An exciting and unique post has been created for a Neurodiversity Lead to oversee Oxleas Southwest Prisons Neurodiversity Service. Duties will include; Neurodevelopmental service implementation, review, and analysis across the South West region (three regions and 10 prisons).
Within this post,“Neurodivergent” (ND) refers principally to individuals with Autism, Learning Difficulties (LD), and Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The interventions that form part of this strategy are expected to benefit all who present with these conditions as well as those presenting with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and degenerative neurological disorders.
This role will provide specialist highly developed specialist knowledge based on previous extensive experience and/or relevant specialist training.
Please note - Base location for this post is flexible and can be any of our 10 prisons or our Head Office in Taunton. You will be required to provide support, expertise and knowledge to all 10 sites remotely and face to face. All travel can be claimed through our Trust expense policy.
This role requires a dynamic leader with highly specialist expertise in neurodiversity, strong communication skills, and the ability to navigate the complexities of a multi-site operational environment.
It also requires a candidate with extensive clinical and/or operational experience in delivering services to individuals with neurodevelopmental and acquired brain neurological conditions, combined with the ability to translate this expertise into impactful practices, policy and practice development within complex secure environments, within the South West region, but impacting upon future practice and development for the Offender Health Directorate and represent the organisation externally to commissioners and other national experts.
The post holder will be expected to travel regularly to any of the ten prison sitesacross the Southwest, ensuring effective delivery of neurodiversity services and support. The prisons are as follows: HMP Dartmoor, HMP Channings Wood, HMP Exeter, HMP Portland, HMPThe Verne, HMP Guys Marsh, HMP Erlestoke, HMP Leyhill, HMP Bristol, HMP Ashfield.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ:
All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.
Please see further information detailing documents you will need to provide.
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
• We’re Kind
• We’re Fair
• We Listen
• We Care
IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ:
All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.
You will need to provide:
Proof of right to work documentation
Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID
Proof of address documentation
Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.
Address History:
5 years address history will be needed.
Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.
Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited.
In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be soughtfrom:
If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website (
• Lead the development of a comprehensive neurodiversity strategy across the Southwest prisons, aligned with national guidance and best practices andimpacting upon future practice and development for the Offender Health Directorate and represent the organisation externally to commissioners and other national experts.
• Act in an advisory capacity to staff within the Southwest region supporting others to ensure, or directly provide, expertise to assess and manage risks associated with neurodivergent clients, such as vulnerabilities, behaviour challenges, or mental health co-morbidities, while ensuring a safe environment for staff and prisoners.
• Ensure clinical supervision and support is available to staff involved in delivering care to neurodivergent clients, offering expertise in neurodevelopmental conditions, and acquired brain injuries to enhance care quality.
• Assisting with developing clinical and operational engagement across organisational boundaries.
• Maintain registration with the appropriate governing body as necessary (NMC/GMC/HCPC).
• Access regular supervision, management supervision, and multi-disciplinary team meetings/case discussions.
• The post holder must be proficient in using standard office software, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint), to prepare reports, manage data, and communicate effectively. Additionally, they should have the ability to navigate and utilise specialised prison systems and healthcare databases (e.g., SystmOne) for record-keeping, data analysis, and compliance monitoring.
• The role involves regular travel across multiple prison sites, requiring physical stamina to navigate secure environments and attend site visits. While the role is primarily office-based, occasional physical tasks such as setting up training materials or carrying equipment may be required.
• High levels of concentration are required to analyse complex information, develop strategic plans, and manage competing priorities across multiple sites. The post holder may also need to handle highly complex, sensitive, and detailed case information.
• The post holder will operate with a high degree of autonomy, being the senior strategic lead for neurodiversity across the ten prison sites. They will be expected to independently make decisions within the scope of their expertise, including assessing needs, designing interventions, and advising senior management on policy and practice. While they will report to senior leaders within the organisation, the post holder is expected to exercise professional judgment and initiative in managing complex cases and developing services, with support and guidance available for particularly high-risk or unprecedented situations.
This advert closes on Thursday 6 Mar 2025
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