An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Psychologist within Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as part of the ACORN Service at HMP Whatton. This is a specialist treatment service for individuals with personality difficulties and a history of sexual offending. The service is part of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway and is jointly delivered by NHS and Prison partners.
We are committed to working in partnership with Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), both with Prison and Probation colleagues. This service is a joint enterprise so relies on collaborative working. We also work in partnership with other healthcare providers and our criminal justice system partners to improve health, support justice and reduce re-offending behaviour.
The ACORN service forms part of a wider network of OPD pathway services delivered as part of Offender Health services across HMP North Sea Camp, HMP Gartree and community services in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
Main duties of the job
The ACORN service is a comprehensive specialist service offering a range of therapeutic interventions on an outreach basis at HMP Whatton to individuals with problematic personality traits which are linked to difficulties with progression or risk. The service offers a suite of therapies including Schema Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Radically Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (RO-DBT), and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) within tiered phases. Therapies, including socially creative sessions, psychoeducation and both group and 1:1 therapy are provided with an emphasis upon the importance of relationships and the environmental setting.
The successful post holder will work as part of a team approach to the assessment and treatment of individuals referred to the service, supporting with suitability assessments, and co-delivering psychologically informed groups, alongside offering 1:1 therapy under the supervision of a qualified psychologist.
Job description
Job responsibilities
* The post holder will work as part of a team to provide comprehensive trauma informed therapies to individuals with a history of sexual offending and difficulties arising from trauma and problematic personality traits.
* The post holder will support with the provision of specialist psychological assessments and development of collaborative formulations to inform treatment pathways.
* The post holder will hold a small caseload of 1:1 and group work as indicated by the need and risk understood in the formulation.
* The post holder will contribute to multi-disciplinary team discussions and decision making processes.
* The post holder will be responsible for engaging with their own supervision and reflective practice.
* Supporting with wider service development, audit and research activities.
* Supporting with the delivery of training.
A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
* 1st class or Upper second class honours degree or 2.2 plus higher degree in Psychology and ability to demonstrate eligibility to graduate membership of the BPS.
Desirable
* Further relevant post-graduate training (e.g. in Forensic, clinical or other applied Psychology discipline).
Work Experience
Essential
* Experience of working with offenders or patients with mental health problems/ intellectual & developmental disabilities/ personality disorders.
* Experience of working in Forensic/secure settings and mental health settings.
* Experience of MDT and multi-agency working.
* Experience of completing risk assessments.
* Experience of psychometric testing (delivery, scoring and interpretation).
* Experience of delivering group or individual psychological work.
Desirable
* Experience of supporting the development of structured group programmes.
* Experience of conference presentations, publications or teaching/training delivery.
Aptitudes/Skills
Essential
* Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context, specifically psychological theories relevant to personality disorder and offending behaviour.
* Knowledge and application of formulation with staff and service users.
* Ability to identify risk factors and to use risk management strategies.
* Excellent communication skills able to overcome barriers and to communicate complex, sensitive information.
* Evidence of ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively (reflective practice / learning/ safety).
* Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with regular supervision.
* Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
* IT literacy for psychological data analysis (e.g. excel / SPSS).
* Knowledge of legal system or MHA (MH system).
Desirable
* Skills and experience in SPSS, databases/spreadsheets.
* Research and audit skills.
Values and Behaviours
Essential
* All staff should be able to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as identified within the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy and associated Equality, Diversity and Human Rights legislation.
* All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust, Honesty, Respect, Compassion, Teamwork.
Employer details
Employer name: Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Address: HMP Whatton, New Ln, Whatton, Nottingham, NG13 9FQ
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