Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative and conscientious graduate psychologist to join Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in providing a specialist psychological therapy service within their prison mental health services.
The Psychological Therapies Teams in prisons are integrated into the mental health team to provide psychological support to a complex population of people in prison presenting with a range of needs and risks. The post would suit individuals interested in a career in clinical and/or forensic psychology or psychological therapies, with evidence of experience working in clinical services expected.
Forensic experience is not essential, though enthusiasm to learn and a proven ability to work as part of a team is important.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work within a busy multi-disciplinary prison mental health team, comprising psychologists and psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and nursing staff. They will have responsibility for the delivery of a range of psychological interventions to young adults in custody and working in partnership with health and operational colleagues.
Clinical responsibilities will include provision of psychological assessment, psychoeducational workshops, and short-term trauma-focussed therapies, with access to regular supervision. Involvement in audit and service development is encouraged.
The post-holder will join the wider Bracton forensic psychology department, which has a strong track record in recruiting, training and supporting graduate psychologists within forensic services towards doctoral training. Post-holders would be encouraged to participate in relevant clinical training and existing support systems within thedepartment.
About us
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
- We're Kind
- We're Fair
- We Listen
- We Care
Job description
Job responsibilities
Supporting the dissemination of psychological ways of working is an important part of the role, both in direct patient work and supporting the work of colleagues in other disciplines. This includes the supervised provision of psychological assessment, low-intensity therapeutic intervention and consultation using a range of theoretical models, focussed on both risk and need. It also includes co-ordinating audit-related tasks on behalf of the wider inpatient forensic psychology team.In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
Management responsibilitiesTo assist in the design and implementation of service development projects with the service as required.To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
LeadershipTo contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.
ClinicalTo undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients applying psychological theory, including neuro-psychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups or clinical projects.To work with other staff to assess or support service users in prison and contribute to multidisciplinary discussions or care guidelines as agreed with the clinical psychologist providing supervision.To assist in the development of a psychological based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.To create graphs or charts to collate or summarise data on individual interventions or treatment programmes.To assist in producing visual or material or user-friendly information for interventions with clients.
ResearchTo assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
CommunicationLiaises with other psychology members of the team and other disciplines and agencies responsible for clients care.
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 photographicID 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).
Job description
Job responsibilities
Supporting the dissemination of psychological ways of working is an important part of the role, both in direct patient work and supporting the work of colleagues in other disciplines. This includes the supervised provision of psychological assessment, low-intensity therapeutic intervention and consultation using a range of theoretical models, focussed on both risk and need. It also includes co-ordinating audit-related tasks on behalf of the wider inpatient forensic psychology team.In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
Management responsibilitiesTo assist in the design and implementation of service development projects with the service as required.To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
LeadershipTo contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.
ClinicalTo undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients applying psychological theory, including neuro-psychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups or clinical projects.To work with other staff to assess or support service users in prison and contribute to multidisciplinary discussions or care guidelines as agreed with the clinical psychologist providing supervision.To assist in the development of a psychological based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.To create graphs or charts to collate or summarise data on individual interventions or treatment programmes.To assist in producing visual or material or user-friendly information for interventions with clients.
ResearchTo assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
CommunicationLiaises with other psychology members of the team and other disciplines and agencies responsible for clients care.
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 photographicID 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).
Person Specification
Education/qualifications
Essential
- A lower second class (2.2) honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- A Masters degree or higher in psychology
Experience
Essential
- Experience of paid or voluntary work in direct care provision
Desirable
- Work with people with mental health problems and/or learning disabilities and/or histories of offending
- Experience of work within forensic or prison settings
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
Essential
- High levels of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be emotive
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems/offending behaviour or learning disabilities
Person Specification
Education/qualifications
Essential
- A lower second class (2.2) honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- A Masters degree or higher in psychology
Experience
Essential
- Experience of paid or voluntary work in direct care provision
Desirable
- Work with people with mental health problems and/or learning disabilities and/or histories of offending
- Experience of work within forensic or prison settings
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
Essential
- High levels of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be emotive
- An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems/offending behaviour or learning disabilities
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
