Psychological Therapist (DBT Service)

Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others. There’s a place for you at CNWL. We’re passionate about delivering first‑class patient‑centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people. We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust.

With every new employee, we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career. With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you’re at, there’s always a place for you at CNWL.

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London’s population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run. Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.

We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff. We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page. CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Job overview: Are you interested in working with personality disorder and assisting teams to support women with complex needs? We are seeking a DBT therapist, psychologist or psychological therapist to join our ‘Options’ Offender Personality Disorder Team at HMP Downview (a female prison in Sutton, Surrey). Options is a treatment and support service running primarily modified forensic DBT programmes, offering treatment for service users who have been identified on the Personality Disorder Pathway. Additionally, we offer 1:1 EMDR therapy, staff training, consultation and formulation services to our probation and prison colleagues who work alongside us to support and progress women’s safety through their sentence plan, in preparation for their move into the community. Service users report many improvements in the way they manage emotions and relationships.

You will have experience and expertise in working within teams, within multi‑agency settings. Individual and/or group treatment expertise within the field of personality disorder or complex need is essential, expertise in DBT is desirable (DBT training within role can be provided). You will be joining an enthusiastic and committed team. The service is part of the national Offender Personality Disorder pathway and supports access to local and national training and networking. We are closely linked to our local mental health team.

• Deliver Modified Forensic Dialectic Behavioural Therapy to women screened into the OPD pathway, which includes individual and group based treatment.
• Attend and take part in weekly DBT consultation meetings and adhere to DBT principles.
• Develop individual formulations and apply theoretical models of the psychology of mental health and personality disorder and offending to observed behaviour, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal patterns, for service users who present with complex clinical needs.
• Undertake delivery of individual and group therapy including outreach support and stabilisation with prisoners at HMP Downview as directed.
• Provide clinical supervision to the team’s psychological therapists, assistant psychologists and trainees and other members of the team when appropriate.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service’s policies and procedures.

Working for our organisation: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is a Top Employer Award Winner and works in partnership to provide responsive and dependable primary care, mental health, intellectual disability and substance misuse services to the diverse and culturally rich communities we serve. By joining CNWL’s Health & Justice Directorate you will be joining a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide a variety of mental health and OPD services across prisons, the youth estate, secure hospitals and the community. 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. All of our sites in Surrey offer free use of the onsite leisure facilities and free parking for staff.

Qualifications: Relevant clinical qualification within health or social care professions with accreditation and registration with the relevant clinical body (e.g. HCPC) and eligibility for membership of the SfDBT or equivalent. Accredited membership of the BABCP (via having a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions e.g. nursing, psychology, medicine, social work, occupational therapy with additional CBT qualification or evidence of having achieved the Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (KSA) route). Doctoral level training in clinical, forensic or counselling psychology or its equivalent, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS. HCPC Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist. Pre‑ or post‑qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology. Training or qualification in risk assessment. Completion of accredited DBT Training.

Other: Ability to work in a secure environment, in line with HMPS policy and procedure – to obtain and maintain enhanced security clearance.

Previous experience: Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, secondary care community, primary care and in patient settings. Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse. Experience of working effectively in multidisciplinary settings and representing psychology within the context of multi‑disciplinary care. Experience of working with clients from a range of cultural and ethnic groups and within a multicultural framework. Experience of working within the personality disorder pathways. Experience of working within a prison environment and or a forensic environment. Experience of trauma informed care.

Skills, knowledge, abilities: Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. Well‑developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS. Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non‑professional groups. Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the Women’s Offender Personality Disorder Pathway and how to identify and support women on the pathway. Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult‑to‑treat groups (e.g. people with additional disabilities). Can apply psychological knowledge creatively in developing new initiatives. Ability to write reports for varied audiences, including courts and purchasers of services.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible. Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system. Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period. If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.