychosis, trauma histories and substance misuse.

Qualifications

• Assessment and evidence-based interventions for complex mental health issues.
• Experience with individuals, group and family work.

Responsibilities

• Provide assessments and evidence-based interventions to service users with complex mental health needs, including psychosis, trauma histories and substance misuse.
• Deliver interventions with individuals, groups, and families; work mainly in the community with some inpatient work.

Job description

Job overview

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: NELFT’s 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.

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

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co‑produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are:

• 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.

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]