Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to jointly lead and develop a newly commissioned North East London (NEL) men's Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) service to reduce custodial sentences and improve the wellbeing of men in the criminal justice system with mental health needs. This NEL service is jointly provided by East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) and North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT).
Mental Health Treatment Requirements (MHTRs) were introduced by the Criminal Justice Act in 2003, recognising that for many individuals who offend, mental health and substance misuse issues underpin their offending behaviour. Treatment requirements offer courts an alternative to short custodial sentences and aim to prevent reoffending by addressing underlying vulnerabilities and improving quality of life. This service aims to increase the use of primary care treatment requirements as part of a community sentence, offering psychologically informed interventions. The MHTR Service will also provide the courts with information and confidence to sentence to robust and effective treatment requirements.
Main duties of the job
NEL are looking for two 0.6 WTE B8b Clinical or Counselling Psychologists to lead the service across North East London; with the posts operating as a jobshare across the NELFT and ELFT catchment. NELFT and ELFT are recruiting to the two 0.6 WTE posts simultaneously and interested applicants are encouraged to apply to both positions. There are equivalent posts being recruited in North West London via CNWL and South London via Oxleas. We expect the clinical leads and services to work closely together, to ensure that courts across London are covered throughout the year.
The role will be responsible for operational service delivery across all courts in NEL. The successful candidates will hold a small complex clinical caseload and be responsible for supervision of the clinical team.
About us
The posts are being advertised by both NELFT and ELFT and candidates will be considered for both posts at interview. Both Trusts support flexible working and applications for secondments to this substantive role will be considered. We hope to recruit a staff team reflective of the population we serve and welcome applications from those with protected characteristics, including minoritised ethnic groups.
Interviews are anticipated to be on 14th October 2025.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please contact us if you would like to know more: Dr Phil Minoudis (Head of Forensic PD Psychology, ELFT) philip.minoudis@nhs.net 07961 474 117; Dr Rachel Smith (Professional Lead for Forensic Psychology, NELFT) Rachel.smith@nelft.nhs.uk 07944 206 081
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please contact us if you would like to know more: Dr Phil Minoudis (Head of Forensic PD Psychology, ELFT) philip.minoudis@nhs.net 07961 474 117; Dr Rachel Smith (Professional Lead for Forensic Psychology, NELFT) Rachel.smith@nelft.nhs.uk 07944 206 081
Person Specification
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical/forensic psychology, including specific models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developments as accredited by the BPS. Registration with the Health Professions Council as a Clinical/Forensic Psychologist
- Relevant clinical qualification within health or social care professions; In addition to accreditation and registration with the relevant clinical body
- Registration with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC)
- Completion of further post-doctoral/post-qualification specialist training including training in clinical supervision
- Completion of further post-doctoral/post-qualification specialist training including training in clinical supervision
- Accredited training in structured professional judgement approaches to risk assessment (including but not limited to the HCR20)
- Trained in an evidence-based treatment for mental health/personality disorder
Desirable
- Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
- Accredited therapist in evidence-based treatment for
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, risk management and treatment of high risk high harm service users with significant personality difficulties across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, and inpatient settings
- Experience of working with a wide variety of service user groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience at a highly specialist level with the service user group of the post
- Significant experience of inter-agency working with forensic mental health, probation and/or prison services, including consultation to these services
- Experience of developing and delivering training and of clinical supervision
- Significant management and supervision experience
Desirable
- Experience of the application of clinical/forensic psychology in different cultural contexts
- Experience of supervising psychologically informed approaches including formulation, specialist psychological assessments and treatment
- Experience of recruitment, selection and retention processes
- Experience of developing new services
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Understanding of specialist psychological treatment for mental health/personality disorder
- Understanding and experience of formulation for complex high risk service users with significant mental health/personality difficulties
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies and two assessment methodologies
- An extensive understanding of Criminal Justice
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Knowledge of current mental health legislation and initiatives and of safeguarding legislation
- Knowledge of MAPPA policies and procedures and statutory responsibilities aligned to these
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc.)
- Strong organisational risk management
- Ability to lead on all category SUI reviews for the locality
Person Specification
Education/ Qualification/ Training
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical/forensic psychology, including specific models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developments as accredited by the BPS. Registration with the Health Professions Council as a Clinical/Forensic Psychologist
- Relevant clinical qualification within health or social care professions; In addition to accreditation and registration with the relevant clinical body
- Registration with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC)
- Completion of further post-doctoral/post-qualification specialist training including training in clinical supervision
- Completion of further post-doctoral/post-qualification specialist training including training in clinical supervision
- Accredited training in structured professional judgement approaches to risk assessment (including but not limited to the HCR20)
- Trained in an evidence-based treatment for mental health/personality disorder
Desirable
- Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
- Accredited therapist in evidence-based treatment for
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, risk management and treatment of high risk high harm service users with significant personality difficulties across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, and inpatient settings
- Experience of working with a wide variety of service user groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience at a highly specialist level with the service user group of the post
- Significant experience of inter-agency working with forensic mental health, probation and/or prison services, including consultation to these services
- Experience of developing and delivering training and of clinical supervision
- Significant management and supervision experience
Desirable
- Experience of the application of clinical/forensic psychology in different cultural contexts
- Experience of supervising psychologically informed approaches including formulation, specialist psychological assessments and treatment
- Experience of recruitment, selection and retention processes
- Experience of developing new services
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Understanding of specialist psychological treatment for mental health/personality disorder
- Understanding and experience of formulation for complex high risk service users with significant mental health/personality difficulties
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies and two assessment methodologies
- An extensive understanding of Criminal Justice
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Knowledge of current mental health legislation and initiatives and of safeguarding legislation
- Knowledge of MAPPA policies and procedures and statutory responsibilities aligned to these
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc.)
- Strong organisational risk management
- Ability to lead on all category SUI reviews for the locality
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).
