
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Psychologists with an interest in personality disorder and/or complex care to take a role within the PIPE service at HMP Swaleside. The post will be hosted by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust as part of the LPP (London Pathways Partnership).
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust has a national reputation for excellence, and offers wide-ranging opportunities for mental health practitioners within its teams.
Main duties of the job
The postholders will work closely with LPP and prison staff to support those more challenging residents within HMP Swaleside. This role may include delivering socially creative and structured sessions, supporting therapies delivery, completing clinical audit and quality assurance initiatives and completing clinical assessment under supervision. The postholders will also benefit from the wider assistant psychologist training programme delivered at the Bracton Centre.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s problems.
- To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
- To work with other staff in support of multi-disciplinary working and assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care.
- To receive regular clinical and management supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
- To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care and to assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.
- To undertake IT responsibilities such as graphs or charts to collate or summarise data on individual interventions or treatment programmes as well as assisting in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
- To maintain the highest professional standards in line with policies and procedures.
- To support service research.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ:
All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.
You will need to provide:
Proof of right to work documentation
Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID
Proof of address documentation
Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.
Address History:
5 years address history will be needed.
Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.
Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited.
In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be sought from:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants
If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en).
Applicant requirements
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
Experience
Essential
- Work with people with complex needs, mental health problems and/or learning disabilities and/or offenders.
- Experience of group work and individual therapeautic contact
- Experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds and with a range of cultural experiences
Desirable
- Experience of working in a Forensic Setting
Other requirement
Essential
- An ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively
Desirable
- Do they have a licence and access to a vehicle
Effort and environment
Essential
- Ability to manage complex emotionally charged environments
Education/Qualification
Essential
- A lower second class (2.2) honours degree or higher in psychology.
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.
Desirable
- Postgraduate qualification in psychology
Skills/Ability/Knowledge
Essential
- High levels of communication skills
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health difficulties/offending behaviour
- An interest in working within forensic settings with individuals with mental health problems
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Assistant Psychologist with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in Dartford, London, England. It is listed as a Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £28,392 - £31,157 n/a. The contract type is Fixed term: 12 months (N/A). The application deadline is 17 Aug 2026.
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