Job summary
The Tamarind Centre is seeking a fixed term maternity cover for an 8B Practitioner Psychologist to join its psychology department. This is a strong developmental opportunity, ideal for an experienced 8A looking to progress or an 8B psychologist curious about moving into forensic work.
The post sits within our personality focused recovery service, a specialist ward for men with complex histories of violence, trauma, and interpersonal conflict. We are looking for someone with experience delivering therapeutic work to individuals, groups, and across systems. While expertise in MBT, DBT, or forensic psychodynamic psychotherapy is welcomed, it is not essential. An interest in adapting therapies for men at high risk of violence is especially valued.
Tamarind is an 89 bed medium secure unit supporting men with enduring mental health needs and histories of violence. Our psychology team values openness, authenticity, and psychological safety. We prioritise cohesion over conformity and invite you to help us grow. Our work lives in the balance between care and containment, acknowledging trauma and structural inequality while avoiding binary thinking. Evidence based practice is essential, but we aim to adapt it compassionately and meaningfully.
Main duties of the job
Beyond therapy, we are committed to co-production and service user involvement. Recent work includes culturally informed mental health groups, co-designed trauma training, and projects with carers to hold the service accountable. As Principal Psychologist, you will help lead this work, shaping trauma informed care as a cultural shift across the unit and wider Division. Leadership here is seen not as a title but as a shared, evolving process. Support comes from colleagues across disciplines, including community partners.
Working in a forensic NHS setting comes with complexity. Cultural narratives around men, violence, and mental illness can distort the work. We create space, formally and informally, to reflect on power and help staff and service users recognise and celebrate small but meaningful progress.
If this sounds like a place where you would like to contribute and grow, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.
About us
Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.
Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people's lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Please click on the link for a little insight into our services and our people
https://vimeo.com/benthompsonfilms/psychologyrecruitment?share=copy
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Please click on the link for a little insight into our services and our people
https://vimeo.com/benthompsonfilms/psychologyrecruitment?share=copy
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Satisfactory completion of a British Psychological Society accredited Doctoral Level postgraduate professional training course in clinical psychology (the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), the completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
- Eligibility for entry onto the Register of Chartered Psychologists
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice / therapy
Experience
Essential
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/forensic psychologist for a minimum of 4 years post qualification, with a minimum of at least 2 years at the Senior (highly specialist) level.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, with clients of all ages across the lifespan and of wide-ranging presenting problems that reflect the full spectrum of clinical complexity and severity
Desirable
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of working therapeutically with 'difficult to treat' and or 'hard to reach' groups and clients in community settings
- Experience of safeguarding and risk management across several agencies, including appropriately escalating concerns
Skills
Essential
- Highly developed theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of clinical psychology, consistent with doctoral level professional training and further post qualification study, training and supervised experience during a minimum of 4 years as a qualified psychologist
- Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
- Awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic groups and of the service issues arising within a multicultural urban area.
Desirable
- In depth knowledge of information governance legislation and information sharing practices across agencies
Personal
Essential
- Ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
- Capacity for tolerating frustration, change and high levels of demand with an ability to work effectively under pressure.
Desirable
- Willing and eligible to apply for higher level security clearance
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Satisfactory completion of a British Psychological Society accredited Doctoral Level postgraduate professional training course in clinical psychology (the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), the completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
- Eligibility for entry onto the Register of Chartered Psychologists
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice / therapy
Experience
Essential
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/forensic psychologist for a minimum of 4 years post qualification, with a minimum of at least 2 years at the Senior (highly specialist) level.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, with clients of all ages across the lifespan and of wide-ranging presenting problems that reflect the full spectrum of clinical complexity and severity
Desirable
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of working therapeutically with 'difficult to treat' and or 'hard to reach' groups and clients in community settings
- Experience of safeguarding and risk management across several agencies, including appropriately escalating concerns
Skills
Essential
- Highly developed theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of clinical psychology, consistent with doctoral level professional training and further post qualification study, training and supervised experience during a minimum of 4 years as a qualified psychologist
- Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
- Awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic groups and of the service issues arising within a multicultural urban area.
Desirable
- In depth knowledge of information governance legislation and information sharing practices across agencies
Personal
Essential
- Ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
- Capacity for tolerating frustration, change and high levels of demand with an ability to work effectively under pressure.
Desirable
- Willing and eligible to apply for higher level security clearance
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).
