Assistant Psychologist

Job summary

The role is across the DEE and PIPE services at HMP/ YOI Swinfen Hall. The Delta Enabling Environment (DEE) and the Psychologically Informed Planned Environment (PIPE) are both located on D and E wing at HMP/ YOI Swinfen Hall, which is a category C prison for young men aged between 18 and 28 years of age. Both services are part of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway, which is a set of psychologically-informed services operating across criminal justice and health. OPD services are formulation-led services which aim to reduce risk associated with serious reoffending and to improve the psychological wellbeing of people who have caused others harm.

The DEE Service is located on D wing and supports 30 young people who have screened onto the OPD pathway. It is an assessment and treatment service which works with service users for an average of approximately 2 years. The team is psychologically led and is made up of clinical and forensic psychologists, psychotherapists, creative therapists, occupational therapists, custodial managers and intervention prison officers. The team use a variety of models and works integratively, including leaning on compassion-focused therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, mentalization based therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and systemic models.

Main duties of the job

The PIPE Service is located on E wing and supports 60 young people who have screened onto the OPD pathway. The PIPE model has been developed as an environmental approach to enhance the delivery of core work within prisons and probation (community) settings, where additional psychological or 'psychosocial' considerations are required. The PIPE Service on E wing is a Provision and Progression PIPE which works with young people who currently engaging in offending behaviour treatment (Provision PIPE) or have completed all or part of their offending behaviour treatment and are consolidating skills (Progression PIPE). Young people can volunteer to engage with PIPE for approximately 2 years. The service is clinically led and prison officer delivered. The team consists of forensic psychologists, occupational therapist technician, custodial managers and intervention prison officers. Staff members have additional training to develop increased psychological understanding of their work which enables them to create an enhanced safe and supportive environment.

About us

NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community. Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible. This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools.We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning to improve the care and safety of our patients and staff, which focuses on people who enable our Trust to be 'outstanding' by supporting opportunity, innovation, development and growth.

Details

Date posted

24 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year pa, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

270-TG543-MH

Job locations

HMP/ YOI Swinfen Hall

The Drive

Lichfield

WS14 9QS

Job description

Job responsibilities

The main role of the Assistant Psychologist is to undertake protocol based psychological assessments of service users including: neuropsychological tests; self-report measures; rating scales; direct and indirect structured observations; and semi-structured interviews with service users and others involved in the service users care. To assist in the formulation and delivery of treatment plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a service users problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist. To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups. To work with the clinical and operational (prison) staff. To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings. To communicate professionally and effectively and to use interpersonal skills effectively with service users and colleagues.

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The main role of the Assistant Psychologist is to undertake protocol based psychological assessments of service users including: neuropsychological tests; self-report measures; rating scales; direct and indirect structured observations; and semi-structured interviews with service users and others involved in the service users care. To assist in the formulation and delivery of treatment plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a service users problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist. To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups. To work with the clinical and operational (prison) staff. To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings. To communicate professionally and effectively and to use interpersonal skills effectively with service users and colleagues.

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology with entitlement to graduate membership of BPS

Desirable

• To have completed further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology i.e. Masters

Experience

Essential

• To have experience of working with people with psychological distress

Desirable

• To have experience of working with people who have caused others harm

Behaviours and Values

Essential

• To interact effectively with staff from all disciplines
• To positively interact with people presenting with psychological distress
• To be able to work compassionately with people who have caused harm to others

Desirable

• To have an interest in working within a forensic setting

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology with entitlement to graduate membership of BPS

Desirable

• To have completed further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology i.e. Masters

Experience

Essential

• To have experience of working with people with psychological distress

Desirable

• To have experience of working with people who have caused others harm

Behaviours and Values

Essential

• To interact effectively with staff from all disciplines
• To positively interact with people presenting with psychological distress
• To be able to work compassionately with people who have caused harm to others

Desirable

• To have an interest in working within a forensic setting

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

HMP/ YOI Swinfen Hall

The Drive

Lichfield

WS14 9QS

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

HMP/ YOI Swinfen Hall

The Drive

Lichfield

WS14 9QS

Employer's website

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