Band 7/8a Specialist Clinical Psychologist - OPD Pathway - Ardenleigh in Birmingham

Community Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway Services

It was a pleasure to work with you. I found our conversations very invigorating, and it restored my faith in why I not only trained as a Probation Officer, but why I am still at it (Feedback from a Probation Practitioner working with OPD services). Would you like to receive feedback like this and be part of a service that is highly valued and genuinely makes a difference? If so, we would love to hear from you.

We are recruiting for: 0.8 WTE Permanent Practitioner Psychologist (Band 7/8A) AFFIRM, Community CORE OM, Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway Service. If you would prefer a full-time post, we currently have vacancies within other teams across the Secure Care and Offender Health Directorate and would be happy to consider a split role.

AFFIRM is a dynamic and innovative multidisciplinary team of psychologists and specialist probation practitioners working in partnership to support community probation services across Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire, and the Black Country. We provide consultation, formulation, training and supervision to probation staff working with individuals who present with complex needs, significant risk, histories of trauma, and personality difficulties. Our aim is to support practitioners to work in a psychologically informed way, developing effective therapeutic relationships, improving engagement, and reducing the risk of future harm to self and others.

Main duties of the job

This is a rewarding opportunity to apply psychological thinking within criminal justice settings and contribute directly to improved outcomes for people on probation, practitioners, and services. We are particularly interested in hearing from psychologists who:

• Enjoy working with complex presentations where clinical need and risk management intersect.
• Value collaborative, multidisciplinary working.
• Are passionate about sharing psychological knowledge and influencing systems and practice.
• Want to enhance the psychological mindedness of services and support staff wellbeing.
• Have an interest in working with people who have experienced adversity, trauma, social exclusion and offending behaviour.

Why Join Us?

AFFIRM sits within the Secure Care and Offender Health Directorate of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, giving successful applicants access to a large and supportive network of psychological practitioners working across both NHS and Criminal Justice settings. You will join a team committed to reflective practice, innovation, professional development, and making a meaningful impact on some of the most complex and marginalised individuals in our communities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Satisfactory completion of a British Psychological Society accredited Doctoral Level postgraduate professional training course in clinical/forensic psychology completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Eligibility for entry onto the Register of Chartered Psychologists.

Experience

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and individual and group based treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including primary and secondary/specialist care and inpatient/residential, outpatient and community team settings.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, including forensic contexts with clients of all ages across the lifespan and of wide-ranging presenting problems that reflect the full spectrum of clinical complexity and severity.
• At least 2 years post qualification experience, and formal training in supervision, enabling the post holder to independently supervise psychology trainees in accordance with relevant criteria adopted by local University Psychology Training Courses criteria.

Knowledge

• Well developed theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of clinical psychology, consistent with doctoral level professional training and further post qualification study, training and supervised experience during a minimum of 18 to 24 months as a Specialist Clinical/Forensic Psychologist.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) including the ability to empathically, sensitively and effectively communicate clinical and condition related information to clients, their families, carers and professional colleagues (within and outside the NHS) that is extremely complicated or technical; extremely sensitive and potentially distressing to the recipient; or that is extremely contentious or challenging.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment commensurate with doctoral level training, including specialist clinical interviewing, behavioural observation, complex psychometric testing and specialist neuropsychological testing.
• Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
• Awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic groups and of the service issues arising within a multicultural urban area.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific 'difficult to treat' groups (e.g. personality disorder, challenging behaviour, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and DoH policy and implementation guidelines in relation to mental health in general and the client group with which this post is concerned.

Personal

• Ability to interact and to build and sustain relationships with people with mental health problems and associated disabilities.
• Is a ‘team player’ and has demonstrated ability to work and deliver to team and organisational objectives.
• Ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.

Other

• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
• Awareness and understanding of the purpose and mechanisms of clinical governance and an ability to employ such mechanisms to maintain and improve standards of clinical practice.

Our Trust is committed to treating individuals fairly and ensuring they have the same opportunities to fulfil their potential, even if this means doing things differently for different people sometimes. We are working hard to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity within Birmingham and Solihull and that our services meet the needs of all diverse service users and carers. The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

As part of our safe recruitment practice pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. As part of the selection process you may be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, however all cases of criminal record history are dealt with on a case by case basis. Please note, if applicable for your role you will be required to cover the cost of your DBS certificate. This will be deducted from your salary over 3 months. All successful applicants will be required to complete the Trust’s induction programme. The Fundamental (Statutory and Mandatory) training will be in an e-learning format. You will be required to complete training modules online (approx. 9-14 hours depending on post) by the end of your second week with us. If you are successful at the shortlisting stage of the recruitment process we may contact you via email to advise you of the interview details. Please ensure you access your email account from which you applied regularly once the position has closed. Our selection process may involve more than one interview or assessment.

Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom (UK) are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. However, please ensure that you check if this role meets the eligibility criteria for sponsorship. Non UK /Republic of Ireland candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Browse: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The minimum salary threshold for a Health and Social Care is £25,000 and for the Skilled Worker route is £38,700. If the starting salary for this role is below this, we will not be able to provide sponsorship. Relocation expenses may be reimbursed subject to eligibility. The policy provides for reimbursement up to £8,000. Please note - if you are applying for a role within Police custody, due to Police Vetting requirements you must have been a UK resident for the last years.

Employer certification / accreditation badges You must have appropriate UK professional registration. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.