An exciting opportunity to join the psychology & psychotherapy forensic mental health team at Bethlem Royal Hospital. We have a vacancy for a Band 8a maternity cover, based on the male admission and intensive care ward at River House,Medium Secure Unit.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will lead the provision of psychological services on Norbury Ward within River House. Norbury has a dual-function in offering both an intensive care service for the wider unit and being a Clinical Decisions Unit (CDU) responsible for the forensic assessment of men admitted to medium-security. Itlooks after a diverse group of high-risk, high-need service users transferred from prison, other secure hospitals, and general adult wards.

The CDU aims to reduce overall length of stay in forensic services through the delivery of a pathway planning service. This prioritises comprehensive assessment and formulation over a three month period, and provides recommendations that underpin future care within mental health and criminal justice services.

The postholder will lead on the completion of complex and specialist clinical psychological assessments for the CDU, and individual and group interventions to support intensive care patients step-down in security. Strong experience in psychological assessment is essential for the role, and experience working with complex clinical and/or forensic need desirable.

About us

The service is part of the South London & Maudsley Forensic & Offender Health Pathway within the Behavioural & Developmental Psychiatry Operational Directorate. The male wards in the relevant pathway include two admission and two rehabilitation wards. Each ward has a multi-professional team that includes dedicated qualified and assistant psychology provision. The postholder will be aligned for direct clinical service provision to Norbury Ward. They will join a forensic clinical psychology & psychotherapy team that provides inpatient and community-based services in SLAM.

The male medium secure inpatient provision at River House is an integral part of the South London Partnership (SLP) acute pathway and rehabilitation pathway. There are close links with low secure provision and community forensic mental health teams, as well as other mental health services, prisons and criminal justice agencies.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder will join a team of psychologists, assistant psychologists and therapists, who work closely with the multi-professional inpatient teams, under the leadership of an MSU inpatient lead psychologist. They will be expected to lead on psychological provision to Norbury Ward and clinically supervise the work of Assistant and Trainee Psychologists. With the support of the MSU Lead Psychologist, they will also be expected to implement psychologically-informed consultative interventions, and other service developments , that support the multidisciplinary team.

The postholder will contribute to leadership of the wider forensic psychology and psychological therapies programme across inpatient secure services. They will be required to work as an autonomous professional within BPS / HCPC / APC / BPC / UKCP / BACP / BABCP / ADMP-UK guidelines and codes of conduct, and local policies and procedures, taking responsibility for decisions about psychological care with the support of supervision.

Person Specification

Professional training and registration

Essential

• Appropriate professional qualification with current registration
• Additional post-qualification training in relevant area of psychological practice
• Supervision training and experience

Desirable

• Training specific to practice with mentally disordered offenders

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Evidence of working therapeutically with complex psychological need
• Knowledge and experience of specialist psychological assessment

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of forensic inpatient or equivalent settings
• Knowledge of key issues relevant to working with mentally disordered offenders

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Evidence of psychometric and neuropsychological testing skills
• Evidence of skills in risk assessment and de-escalation

Desirable

• Ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams
• Evidence of skill in implementing consultative interventions

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

River House, Bethlem Royal Hospital

Beckenham

BR3 3BX

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

334-CLI-6399267-A