Job summary
Principal Practitioner Psychologist for CMHT Forensic Interface
Fixed term/secondment 18.75 hours per week (0.5wte)
We are seeking a skilled and motivated Principal Practitioner Psychologist to join our CMHT Forensic Interface Provision, a newly developed specialist function within Community Mental Health Services. The post holder will be based within, and work closely alongside, Small Heath CMHT as the main team.
This provision delivers enhanced, time-limited, and high-intensity support to people with complex mental health needs at critical points in their recovery journey. This includes individuals stepping down from secure and forensic services, as well as people within secondary care who would benefit from additional therapeutic input, coordinated risk management and continuity of care to help them remain safely supported in the community.
To support the intensity and quality of this work, the provision is designed to operate with a reduced caseload for care co-ordinators, recognising the complexity and level of input required.
This post forms part of a pilot designed to evidence and embed a sustainable model of care. The pilot's timeframe is for 18 months / no later than July 2027. The intention is for the provision to continue, once the pilot is completed. This is a fixed-term 18 month contract (dependant on the start date).
Main duties of the job
As a highly experienced forensic/clinical/counselling psychologist (or equivalent), with experience of working with people with complex mental health problems and a history of offending behaviour, the post holder will be responsible for the development, systematic provision of, evaluation & governance of psychological services at the CMHT Forensic Interface. They will provide clinical leadership in the service and work collaboratively with multidisciplinary colleagues to achieve effective, evidence based psychological service provision to those accessing the CMHT Forensic Interface.
The post holder will be responsible for leadership and oversight of NICE recommended psychological therapies/interventions to individuals within the pilot service (individual or group interventions), providing supervision for psychological practitioners (and those in training) as well as MDT colleagues, consultation, service development, research and teaching/training as required.
The role offers a meaningful opportunity to shape and strengthen the pathway between secure care and community services, improve transitions, and support people to build stability, independence, and hope. You will be part of a small, specialist MDT working closely with partners across health, social care, and the criminal justice system to deliver safe, compassionate, and recovery-focused care.
Please see 'Job Description' for more details
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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Successful completion of accredited postgraduate professional training course in Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychology
- Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice
- Post-doctoral training or additional qualifications in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or other psychological therapy: including DBT, MBT, brief psychodynamic interventions, CAT, EMDR
- Management and or leadership training
Experience
Essential
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling or forensic psychologist post qualification, with extensive experience at the Senior (Band 8a) level
- Experience of highly specialist psychological assessment and individual and group based treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including primary and secondary / specialise care and inpatient / residential, outpatient and community team settings
- 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
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for the psychological care and treatment of referred clients, and of working within a multidisciplinary context wherein carries responsibility for the psychological aspects of a multidisciplinary care plan
- Experience of representing psychology within a multidisciplinary context
- Experience of working with people with complex mental health problems and a history of offending behaviour.
Desirable
- Experience of teaching, training and / or supervision
- Relevant post-qualification experience, and formal training in supervision, enabling the post holder to independently supervise clinical psychology trainees in accordance with relevant criteria adopted by local University Clinical Psychology Training Course criteria
- Experience of working therapeutically with service users who are reluctant to engage with services, presenting with complex mental health needs and risks
- Experience of team-based risk assessment and formulation
- Experience of working in a multicultural framework
- Experience of team-based risk assessment, formulation, and management.
Skills/Knowledge
Essential
- 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
- A high level ability to communicate effectively at both a written and oral level complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS
- Ability to work effectively and diplomatically as a 'team player' in a multiprofessional setting, demonstrating respect and appreciation of the contributions from other team members
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, including psychometric testing
- Skills in formulation with individual clients and with teams
- Skills in implementation of highly specialist psychological therapies, interventions and management techniques appropriate for use with complex presenting problems
- Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups
Desirable
- High level of knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies with clients who are reluctant to engage with services
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Successful completion of accredited postgraduate professional training course in Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychology
- Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice
- Post-doctoral training or additional qualifications in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or other psychological therapy: including DBT, MBT, brief psychodynamic interventions, CAT, EMDR
- Management and or leadership training
Experience
Essential
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling or forensic psychologist post qualification, with extensive experience at the Senior (Band 8a) level
- Experience of highly specialist psychological assessment and individual and group based treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including primary and secondary / specialise care and inpatient / residential, outpatient and community team settings
- 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
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for the psychological care and treatment of referred clients, and of working within a multidisciplinary context wherein carries responsibility for the psychological aspects of a multidisciplinary care plan
- Experience of representing psychology within a multidisciplinary context
- Experience of working with people with complex mental health problems and a history of offending behaviour.
Desirable
- Experience of teaching, training and / or supervision
- Relevant post-qualification experience, and formal training in supervision, enabling the post holder to independently supervise clinical psychology trainees in accordance with relevant criteria adopted by local University Clinical Psychology Training Course criteria
- Experience of working therapeutically with service users who are reluctant to engage with services, presenting with complex mental health needs and risks
- Experience of team-based risk assessment and formulation
- Experience of working in a multicultural framework
- Experience of team-based risk assessment, formulation, and management.
Skills/Knowledge
Essential
- 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
- A high level ability to communicate effectively at both a written and oral level complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS
- Ability to work effectively and diplomatically as a 'team player' in a multiprofessional setting, demonstrating respect and appreciation of the contributions from other team members
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, including psychometric testing
- Skills in formulation with individual clients and with teams
- Skills in implementation of highly specialist psychological therapies, interventions and management techniques appropriate for use with complex presenting problems
- Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups
Desirable
- High level of knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies with clients who are reluctant to engage with services
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Small Heath Health Centre
42 Chapman Road, Small Heath
Birmingham
B10 0PG
Employer's website
https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
