Job summary
TheCMHT Clinical Lead (Forensic Specialist) is a senior clinician providing specialist assessments, evidence-based interventions, and strong clinical leadership within the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). Working closely with the CMHT Clinical Lead, Senior Clinical Lead, Band 7 Approved Social Worker, and Service Manager, the role supports both clinical and operational functions.
Although CMHT-based, the post maintains strong links with Community Forensic Services, prisons, MAPPA, and Probation to ensure safe, coordinated care for service users with forensic or public protection needs.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver timely forensic advice and support to inform early decision-making and prevent risk escalation.
- Work within statutory frameworks (e.g., Mental Health Act), HTFT governance, Forensic SPA, and MAPPA arrangements.
- Develop and apply consultation and escalation pathways between CMHTs, forensic services, and criminal justice partners.
- Promote effective information sharing and continuity of risk management, integrating forensic history and public protection considerations into care planning.
- Build forensic capability within CMHT through teaching, case-based learning, and reflective practice.
This is a pivotal role for strengthening risk management and forensic expertise in community mental health services.
Main duties of the job
Collaborate with CMHT leadership and multi-agency partners to ensure effective clinical oversight, operational delivery, and decision-making.
Deliver specialist assessments, risk formulations, and evidence-based interventions for complex cases, including those with forensic needs.
Provide clinical supervision and guidance to CMHT staff, promoting safe, consistent, trauma-informed practice.
Act as the forensic and risk management lead, liaising with prisons, Probation, MAPPA, and Community Forensic Services.
Support forensic interface patients within acute care pathways and ensure safe transitions between services.
Maintain regular supervision and development through Trust forensic services.
Contribute to care planning, discharge coordination, governance, audit, and quality improvement.
Strengthen consultation pathways, information sharing, and risk management across CMHT, Forensic SPA, secure services, and criminal justice partners.
Build forensic capability within the team through teaching, reflective practice, and case-based learning.
About us
We are an award winning and CQC rated good health and social care Trust delivering integrated services across Hull, East and North Yorkshire. Find out more on our website
We are a forward thinking and dynamic Trust with a real commitment to staff development. We value our colleagues and invest in them to ensure they have the right skills to deliver outstanding care.
We are proud to score above or equal to the average for all NHS People Promise theme areas demonstrating our commitment to improve the experience of working in the NHS for everyone. Wherever you work we know you will receive a warm welcome and all the support you'll need to get you started.
We recognise the positive value of diversity and promotes equality whilst challenging discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.
Work life balance is about having influence and flexibility over when, where and how you work. If the work pattern for this role does not meet your needs, we welcome an application and are happy to discuss working arrangements that differ from those advertised.
We offer a unique range of benefits that go above and beyond other NHS Trusts including an enhanced leave package and health and wellbeing support.
From city to countryside, market towns to moors you'll find a place to call home including some of the most affordable places to live in the UK.
Find out more and search live jobs.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information with regard to this vacancy please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information with regard to this vacancy please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Knowledge
Essential
- Be a member of a recognised professional body and hold a current professional registration
- Educated to Masters Level or Post Graduate advanced clinical/professional qualification or be able to fully demonstrate equivalent knowledge and experience
- Full understanding of relevant policy, legislation, drivers and their application to clinical and service area, e.g. Mental Capacity Act, Social Inclusion
- An accredited leadership qualification or be able to demonstrate advanced leadership and management skills; motivation, team building, developing positive interpersonal relationships, negotiation, conflict resolution, problem solving, managing change, being creative
Desirable
- Member of specialist interest group/network, locally or nationally
- Advanced/expert understanding/application of relevant clinical practice/standards/audit within identified clinical area
- Evidence of policy implementation and development
Knowledge
Essential
- Evidence of sound post-registration professional practice
- Leadership/management experience which has had a positive impact and created change within the service delivery/practice
- Evidence of advanced practice skills and able to demonstrate the impact of this on practice change/development
Desirable
- A breadth of practice including specialising in the field where the post is held
- Proven leadership/management experience, able to demonstrate examples of positive impact/change within service delivery/practice at an advanced/expert level
- Experience of developing others through education, mentorship, coaching, teaching, assessing, presentations, publishing Management of delegated budgets
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Effective inter-personal skills and experience in supervising and mentoring
- Ability to lead/motivate staff to embrace change
- Working knowledge of Trust policies and procedures in order to effectively lead and manage others
Desirable
- Able to demonstrate effective communication skills at all levels i.e. strategically and locally
Person Specification
Qualifications and Knowledge
Essential
- Be a member of a recognised professional body and hold a current professional registration
- Educated to Masters Level or Post Graduate advanced clinical/professional qualification or be able to fully demonstrate equivalent knowledge and experience
- Full understanding of relevant policy, legislation, drivers and their application to clinical and service area, e.g. Mental Capacity Act, Social Inclusion
- An accredited leadership qualification or be able to demonstrate advanced leadership and management skills; motivation, team building, developing positive interpersonal relationships, negotiation, conflict resolution, problem solving, managing change, being creative
Desirable
- Member of specialist interest group/network, locally or nationally
- Advanced/expert understanding/application of relevant clinical practice/standards/audit within identified clinical area
- Evidence of policy implementation and development
Knowledge
Essential
- Evidence of sound post-registration professional practice
- Leadership/management experience which has had a positive impact and created change within the service delivery/practice
- Evidence of advanced practice skills and able to demonstrate the impact of this on practice change/development
Desirable
- A breadth of practice including specialising in the field where the post is held
- Proven leadership/management experience, able to demonstrate examples of positive impact/change within service delivery/practice at an advanced/expert level
- Experience of developing others through education, mentorship, coaching, teaching, assessing, presentations, publishing Management of delegated budgets
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Effective inter-personal skills and experience in supervising and mentoring
- Ability to lead/motivate staff to embrace change
- Working knowledge of Trust policies and procedures in order to effectively lead and manage others
Desirable
- Able to demonstrate effective communication skills at all levels i.e. strategically and locally
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
