Principal Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychologist

Job overview

Are you an experienced psychologist ready to offer leadership in forensic mental health in-patient services?  We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Practitioner Psychologist with significant post-qualification experience in a forensic or secure setting and managing complex risk.

The successful applicant will join a group of friendly clinical and forensic psychologists within the in-patient team and be part of the broader divisional psychology team with community and prison based colleagues.  You will support the professional development of colleagues through supervision and clinical leadership, whilst having access to your own regular specialist supervision and extensive CPD opportunities.

You will be responsible for the systematic provision of highly specialist psychological services to individuals with complex mental health needs and significant risk histories.  Applications from those with specialist experience and further training relating to psychosis and personality disorder are particularly welcomed.  The psychology team work in a range of therapy modalities so would welcome those with further training in and application of approaches such as EMDR, Schema Therapy, CAT, CFT and CBT with complex cases.

The successful applicant will provide expert consultation and guidance to multi-disciplinary teams (MDT), shaping a trauma-informed culture of care and promoting psychological thinking in order to support decision making at ward and service level.

Main duties of the job

Provide clinical leadership within in-patient services for the in-patient psychology team including supporting delivery of high-quality psychological services, promoting the role of psychology within the service and offering professional guidance and support to the psychology team to aid development.

Provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation, therapy and consultation into multi-disciplinary teams for individuals with a range of significant forensic histories and complex mental health needs utilising evidence-based practice.

Conduct complex psychological and forensic risk assessments (e.g., HCR-20, RSVP) to inform treatment and pathway planning.

Contributing to service development and service delivery, promoting a trauma informed approach within the service, supporting with workforce development in line with service need and contributing to a positive culture.

Drive quality improvement initiatives, audits, and research to ensure the service remains at the forefront of forensic mental health practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To ensure the systematic development and provision of highly specialist psychological assessments and treatment within a clinical area/division, by providing strong, effective professional direction, ensuring the delivery of evidence based psychological interventions and practice.

To co-ordinate the planning and organisation of specialist psychological services within the locality area as agreed with the Clinical Lead/Operational Manager

To provide clinical supervision and to offer advice and consultation on service users’ psychological care and risk management to non-psychologist colleagues and to other non-professional carers.

To work alongside other teams and agencies providing expert consultancy regarding service provision for people accessing Trust services

To continue to demonstrate advanced psychological skills in practice and the delivery of the highest quality of care in collaboration with service users, carers, staff, managers and other agencies across a number of teams/geographical areas.

To take a lead in contributing/advising the psychological perspective in reviewing, developing and monitoring operational/clinical policy, proposing changes which may impact beyond own area of work

To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the relative service area.

For further information regarding this vacancy please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.