Clinical/Forensic Psychologist/Forensically Modified DBT Therapist
CNWL
United Kingdom
Permanent
GPB 80,000 - GPB 100,000
Clinical/Forensic Psychologist/Forensically Modified DBT Therapist NHS AfC: Band 7 Main area Psychological Therapist, Psychologist Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 333-D-HJ-1918-B
Site HMP Downview Town Sutton Surrey Salary £53,751 - £60,651 pa inc. HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 16/03/:59
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Job overview Are you interested in working with personality disorder and assisting teams to support individuals with complex needs? We are seeking a DBT therapist, psychologist or psychological therapist to join our 'Options' Offender Personality Disorder Team (OPD) at HMP Downview (a female prison in Sutton, Surrey). Options is a treatment and support service running primarily modified forensic DBT Programmes, offering treatment for service users who have been identified on the Personality Disorder Pathway. Additionally, we offer 1:1 EMDR therapy, outreach stability and treatment preparation work, staff training, consultation and formulation services to our probation and prison colleagues who work alongside us to support and progress women safely through their sentence plan, in preparation for their move into the community. Service users report many improvements in the way they manage emotions and relationships, there are observed reductions in self harm and increased stability. As part of a current expansion plan 2026 there will be further developments in treatment offered including MBT and Art therapy. Our team is made up of Operational staff, Assistant psychologists, clinical and Forensic psychologists
Main duties of the job
By joining CNWL's Health & Justice Directorate you will be joining a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide a variety of mental health and OPD services across prisons, the youth estate, secure hospitals and the community. Our staff are dynamic and welcoming and the networking and CPD opportunities are central to our services ethos. We have active research forums and promote our services and work through academic and clinical forums. All staff receive regular supervision and are supported with career aspirations and progression. All our sites in Surrey offer free use of the onsite leisure facilities and free parking for staff.
Clickhere to find out more about working within the psychological professions at CNWL andhere to see what our Health & Justice staff say about working within our award winning teams.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities Please see job description and person specification for more details.
We are a friendly team and encourage any prospective candidate to contact us with any questions and/or to book an informal visit.
Qualifications
We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct. Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Site HMP Downview Town Sutton Surrey Salary £53,751 - £60,651 pa inc. HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 16/03/:59
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Job overview Are you interested in working with personality disorder and assisting teams to support individuals with complex needs? We are seeking a DBT therapist, psychologist or psychological therapist to join our 'Options' Offender Personality Disorder Team (OPD) at HMP Downview (a female prison in Sutton, Surrey). Options is a treatment and support service running primarily modified forensic DBT Programmes, offering treatment for service users who have been identified on the Personality Disorder Pathway. Additionally, we offer 1:1 EMDR therapy, outreach stability and treatment preparation work, staff training, consultation and formulation services to our probation and prison colleagues who work alongside us to support and progress women safely through their sentence plan, in preparation for their move into the community. Service users report many improvements in the way they manage emotions and relationships, there are observed reductions in self harm and increased stability. As part of a current expansion plan 2026 there will be further developments in treatment offered including MBT and Art therapy. Our team is made up of Operational staff, Assistant psychologists, clinical and Forensic psychologists
Main duties of the job
- To deliver Modified Forensic Dialectic Behavioural Therapy to women screened into the OPD pathway, this will include individual and group based treatment. To attend and take part in weekly DBT consultation meetings and adhere to DBT principles.
- To develop individual formulations and apply theoretical models of the psychology of mental health and personality disorder and offending, to observed behaviour, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal patterns, for service users who present with complex clinical needs.
- To undertake delivery of individual and group therapy including outreach support and stabilization with prisoners at HMP Downview as directed.
- To provide clinical supervision to the team's psychological therapists, Assistant Psychologists and trainees and other members of the team when appropriate.
- To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures.
By joining CNWL's Health & Justice Directorate you will be joining a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide a variety of mental health and OPD services across prisons, the youth estate, secure hospitals and the community. Our staff are dynamic and welcoming and the networking and CPD opportunities are central to our services ethos. We have active research forums and promote our services and work through academic and clinical forums. All staff receive regular supervision and are supported with career aspirations and progression. All our sites in Surrey offer free use of the onsite leisure facilities and free parking for staff.
Clickhere to find out more about working within the psychological professions at CNWL andhere to see what our Health & Justice staff say about working within our award winning teams.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities Please see job description and person specification for more details.
We are a friendly team and encourage any prospective candidate to contact us with any questions and/or to book an informal visit.
Qualifications
- Relevant clinical qualification within health or social care professions with accreditation and registration with the relevant clinical body (e.g. HCPC) and eligibility for membership of the SfDBT or equivalent OR
- Accredited membership of the BABCP (via having a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions e.g. nursing, psychology, medicine, social work, occupational therapy with additional CBT qualification or evidence of having achieved the Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (KSA) route) OR
- Doctoral level training in clinical, forensic or counselling psychology or its equivalent, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS OR
- HCPC Registered
- Pre or Post qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
- Training or qualification in risk assessment
- Completion of accredited DBT Training
- Ability to work in a secure environment, in line with HMPS policy and procedure - to obtain and maintain enhanced security clearance
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, secondary care community, primary care and in patient settings.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of working effectively in multidisciplinary settings and representing psychology within the context of multi disciplinary care
- Experience of working with clients from a range of cultural and ethnic groups and within a multicultural framework
- Experience of working within the personality disorder pathways
- Experience of working within a prison environment and or a forensic environment
- Experience of trauma informed care
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non professional groups
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the Women's Offender Personality Disorder Pathway and how to identify and support women on the pathway
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. people with additional disabilities).
- Can apply psychological knowledge creatively in developing new initiatives
- Ability to write reports for varied audiences, including courts and purchasers of services
We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct. Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
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Salary range
- GPB 80,000 - GPB 100,000