An exciting opportunity has emerged for a Principal Applied Psychologistto join Health & Justice Servicesin asplitrole across two services.

The role involves management of a new Mental Health Treatment Requirement Service covering North Yorkshire. It requires clinical and managerial responsibility of two Higher Assistant Psychologists working with liaise and diversion service and the courts as well as offering primary interventions as part of the court order.

The other part of the role involves working collaboratively with service users in the Forensic Outreach Liaise Service(FOLs)who have learning disabilities and/or autism and forensic needs through the criminal justice system. In addition, the role involves working closely with secure services and provider collaboratives to promote timely discharges and support transitions to the community.

This a great opportunity to take a strategic position to lead within a specialism across the service.

The post is 0.4WTE to MHTR service and 0.6WTE FOLs. Flexible working will be considered. Hybrid working will be supported.

Main duties of the job

You will possess highly developed clinical and leadership skills and have a commitment to successfully delivering compassionate, trauma informed and recovery focused care.

The Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) service is one of the twelve options available to magistrates and judges. Introduced in 2005, the MHTR provides a mechanism to ensure that certain offenders with mental health problems who are given a Community Order are able to access appropriate treatment.The service covers courts in Scarborough, Harrogate and York.

The post holder will be part of the Forensic Outreach Liaison Service based within the North Yorkshire area which sits with Health and Justice services. The role involves completing risk and psychometric assessment, formulating highly complex presentations and the delivery of governed psychological interventions within a community setting. Supervising other professionals to deliver lower-level interventions is an essential part of the role and aligns with the services stepped care model of interventions offered. The post holder will be a key member of the leadership team influencing psychological thinking whilst supporting the Trust values of compassion, respect, and responsibility. Furthermore, they will be central figures in promoting and supporting team wellbeing and resilience.

About us

Through co-creation, providing safe and personalised care that improves the lives of people with mental health needs, a learning disability or autism, involving them and their carersas equal partners is what we set out to achieve at Tees,Esk& Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. We will listen, learn, improve and innovate together with our communities and will always be respectful, compassionate and responsible.

Job description Job responsibilities

Experience of working with forensic patients and delivery of interventions/governed therapies is essential.Close working with secondary ALD teams is crucial to effective care planning, therefore, skills in consultation and offering advice/supervision to professionals from other teams working with highly complex and contentious cases is vitally important.Provides highly specialist psychological assessment of clients with highly complex and contentious conditions based on the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of data from a variety of sources.

The successful candidate willcontributeand overseeaudits, service evaluationsand research as part of service development, aswell as have the opportunity toattend conferencesto present and disseminating best practice. The post also offers excellent opportunities for peer support/ supervision, CPD, and teaching/ training opportunities within psychology and to other members of the MDT.Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of client harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice, reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the client. Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding the safeguarding of children who may be at risk.

Undertakes risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and provides highly specialist advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management and the high physical risks inherent in the client group.

Formulates plans for highly specialist psychological therapy and/or management of clients mental health conditions based upon an appropriate conceptual framework and evidence-based practice. Negotiates the implementation of such plans with clients and/or their carers.

Implements a range of highly specialist psychological therapies for individual clients, carers, families and groups, adjusting and refining psychological formulations as required. Undertakes highly skilled evaluations and makes decisions about treatment options. Provides highly specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other staff contributing directly to clients diagnosis, formulation and intervention plan. Facilitates decision-making by planning and mapping processes/interventions with members of the team to determine the most appropriate treatment modality or service for clients.

Leads the multi-disciplinary care team in the development and implementation of multi-disciplinary care plans where appropriate. Monitors progress during the course of multidisciplinary interventions. May be required to provide a specialist clinical lead for specific service initiatives.

Please make contact to discuss any aspect of the role.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Post doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
• Trained in care co-ordination
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Experience Essential

• Substantial experience of working as a qualified practitioner within forensic services

Knowledge Essential

• Evidence- based practice relevant to the role
• Risk assessment and risk management
• Knowledge and practical experience of managing governance issues
• Knowledge of legislation relevant to the client group and mental health and its implications for clinical practice

Desirable

• Highly developed knowledge and skills in the care of difficult to treat groups

Skills Essential

• Communicate highly complex, highly sensitive and contentious information effectively to a wide range of people
• Undertake complex multi-agency working and liaise within multiple systems
• Provide effective teaching, training and supervision to a wide range of members of the multi-disciplinary team
• Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours

Personal Attributes Essential

• Able to actively engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in highly distressing and challenging circumstances
• Able to use own initiative and make decisions independently
• Self-aware and committed to professional and personal development.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

346-FMH-037-23