Job summary

Are you an experienced psychologist who can assist us to lead our developing mental health and wellbeing service for men at HMP Woodhill?

We are looking for applications from highly motivated and enthusiastic psychologists who are committed to delivering and leading high quality trauma-informed, care & treatment. We are proud of the diverse services we offer in our healthcare provision at HMP Woodhill and we are excited to be able to invite applications for this consultant role which will oversee and support the provision and development of our mental health services, including our respected and innovative Stabilisation Progress and Rehabilitation Programme (SPaR) designed to engage and help men with complex needs.

In Health & Justice you will be joining a large psychology department with an established ethos of development & innovation. At HMP Woodhill we have psychologists & arts therapy in our multi-professional mental health service, with this expanding to over 100 therapies staff across all of CNWL's Health & Justice Sites and Services. We provide a wide range of therapies (CBT, MBT, EMDR, Psychodynamic counselling, arts therapies) and actively work with partners to provide timely and trauma informed systems of care.

Interviews will be held on Monday 1st September 2025via MS Teams

Main duties of the job

We are keen that this role supports our mental health provision including the group and individual therapy offer at HMP Woodhill and actively supports the continued professional development of our teams. The duties of the role include Supervision, Service Consultation and utilising expertise to personally deliver therapy and assessments. You will join the trust wide H&J Consultant Psychologist team and hold shared responsibility with the group for the governance of our services and you will contribute to the shaping of Health & Justice services. At HMP Woodhill you will be part of our healthcare's senior management team and contribute to the health and OPD commissioner interface and development of this service.

As a Trust we are committed to investing in our staff through a range of initiatives, both profession-specific and organisation wide. Psychological professions staff are able to access a range of trust-wide CPD initiatives. We have partnered with Bespoke and Contextual Consulting to provide some of the profession specific CPD, alongside additional CPD sessions we commission as part of CNWL CPD programme for Psychological Professions. CNWL also has seven established staff networks supporting a range of individual needs.

About us

By joining CNWL's Health & Justice Directorate you will be joining a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide an array of mental health and OPD services across London, Surrey, Kent and Bucks. 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. HMP Woodhill is easily accessible from London or the areas surrounding Milton Keynes and there is free on site parking for staff.

Click here to find out morePsychology at CNWL

What we can offer you:

CNWL is recognised locally, nationally & internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ in line with our values, our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy & policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

With us, you will get -

A Trust committed to staff personal development, with a trust wide culture change and leadership programme that has staff wellbeing at its core.
An opportunity to work for one of the top 10 NHS employers
Flexible working
Variety of work
Access to a variety of CPD opportunities

We encourage staff input and ideas in relation to moving services forward, improving care pathways and meeting the client group's needs.

Details

Date posted

28 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£76,965 to £88,682 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

333-D-HJ-1842

Job locations

HMP Woodhill

Milton Keynes

MK4 4DA

Job description

Job responsibilities

Expertise in being able to supervise a broad range of therapy and mental health interventions is considered essential to this role.

To lead, manage and plan the delivery of a highly specialist psychology and psychotherapy service to the men detained in HMP Woodhill and provide expert clinical input.

To be responsible to the Lead Psychologist of Health & Justice Directorate for the monitoring and implementation of professional standards in the practice of applied psychology and psychotherapy in HMP Woodhill and for the systematic and effective provision of professional supervision.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To ensure the conduct of research, service evaluation and audits relevant to the delivery of psychology and therapy services in HMP Woodhill and the Trust/specialty research agenda

To be responsible for the good clinical governance, quality and appropriateness of the work of psychologists and psychotherapists in HMP Woodhill.

Please see attached document for full Job Description and Person Specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Expertise in being able to supervise a broad range of therapy and mental health interventions is considered essential to this role.

To lead, manage and plan the delivery of a highly specialist psychology and psychotherapy service to the men detained in HMP Woodhill and provide expert clinical input.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To ensure the conduct of research, service evaluation and audits relevant to the delivery of psychology and therapy services in HMP Woodhill and the Trust/specialty research agenda

To be responsible for the good clinical governance, quality and appropriateness of the work of psychologists and psychotherapists in HMP Woodhill.

Please see attached document for full Job Description and Person Specification.

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources, on which expert opinion may differ.
To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and to organise meetings such as CPAs and case reviews.
To plan delivery of psychology and psychotherapy services to the client group and carers, involving partner agencies.
To be expert in the skilled administration of psychometric tests, including skilled manipulation of test materials; and to be able to supervise others in administration of psychometric tests.
Well-developed consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups.
Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data and for teaching purposes.
Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups

Qualifications

Essential

Entry-level qualification in Clinical, Forensic or Counselling Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training or, for forensic, MSc plus completion of the British Psychological Society's qualification in forensic psychology stage 2) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration.
Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice relevant to the delivery of healthcare psychology & therapy services within a criminal justice setting through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a BPS National Assessor and an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher.
Completed training course in clinical supervision
Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC.

Desirable

Attendance at relevant management training courses and events
Accreditation as a supervisor in a psychological therapy (e.g. EMDR, CBT, DBT, SFT, MBT)

Experience

Essential

Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in a forensic mental health, criminal justice or specialist men's service
Experience of undertaking leadership roles
Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in a forensic mental health, criminal justice or specialist men's setting where expertise in clinical risk management are required
Experience of providing teaching and training to psychologists or other professional groups.
Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities
Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit or service evaluation projects
Experience of proposing and implementing service development projects that impact beyond own service area
Experience of participation in recruitment
Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training

Desirable

Record of publications in either peer reviewed, academic or professional journals/books
Experience of developing a trauma informed approach within a system

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of the theory and practice of management and leadership.
Advanced knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for men with complex needs who may present high risk of harm to self or others
Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of trauma and mental health needs within a prison
Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics (for example, assessments of cognitive ability, neurodiverse disorders and risk of harm to others)
Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities
Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis
Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care

Abilities

Essential

Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles
Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate
Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources, on which expert opinion may differ.
To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and to organise meetings such as CPAs and case reviews.
To plan delivery of psychology and psychotherapy services to the client group and carers, involving partner agencies.
To be expert in the skilled administration of psychometric tests, including skilled manipulation of test materials; and to be able to supervise others in administration of psychometric tests.
Well-developed consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups.
Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data and for teaching purposes.
Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups

Qualifications

Essential

Entry-level qualification in Clinical, Forensic or Counselling Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training or, for forensic, MSc plus completion of the British Psychological Society's qualification in forensic psychology stage 2) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration.
Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice relevant to the delivery of healthcare psychology & therapy services within a criminal justice setting through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a BPS National Assessor and an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher.
Completed training course in clinical supervision
Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC.

Desirable

Attendance at relevant management training courses and events
Accreditation as a supervisor in a psychological therapy (e.g. EMDR, CBT, DBT, SFT, MBT)

Experience

Essential

Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in a forensic mental health, criminal justice or specialist men's service
Experience of undertaking leadership roles
Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in a forensic mental health, criminal justice or specialist men's setting where expertise in clinical risk management are required
Experience of providing teaching and training to psychologists or other professional groups.
Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities
Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit or service evaluation projects
Experience of proposing and implementing service development projects that impact beyond own service area
Experience of participation in recruitment
Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training

Desirable

Record of publications in either peer reviewed, academic or professional journals/books
Experience of developing a trauma informed approach within a system

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of the theory and practice of management and leadership.
Advanced knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for men with complex needs who may present high risk of harm to self or others
Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of trauma and mental health needs within a prison
Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics (for example, assessments of cognitive ability, neurodiverse disorders and risk of harm to others)
Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities
Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis
Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care

Abilities

Essential

Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles
Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate
Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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

Certificate of Sponsorship

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

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

HMP Woodhill

Milton Keynes

MK4 4DA

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

HMP Woodhill

Milton Keynes

MK4 4DA

Employer's website

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

1 Clinical Psychologist Job in Northampton, UK