Senior Clinical/Forensic Psychologist and Clinical Lead

Job overview

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Clinical or Forensic Psychologist to lead and clinically manage a Psychologically Informed Planned Environment (PIPE) within the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway. As the Clinical Lead, you will shape a safe, enabling, and psychologically centred environment for individuals with complex personality needs who have recently been released from prison. The service is based within a Probation Approved Premises in Peterborough, supporting rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.

This pivotal role involves overseeing PIPE service delivery, ensuring the integrity of the PIPE model, facilitating therapeutic group work, and contributing to national service development. You will provide clinical supervision, develop staff capability, and work closely with key stakeholders, including HMPPS, the NHS, and the wider OPD network. This is a fulfilling and dynamic role that helps shape a trauma-informed and relationally focused service.

Please get in contact with [email protected] – if you would like a tour of the service or talk about the role.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will hold a strategic position as Clinical Lead for the PIPE service.

The post holder will be managing a wide range of complex dynamics within the environment and host organisation. This will require the post holder to take on a leadership role within the organisation, working effectively alongside operational and strategic leads for the service.

They will have a key role in maintaining a healthy psychosocial environment; ensuring that the unit adheres to the theoretical principles of the PIPE model. This will include design, delivery and oversight of the core components of the PIPE model, including group work and the management of group dynamics.

The post holder will manage the development of a positive and enabling milieu, ensuring that the delivery of psychosocial aspects of the PIPE service is compliant with policy and delivery arrangements. This will include ensuring the PIPE service maintains the standards set out for the Enabling Environment award.

The post holder will contribute to staff development by offering training, supporting and providing clinical supervision. They will also participate in individual and group (peer) supervision, provided in a central location by a Group Analytic Consultant each month. They will also attend the Clinical Leads Business Meeting along with other Clinical Leads.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• To manage the delivery of the PIPE model in line with the PIPE service specification and national guidance; developing operational structures and approaches so that they are appropriately psychologically and psychosocially informed.
• To develop necessary psychosocial conditions required to support progression through the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway, ensuring the service has a focus on the lived ‘experience’ of service users.
• To develop and implement socially-creative, semi-structured activities within the PIPE in order to contribute to a healthy psychosocial environment. To ensure these sessions are responsive and adhere to principles of service user involvement and engagement.
• To develop a culture that promotes ‘planned’ and ‘psychologically informed’ responses from staff in relation to the host environment. This includes consideration of institutional dynamics and processes.
• To support and manage the referral and assessment process for those applying to the PIPE, ensuring any relevant population and criteria considerations are taken into account, and all decisions are documented. Also, to liaise with the national Clinical Development Lead for PIPEs where appropriate.
• To ensure that there is consistency and equity in approach from frontline members of the PIPE team, managing and mitigating the clinical impact of staffing structures, e.g. shift patterns or long absences.
• In conjunction with the Operational Lead to ensure the weekly programme of activities in the PIPE meet both clinical and operational requirements.
• To oversee the delivery of the structured and socially-creative groups and to develop further groups as the need arises.
• To ensure the unit maintains the recognised “Enabling Environment” award status, in conjunction with the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
• To promote and support a culture of innovation and creativity in the approach to working within the PIPE framework.