Job summary
Health and Justice Services part of GMMH Specialist Service Care Group are looking to recruit a committed and dynamic HCPC psychologist or accredited psychological therapist to work within the multi-disciplinary mental health team, which implements a stepped-care model to provide mental health and psychological care across HMP Styal.
This role is specific to HMP Styal to support the mental health team and wider prison establishment in providing psychological and formulation driven understanding of mental health, emotional distress, complex personality presentations and trauma responses.
A large component of the role will be to provide medium to longer-term psychological therapy, implementing a range of psychological skills and techniques to support the reduction of distress, often related to trauma and complex personality presentations.
The post holder will need accreditation/registration with a professional body and experience in the delivery of a range of psychological interventions.
A prison environment can be a challenging place to work, we are seeking someone not only with strong clinical skills but also the ability to manage and respond to the dynamic needs of the team, the client group and the environment, to ensure that provision is accessible and appropriate.
The post holder will be provided with high level support, including additional training and supervision from the current senior psychology team within the psychology and psychological therapies service.
Main duties of the job
To work with service-users and others involved in their care to support improved psychological health and well-being, and more generally to contribute to a reduction in the risk of offending behaviour.
To complete thorough assessments to develop idiosyncratic and nuanced formulations considering a range of relevant factors. The post holder would be expected to have experience of, and a strong working knowledge of the impact that trauma and adversity have on the development of personality, interpersonal interaction and behaviour.
To carefully consider service user's interpersonal interactions, management of emotional regulation, past traumatic experiences and how this is linked to their mental health and behavioural presentation.
To provide individual therapy, which is driven by a strong working formulation and is evaluated.
To contribute to the multi-professional understanding of service-user presentation and support the development of a psychologically and trauma informed environment for the services-users to reside within.
To contribute to the development and delivery of training to the mental health team and physical health partners, as well as for prison staff and other stakeholders.
To promote a developed and applied understanding of personality complexity, attachment, and trauma within the staff group.
To provide supervision to junior staff including psychological well-being practitioners and assistant psychologists.
About us
Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 6,400 members of staff who deliver services from more than 160 locations.
We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford, and the borough of Wigan, and a wide-range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the North West of England and beyond.
Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.
Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour, and generosity.
Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See attached detailed job description and person specification for further information.
Staff benefits Pay Enhancements 30% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 60% additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
Excellent pension
Cycle to work scheme
Salary sacrifice car scheme
Wellbeing programme
Blue Light Card Discounts
Job description
Job responsibilities
See attached detailed job description and person specification for further information.
Staff benefits Pay Enhancements 30% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 60% additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
Excellent pension
Cycle to work scheme
Salary sacrifice car scheme
Wellbeing programme
Blue Light Card Discounts
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist Or HCPC registered therapist or accreditation as therapist with the BABCP or BACP.
- Be expected to pass HMPPS security clearance (to be applied for post interview for successful applicant)
Desirable
- Post qualification training in a specialised area of psychological practice (e.g., EMDR, Systemic, CAT, DBT etc).
- Training in supervision skills
Experience
Essential
- Experience of developing assessments and formulations and delivering therapeutic interventions to people presenting with complex mental health, personality difficulties or offending behaviours.
- Experience of working with people with trauma.
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team or engaging with wider stakeholders.
- Experience of providing in-depth psychological therapy using a range of skills and techniques.
- Experience of using psychometric measures.
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment.
Desirable
- Experience working within a custodial setting or secure environment or with offenders.
- Experience of working within a trauma informed environment
- Experience of providing supervision.
- Experience of facilitating therapeutic group intervention.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and awareness of the factors that contribute to offending behaviour, complex personality presentations, emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties.
- Knowledge of a range of psychological treatment approaches for working with those presenting with complex presentations and difficulties.
- Evidence of CPD as recommended by a professional registration body.
Desirable
- Knowledge of policy and legislation in relation to prisoner mental health and well-being.
- Awareness of stepped care approach in mental health care and provision.
Skills and abilities
Essential
- High level communication skills (verbal and written)
- Strong presentation skills and ability to deliver training to staff teams.
- Ability to work collaboratively with service-users and staff teams. And to liaise with a range of other professionals and communicate sensitive and risk information.
- Ability to organise time effectively.
- Ability to use own initiative and to work under supervision where appropriate.
- Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise effectively with other professionals.
- Ability to promote and advocate for a psychologically informed way of working.
- To show resilience within a challenging working environment and have awareness of own professional and personal limitations.
- The ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and threat of physical abuse.
Desirable
- Experience of providing training to multidisciplinary staff groups
Other requirements
Essential
- There is an occasional requirement to travel across the wider northwest footprint of the Trust to attend meetings, supervision, and events relevant to the role.
- To support the wider Health and Justice psychology provision by providing short-term support or assessment and supervision to other establishments across the GMMH prison footprint.
- The post holder will be supported with the security vetting to enable them to work within the setting.
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist Or HCPC registered therapist or accreditation as therapist with the BABCP or BACP.
- Be expected to pass HMPPS security clearance (to be applied for post interview for successful applicant)
Desirable
- Post qualification training in a specialised area of psychological practice (e.g., EMDR, Systemic, CAT, DBT etc).
- Training in supervision skills
Experience
Essential
- Experience of developing assessments and formulations and delivering therapeutic interventions to people presenting with complex mental health, personality difficulties or offending behaviours.
- Experience of working with people with trauma.
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team or engaging with wider stakeholders.
- Experience of providing in-depth psychological therapy using a range of skills and techniques.
- Experience of using psychometric measures.
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment.
Desirable
- Experience working within a custodial setting or secure environment or with offenders.
- Experience of working within a trauma informed environment
- Experience of providing supervision.
- Experience of facilitating therapeutic group intervention.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and awareness of the factors that contribute to offending behaviour, complex personality presentations, emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties.
- Knowledge of a range of psychological treatment approaches for working with those presenting with complex presentations and difficulties.
- Evidence of CPD as recommended by a professional registration body.
Desirable
- Knowledge of policy and legislation in relation to prisoner mental health and well-being.
- Awareness of stepped care approach in mental health care and provision.
Skills and abilities
Essential
- High level communication skills (verbal and written)
- Strong presentation skills and ability to deliver training to staff teams.
- Ability to work collaboratively with service-users and staff teams. And to liaise with a range of other professionals and communicate sensitive and risk information.
- Ability to organise time effectively.
- Ability to use own initiative and to work under supervision where appropriate.
- Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise effectively with other professionals.
- Ability to promote and advocate for a psychologically informed way of working.
- To show resilience within a challenging working environment and have awareness of own professional and personal limitations.
- The ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and threat of physical abuse.
Desirable
- Experience of providing training to multidisciplinary staff groups
Other requirements
Essential
- There is an occasional requirement to travel across the wider northwest footprint of the Trust to attend meetings, supervision, and events relevant to the role.
- To support the wider Health and Justice psychology provision by providing short-term support or assessment and supervision to other establishments across the GMMH prison footprint.
- The post holder will be supported with the security vetting to enable them to work within the setting.
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
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).
