Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Assistant Psychologist HMP Woodhill

The closing date is 26 June 2025

Job summary

To support and enhance the psychological care of men across the Mental Health Service in HMP Woodhill. This includes providing mental health assessment and interventions under the supervision of a qualified psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures and those of the wider prison service.

Main duties of the job

  • To participate in clinical governance and utilise research skills for audit, service development and research within the area served by the multi-disciplinary team.
  • To undertake clinically-related administration and project work.
  • To provide assessments and mental health interventions to clients under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist
  • To work independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the clinic's policies and procedures
  • To liaise with other professional services (resettlement workers, probation, CMHT) sharing information where appropriate
  • To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work

About us

We're passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient's own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.Providingtop quality caredepends on our ability to employ the best people.We're always looking torecruit outstanding peoplewho will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we're hoping to find our future leaders and we'll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.With adiverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more - whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Details

Date posted

25 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year per annum (pro rata if P/T)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

333-D-HJ-1820

Job locations

HMP Woodhill

Tattenhoe Street

Milton Keynes

MK4 4DA


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached JD&PS for full details of duties and responsibilities.

  • To support psychologists in the assessment of male patients within HMP Woodhill. This may include using self-report measures, risk assessment, rating scales, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care. Assessments will involve making judgements involving complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options, as well as requiring prolonged concentration
  • To work in a highly emotive atmosphere with clients with offending histories and / or mental health problems on a regular basis, and be able to communicate sensitive and complex information, whilst maintaining a high degree of professionalism at all times
  • To attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings
  • To support psychologists in preparing for and conducting psychological interventions, both group and individual. To co-facilitate groups with both psychology and non-psychology colleagues when appropriate
  • To work closely with senior colleagues to ensure information in relation to risk is collected and communicated sensitively and comprehensively
  • To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping, including electronic data entry and recording
  • To attend and contribute to other prison meetings, and to present the view of Mental Health Team [JR1] for relevant clinical issues. To ensure any actions taken from these meetings are met or that the appropriate individual to carry out the action is informed
  • To ensure that efficient pathways of care are being created for the clients, including collecting collateral information for new clients and making appropriate referrals into the community when they are approaching discharge.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached JD&PS for full details of duties and responsibilities.

  • To support psychologists in the assessment of male patients within HMP Woodhill. This may include using self-report measures, risk assessment, rating scales, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care. Assessments will involve making judgements involving complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options, as well as requiring prolonged concentration
  • To work in a highly emotive atmosphere with clients with offending histories and / or mental health problems on a regular basis, and be able to communicate sensitive and complex information, whilst maintaining a high degree of professionalism at all times
  • To attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings
  • To support psychologists in preparing for and conducting psychological interventions, both group and individual. To co-facilitate groups with both psychology and non-psychology colleagues when appropriate
  • To work closely with senior colleagues to ensure information in relation to risk is collected and communicated sensitively and comprehensively
  • To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping, including electronic data entry and recording
  • To attend and contribute to other prison meetings, and to present the view of Mental Health Team [JR1] for relevant clinical issues. To ensure any actions taken from these meetings are met or that the appropriate individual to carry out the action is informed
  • To ensure that efficient pathways of care are being created for the clients, including collecting collateral information for new clients and making appropriate referrals into the community when they are approaching discharge.

Person Specification

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Essential

  • Relevant clinical and research skills
  • Experience of working as part of a team
  • Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
  • Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
  • An understanding of psychology applied to health care

Desirable

  • Experience of working with people with complex needs
  • Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
  • Experience of the use of psychometric tests
  • Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
  • Experience of in-patient settings
  • Experience of teaching other health professionals
  • Lived experience of mental health issues

TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

  • Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS

Desirable

  • Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis

SKILLS

Essential

  • Communication/Relationship skills: To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times
  • To be able to provide and receive complex sensitive or contentious information in a potentially highly emotive atmosphere. To be able to work with resistance to ideas
  • High standard of report writing
  • Analytical & Judgement skills: To assimilate complex information and use reflective/analytic thinking, to apply psychological perspectives in work in a healthcare setting
  • Planning & Organisational skills: Ability to be flexible and cope with multiple demands. Capable of using initiative and organise work to agreed goals.
  • Ability to work independently and know when to ask for and use supervision, identifying when there is need for advice and using supervision at agreed intervals
  • IT skills: Information technology skills. To have highly developed IT skills and good working knowledge of statistical packages
  • Physical skills: Requires manual dexterity and good eye-hand coordination to administer neuropsychological tests and use computer key boards.
  • Able to carry out PMVA interventions

Other

Essential

  • Ability to accept and use clinical supervision appropriately and effectively.
  • Ability to work in a secure environment, in line with HMPS policy and procedure - to obtain and maintain enhanced security clearance.
  • Application must be clearly tailored to the post and Person Specification

Desirable

  • An intention to pursue a career in Clinical/Forensic/ Counselling Psychology
Person Specification

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Essential

  • Relevant clinical and research skills
  • Experience of working as part of a team
  • Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
  • Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
  • An understanding of psychology applied to health care

Desirable

  • Experience of working with people with complex needs
  • Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
  • Experience of the use of psychometric tests
  • Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
  • Experience of in-patient settings
  • Experience of teaching other health professionals
  • Lived experience of mental health issues

TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

  • Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS

Desirable

  • Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis

SKILLS

Essential

  • Communication/Relationship skills: To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times
  • To be able to provide and receive complex sensitive or contentious information in a potentially highly emotive atmosphere. To be able to work with resistance to ideas
  • High standard of report writing
  • Analytical & Judgement skills: To assimilate complex information and use reflective/analytic thinking, to apply psychological perspectives in work in a healthcare setting
  • Planning & Organisational skills: Ability to be flexible and cope with multiple demands. Capable of using initiative and organise work to agreed goals.
  • Ability to work independently and know when to ask for and use supervision, identifying when there is need for advice and using supervision at agreed intervals
  • IT skills: Information technology skills. To have highly developed IT skills and good working knowledge of statistical packages
  • Physical skills: Requires manual dexterity and good eye-hand coordination to administer neuropsychological tests and use computer key boards.
  • Able to carry out PMVA interventions

Other

Essential

  • Ability to accept and use clinical supervision appropriately and effectively.
  • Ability to work in a secure environment, in line with HMPS policy and procedure - to obtain and maintain enhanced security clearance.
  • Application must be clearly tailored to the post and Person Specification

Desirable

  • An intention to pursue a career in Clinical/Forensic/ Counselling Psychology

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

HMP Woodhill

Tattenhoe Street

Milton Keynes

MK4 4DA


Employer's website

https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

HMP Woodhill

Tattenhoe Street

Milton Keynes

MK4 4DA


Employer's website

https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Interim Mental Health Lead

Shalom Mutizwa

shalom.mutizwa@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

25 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year per annum (pro rata if P/T)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

333-D-HJ-1820

Job locations

HMP Woodhill

Tattenhoe Street

Milton Keynes

MK4 4DA


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)