Specialist Psychologist/Psychological Therapist: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

To provide a qualified specialist clinical/forensic psychology service to clients across all sectors of care, providing specialist psychological assessment and therapy, offering advice and consultation on clients’ psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and to other non-professional carers, working within the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures. The post holder will work as a part of the multi-disciplinary team which has close links with a wide range of agencies.

Specifically, to provide individual assessment, treatment and case management to prisoners on the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway in HMP Swaleside Pathways Services.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will be required to work effectively with the non-residential pathways team to provide assessments, formulations and intervention with those on the service. We work from a joint approach with both clinicians and operational staff being involved in all aspects of the work. The role will include regular supervision and you will be required to facilitate supervision for other clinical and operational staff and contribute to both internal and external training programmes. Research, evaluations, audits and policies will also likely be a part of this post.

Oxleas Forensic Psychological Therapies department is an unusually large, long established and nationally well-regarded specialty. Psychological therapists are highly valued within the wider directorate and trust and occupy a variety of service-wide leadership roles, including as Responsible Clinicians. The Psychological Therapies team is warm and friendly, whilst also being dynamic and innovative.

Within the psychological therapies department, there is a focus on attachment, trauma and systemic approaches with expert supervision available for several evidence-based therapy modalities such Mentalisation based Therapy (MBT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation therapy (EMDR).This post is primarily based within HMP Swaleside.The postholder will supervise pre-qualified psychological therapists including assistant psychologists, students and trainees.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualifications

Essential

• oEntry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (ie professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration. (A/I) oAdditional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical psychological therapy practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher. (A/I) oRegistered with professional body or regulatory body as appropriate to psychological therapy discipline ie HCPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP. (A/I)

Desirable

• oCompleted training course in clinical supervision (A/I). oTraining or qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.

Experience

Essential

• oExperience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of adult clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature under supervision (A/I) oExperience working with and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working within a multicultural framework. (A/I) oExperience of maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse. (A/I)

Desirable

• oExperience in forensic / secure settings (AI) oExperience of providing teaching and training (A/I)

Skills/ Abilities/ Knowledge

Essential

• oSkills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. (A/I) oAbility to administer, score and interpret psychometric and neuropsychological tests with appropriate training and supervision (A/I) oWell developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS. (A/I) oSkills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups. (A/I) oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group, mental health and child protection. (A/I)

Desirable

• oHigh level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies. (A/I) oKnowledge of research methodology, research design and complex data analysis. (A/I)

Other

Essential

• oAbility to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings. oExperience of working with diversity, including but not limited to a multicultural framework. oAbility to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour. oAbility to form good working relationships with others in a multi-disciplinary setting. oInterest and ability to contribute to service development.

Desirable

• oPersonal experience of mental health problems.

Closing Date: 18 August 2026