NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Principal Psychologist

The closing date is 14 October 2025

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 North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) and East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT).

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

NELFT 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.

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, includingminoritised ethnic groups. Candidates will be considered for all NLFC posts at interview (CNWL, NELFT and ELFT).

About us

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are:

  • We are kind.
  • We are respectful.
  • We work together with our communities.

These three values help us tostrive to provide the best care by the best people.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

Starting with Us

NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Inner London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 20% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £5,609 to a maximum of £8,466 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Details

Date posted

07 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum pro rata (plus HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

395-PP126-25

Job locations

Bethnal Green Health Centre

60 Florida Street

London

E2 6LL


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please contact us if you would like to know more: Dr Rachel Smith (Professional Lead for Forensic Psychology, NELFT)Rachel.smith@nelft.nhs.uk07944 206 081; Dr Phil Minoudis (Head of Forensic PD Psychology, ELFT)philip.minoudis@nhs.net 07961 474 117

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

- To lead on the development and implementation of the Mens MHTR service and hold management oversight and clinical supervision of the team

- To oversee and be responsible for quality and performance, including quarterly reporting to commissioners.

- To work as a jobshare with other service lead and work alongside partners to deliver the service across London.

- To have oversight and sign off of court directions, including covering sign of court directions for NLFC colleagues during periods of leave.

-To liaise and ensure working relationships with key stakeholders

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please contact us if you would like to know more: Dr Rachel Smith (Professional Lead for Forensic Psychology, NELFT)Rachel.smith@nelft.nhs.uk07944 206 081; Dr Phil Minoudis (Head of Forensic PD Psychology, ELFT)philip.minoudis@nhs.net 07961 474 117

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

- To lead on the development and implementation of the Mens MHTR service and hold management oversight and clinical supervision of the team

- To oversee and be responsible for quality and performance, including quarterly reporting to commissioners.

- To work as a jobshare with other service lead and work alongside partners to deliver the service across London.

- To have oversight and sign off of court directions, including covering sign of court directions for NLFC colleagues during periods of leave.

-To liaise and ensure working relationships with key stakeholders

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Practitioner Psychologist, HCPC, Doctorate
  • further post-doctoral/post-qualification specialist training including training in clinical supervision
  • training is risk assessment

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 client group

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment, risk management and treatment of service users with significant mental health difficulties who offend across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, and inpatient settings
  • variety of service user groups
  • Significant experience of inter-agency working
  • Experience of developing and delivering training.
  • Significant management and supervision experience.

Desirable

  • management experience
  • service development experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Risk, CJS, mental health, research methods, legislation

Desirable

  • knowledge difficult to treat groups

Skills

Essential

  • Assessment, communication, consultation
  • challenging behaviour, violence, complex situations
  • management of people
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Practitioner Psychologist, HCPC, Doctorate
  • further post-doctoral/post-qualification specialist training including training in clinical supervision
  • training is risk assessment

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 client group

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment, risk management and treatment of service users with significant mental health difficulties who offend across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, and inpatient settings
  • variety of service user groups
  • Significant experience of inter-agency working
  • Experience of developing and delivering training.
  • Significant management and supervision experience.

Desirable

  • management experience
  • service development experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Risk, CJS, mental health, research methods, legislation

Desirable

  • knowledge difficult to treat groups

Skills

Essential

  • Assessment, communication, consultation
  • challenging behaviour, violence, complex situations
  • management of people

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).

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.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Bethnal Green Health Centre

60 Florida Street

London

E2 6LL


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Bethnal Green Health Centre

60 Florida Street

London

E2 6LL


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Professional Lead for Forensic Psychology

Rachel Smith

Rachel.Smith@nelft.nhs.uk

07944206081

Details

Date posted

07 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum pro rata (plus HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

395-PP126-25

Job locations

Bethnal Green Health Centre

60 Florida Street

London

E2 6LL


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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