Mersey Care NHS Trust is the health provider for the delivery of an innovative prison-based assessment and treatment service for residents with personality related needs.

This service is based within HMP Garth which is a category B men's adult prison based in Leyland, Lancashire. The service is part of the National Offender Personality Disorder Strategy and is delivered as a partnership between HMP Garth and Mersey Care NHS Trust.

The service provides 1:1 and group based interventions based on Professor John Livesley's framework and model of interventions for individuals with personality related needs. These structured interventions are provided as part of a therapeutic milieu which involves a focus on attachment, trauma and systemic approaches, alongside comprehensive risk assessment and management.

Core aims of the service are consistent with those of the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway in improving psychological wellbeing, reducing risk, improving staff skills and competencies and pathway focussed intervention.

The post holder will be joining a dedicated team of clinical and prison officer staff from a range of backgrounds and experience. Team members have high levels of skill, passion and enthusiasm (and humour!) and are committed to ensuring the on-going successful development of the service and the opportunities it provides for our population.

Main duties of the job

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Therapist to join the existing integrated team which consists of:

- Custody staff

- Psychology

- Occupational Therapy

- Creative Arts Therapy (Art and Drama)

- Nurse Therapy

- Social Work

The post holder will contribute to the provision of both 1:1 and group based therapeutic interventions as prescribed by the team. This will cover the array of clinical work that would promote occupational, psychological, recreational and supportive activity to meet the holistic needs of the individual prisoner. This will entail working directly as a member of the integrated multidisciplinary team made up of health, social care and custody personnel. The role is not limited by traditional professional boundaries but is responsive to the needs being addressed by the team.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Job description Job responsibilities

The post holder should have some experience of working with individuals with complex clinical and risk presentations including within institutional settings and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

This should include work with clients whose needs may meet criteria for a diagnosis of personality disorder and who may find it difficult to engage with services.

Experience of working in complex service and organisational settings is required alongside an ability to constructively manage the personal, professional and ethical opportunities and challenges such work can involve.

Full details of the main responsibilities of the post can be found in the job description and person specification. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to discuss the post further or would like to visit the service.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Professional qualification in relevant health or social care discipline
• Degree or equivalent further level of accredited qualification in one or more of the following psychological or creative therapies as relevant to the needs of the service population (art therapy, drama therapy, music therapy, CAT, mentalisation) as accredited by HCPC and/relevant professional body
• MSc level or higher levels in a particular therapeutic modality or skills-based intervention or an area relevant to the service provision, eg MSc in PD KUF Programme or can demonstrate equivalent competencies at this level.

Knowledge and Experience Essential

• Two years working within secure forensic setting or with individuals with complex clinical and risk presentations.
• Experience of working within complex multidisciplinary and agency services including complex institutional settings.
• Occupied position of influence/lead clinical role within a clinical setting.
• Worked with service users/carers within a recognised therapeutic model.
• Psychologically-minded and with the ability to establish and maintain appropriate boundaries in relation to clinical, professional and service provision.

Clinical Skills Essential

• Ability to manage therapeutic input and sessions with individuals utilising an identified structured intervention model.
• Demonstrate specific skills in: oTherapeutic engagement oAssessment skills oProblem identification oCase and problem formulation oModifying interventions oMonitoring and re-evaluation of outcome
• Knowledge of risk assessment process and experience in risk assessment and its formulation into management strategies.
• Knowledge of key psychological principles and practice in relation to personality disorder service provision and a commitment to the implementation of such as routine care within the service.
• Ability to demonstrate a consistent commitment and ability to engage in reflective practice.
• Ability to effectively contain and manage high levels of emotion and stress for both self and others, including in complex high risk settings and situations.

Desirable

• Effective skills in the management of aggression and violence and self-harm.

Planning Skills Essential

• A demonstrated understanding of equality and human rights.
• Experience of planning and development in: oIndividualised sessional work oPlanned and practical work oRisk management oGroup work oFamily interventions/liason oEducation and training programmes for internal and external staff across disciplines

Leadership Essential

• Ability to fulfil a clinical leadership role in: oClinical groups oDevelopment groups oAudit oMDT

Team Work Essential

• Provide evidence of successful involvement in leading and contributing to multi-disciplinary working.
• Provide evidence of an ability to work within teams of professionals in a psychologically-informed way.

Educational Development Essential

• Commitment to enhance skills base of clinical team members.
• Ability to contribute to informal and formal education/training of staff using a variety of formats and to a range of target audiences.
• Experience in contributing to individual and group case supervision including in relation to complex clinical and service issues.

Clinical Effectiveness Essential

• Ability to demonstrate positive change/outcomes using team-devised intervention strategies.
• Commitment to promote evidence-based practice into all areas of routine care.

Communication Essential

• Demonstrate the ability to motivate and energise a staff team through a process of change and development.
• A commitment and ability to effectively engage and collaborate with clients/users of services including where they may be significant clinical or service obstacles to engagement.

Self Essential

• Ability to manage self in relation to prioritising workload so as to meet the needs of: oPrisoners oMDT colleagues oService
• Evidence of effective management skills in incident/crisis situations.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

350-SEC4849992-A