Job summary
We are recruiting two Principal Psychologists within the West Midlands Learning Disability and Autism Community Forensic Service.
This service is being developed as a partnership between Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT) and Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT).
We are seeking experienced psychologists with a background in community and forensic work with adults with learning disabilities and/or autistic adults. Applications are welcome from staff who are currently working atBand 8a level or above.
This is a non-recurrent, two-year project funded via the Reach Out Collaborative, with the contract commencing upon appointment. This post is available as a fixed-term contract or 20-month secondment opportunity for internal applicants.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in leading specialist psychological services, providing clinical and professional leadership, and supporting recovery-focused outcomes for individuals across secure and community services.
Main duties of the job
This position will involve taking a lead role in the West Midlands Forensic Community LDA Service for people with learning disability and/or autistic people, as directed by the lead psychologist.
Based on the core functions of the national specification for community forensic LD and autism services, the WM community forensic LDA service is set up to provide:
- In-reach support to inpatient services to support safe and timely discharges
- Forensic risk assessment and management of risk in the community to ensure public safety and safety of the individual
- Delivery of offence specific therapeutic interventions
- Expert advice and training to other agencies
- Consultancy and support
- A West Midlands-wide on-call service - clinical advice and urgent support outside core hours.
The Principal Clinical or Forensic Psychologist will support psychological practice within the team through consultation, supervision, formulation and training. They will be expected to utilise research skills for audit, service development and research within the area served by the team/service.
About us
At Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT), we deliver a wide range of physical, mental health, learning disability and autism services, and are proud to serve communities across Coventry, Warwickshire and beyond.
We put 'people at our heart'; this ethos is at the centre of everything we do and how we do it. We care for our staff and colleagues as much as they care for others and offer a wide range of benefits and development opportunities.
- generous annual leave entitlement which increases during your time with us
- excellent learning and development opportunities, including apprenticeship frameworks, distance learning, internal training, coaching and mentoring, and much more
- salary sacrifice schemes for lease car/ vehicle, Cycle to Work, home and electronics, gym membership and more
- discounts with a range of retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues through our Employee Assistance Programme and NHS discount schemes
- wellbeing support, including an in-house counselling service, external helpline and more
- staff networks and support group
We're always on the lookout for people who share our passion for improving the lives and wellbeing of people in our community, as well as our values of compassion, collaboration, excellence, integrity and respect.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key priorities include:
Planning, coordinating, delivering, and evaluating highly specialist psychological services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism who have forensic needs, including those in inpatient services.
Ensuring the systematic provision of high-quality psychological assessment and treatment for highly complex cases requiring detailed analysis, formulation, and intervention.
Providing highly specialist training and consultation to staff from a range of statutory agencies and independent providers to support service users to remain in the community.
Supervising and supporting the psychological assessment and therapy provided by junior psychologists, assistant and trainee psychologists, and other clinical staff delivering psychologically-based care.
Adhering to the lone worker policy and ensuring safe practice in line with professional guidelines.
Being responsible for the governance of psychological practice within the service.
Working autonomously within professional guidelines while providing clinical and professional leadership to psychologists, psychological therapists, and other relevant clinical staff.
Planning, organising, and contributing to the development, evaluation, and monitoring of the teams operational policies and services, including research, service evaluation, and audit, and advising management on psychological and organisational matters.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key priorities include:
Planning, coordinating, delivering, and evaluating highly specialist psychological services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism who have forensic needs, including those in inpatient services.
Ensuring the systematic provision of high-quality psychological assessment and treatment for highly complex cases requiring detailed analysis, formulation, and intervention.
Providing highly specialist training and consultation to staff from a range of statutory agencies and independent providers to support service users to remain in the community.
Supervising and supporting the psychological assessment and therapy provided by junior psychologists, assistant and trainee psychologists, and other clinical staff delivering psychologically-based care.
Adhering to the lone worker policy and ensuring safe practice in line with professional guidelines.
Being responsible for the governance of psychological practice within the service.
Working autonomously within professional guidelines while providing clinical and professional leadership to psychologists, psychological therapists, and other relevant clinical staff.
Planning, organising, and contributing to the development, evaluation, and monitoring of the teams operational policies and services, including research, service evaluation, and audit, and advising management on psychological and organisational matters.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Forensic experience within an inpatient or community setting
- Experience of working with autism or learning disability
Desirable
- Experience of partnership & multi agency working
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Ability to teach and train others.
Desirable
- Ability to communicate information in a clear and sensitive manner
- Ability to adapt written or verbal communication according to need
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical or forensic psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK] as approved by the HPC.
- Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC)
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Forensic experience within an inpatient or community setting
- Experience of working with autism or learning disability
Desirable
- Experience of partnership & multi agency working
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Ability to teach and train others.
Desirable
- Ability to communicate information in a clear and sensitive manner
- Ability to adapt written or verbal communication according to need
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical or forensic psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK] as approved by the HPC.
- Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC)
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
