Trainee Forensic Psychologist - Forensic Psychological Services

Job overview

Band 6 Trainee Forensic Psychologist - Fixed Term Contract up to March 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Trainee Forensic Psychologist to join our multi-disciplinary team at Edward House in Chelmsford, Essex on a Fixed Term Contract up to March 2026. Edward House is a 20 bed male Low Secure Unit for adults with severe and enduring mental health difficulties.

Main duties of the job

To provide a psychology service under supervision to service users detained under the Mental Health Act at Edward House as part of the forensic psychological service at EPUT.  To offer specialist psychological assessments and treatments, as well as advice and consultation on the psychological care of service users to non-psychologist colleagues and to non- professional carers. To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the team’s and Trust’s policies and procedures. To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the areas covered by psychology service.

The role sits within the wider Forensic Psychological Services Department which comprises clinical, counselling and forensic psychologists, trainee psychologists, assistant psychologists and psychology undergraduate placement students. EPUT's Secure Services operate across Essex, Bedfordshire and Luton. Video conferencing facilities between sites are also used to assist departmental communication.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES CLINICAL

• To provide specialist psychological assessments of inpatients on the forensic wards based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi- structured interviews with clients and others involved in the client’s The post- holder will also be responsible for the safe use of any equipment used during assessments (e.g. test batteries).
• To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a client’s mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the client’s problems and employing evidence based practice.
• To be responsible for implementing a range of highly specialised psychological interventions for people on the forensic unit; families and groups, within and across teams, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.
• To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.

Please see full 'Job Description' and 'Person Specification' attachments for full details of the role.