Job summary
We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and skilled Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist to join our Psychologically Informed Community Services (PICs) as part of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway across Durham and the Tees Valley.
This innovative service delivers psychologically informed formulation and consultation for individuals assessed as presenting with complex interpersonal, relational, and personality difficulties. Working closely withprobation partners, the service supports psychologically informed practice across community offender management, enhancing risk management, rehabilitation, and relational safety.
The PICs team forms a key component of the regional OPD Pathway and works alongside OPD services in custody and community settings.
The role is part time (3 or 4 days per week) and we are happy to discuss the flexibility of this.
This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. However, sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements, therefore, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position. Visithttps://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Main duties of the job
As a Band 8a Applied Psychologist, you will play a central role in the delivery and development of high-quality psychological services within the OPD Pathway. Key responsibilities include:
Clinical Responsibilities
- Delivering psychologically informed consultation and formulation to probation practitioners, supporting trauma-informed and relationally safe practice.
- Supporting caseworkers to develop psychologically informed approaches to engagement, boundaries, communication, and relational practice.
Leadership & Service Development
- Contributing to the ongoing development and evaluation of PICs service delivery across Durham & Tees Valley.
- Offering clinical leadership to psychologists, other professionals, as well as supporting wider workforce development.
- Supporting the embedding of trauma-informed, evidence-based practice across partner agencies.
Research & Evaluation
- Leading and contributing to service evaluation, clinical audit, and the development of psychologically informed outcome frameworks in line with OPD national standards.
About us
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
Psychologists & Psychological Therapists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached on NHS Jobs. You can find more information about the NHS Leadership Academys Healthcare Leadership Model and the profiles at their website. We encourage you to look at these resources as they will play a part in the interview process.
Additional contact details: Jenni Hart - Highly Specialist Psychologist - jennifer.hart24@nhs.net
Sarah McCrory - Psychological Professions Lead - sarah.mccrory@nhs.net
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
Psychologists & Psychological Therapists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached on NHS Jobs. You can find more information about the NHS Leadership Academys Healthcare Leadership Model and the profiles at their website. We encourage you to look at these resources as they will play a part in the interview process.
Additional contact details: Jenni Hart - Highly Specialist Psychologist - jennifer.hart24@nhs.net
Sarah McCrory - Psychological Professions Lead - sarah.mccrory@nhs.net
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
- Post doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Trained in care co-ordination
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service including a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across a range of care settings.
- Exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care as a care coordinator within the context of a multidisciplinary team.
- Teaching, training and clinical supervision and field supervisor for doctoral theses.
- Research and development
- Quality and service improvement and evaluation.
Desirable
- Experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
Skills
Essential
- Communicate highly complex and highly sensitive information effectively, to a wide range of people
- Adapt creatively the evidence base for interventions in mental health for clients with communication difficulties / learning disabilities.
- Provide effective teaching, training and clinical supervision for the multidisciplinary team.
- Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake care co-ordination/lead practitioner responsibilities
- Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
- Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
- Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work.
- Use approved breakaway techniques
- Demonstrate effective keyboard skills
- Use multimedia materials for presentations in professional, academic and public settings
Knowledge
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of: Evidence- based practice relevant to the role
- Risk assessment and risk management
- Clinical governance
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
- Audit and research methodology
- Social Inclusion agenda
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
- Post doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Trained in care co-ordination
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service including a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across a range of care settings.
- Exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care as a care coordinator within the context of a multidisciplinary team.
- Teaching, training and clinical supervision and field supervisor for doctoral theses.
- Research and development
- Quality and service improvement and evaluation.
Desirable
- Experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
Skills
Essential
- Communicate highly complex and highly sensitive information effectively, to a wide range of people
- Adapt creatively the evidence base for interventions in mental health for clients with communication difficulties / learning disabilities.
- Provide effective teaching, training and clinical supervision for the multidisciplinary team.
- Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake care co-ordination/lead practitioner responsibilities
- Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
- Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
- Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work.
- Use approved breakaway techniques
- Demonstrate effective keyboard skills
- Use multimedia materials for presentations in professional, academic and public settings
Knowledge
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of: Evidence- based practice relevant to the role
- Risk assessment and risk management
- Clinical governance
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
- Audit and research methodology
- Social Inclusion agenda
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).
