Trainee Practitioner Psychologist

8A Practitioner Psychologist - Enhanced Support Service (ESS) at HMP Foston Hall


We are looking for enthusiastic, robust, resilient, creative, and innovative candidates interested in working with people who have complex presentations, encompassing risk, personality difficulties and mental health.


ACCESS is part of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway and is a partnership between HMP Foston Hall, Practice Plus Group, and HMPPS Psychology Services. ACCESS aims to work collaboratively with service users and/or the professionals involved in their care, to promote stability, psychological wellbeing and positive coping through the provision of intervention and support.
Through the provision of staff support, ACCESS also aims to improve the competence, confidence and attitudes of professionals working with complex prisoners, some of whom may present with Personality Disorder and/or mental health needs. We welcome applications from motivated people with leadership skills and experience, who are interested in working with complex presentations, balancing clinical need with risk management. Working with this client group can be emotionally taxing requiring a robustness to manage the complex emotions and processes that occur. You will be line managed by a Consultant Psychologist/Strategic Clinical Lead in the Secure Care and Offender Health (SCOH) directorate within Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT).
Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.


Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. 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.
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.
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.

Previous experience of working within prison setting and/or within women's specific services.
Experience within a leadership role (e.g. leading / co-ordinating the day-to-day management of a service or team).

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 Psychologis
Skills commensurate with doctoral level training in the formulation of problems from a psychological perspective and in the implementation of highly specialist psychological therapies, interventions and management techniques that are appropriate for use with complex presenting problems. Able to deliver established/evidenced based psychological therapy to fidelity.
Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
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).

High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies


Ability to interact and to build and sustain relationships with people with mental health problems and associated disabilities.
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust