Higher Assistant Clinical Psychologist

Fixed-Term Contract - 12 months

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 5 Higher Assistant Psychologist to work within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Offender Personality Disorder Pathway Service. This small but established team arises from a joint initiative between Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Foundation Trust and National Probation Service. There are two elements to the post.

The community role will be supervised to support the development of psychological case formulations, the opportunity to gain experience in using different psychological models. They will support in the delivery of teaching and training to Offender Managers and partner agency staff. The post-holder will offer consultations to Offender Managers, under the supervision and guidance of the Clinical Psychologist. They will work closely to support people on probation in the Intensive Integrative Risk Management Service as part of team

The Approved Premise is a Psychologically Informed Planned Environment.

The post-holder will be working to develop the PIPE, its residents and staff. Our PIPE offers the opportunity to participate in planning and pre arrival work with the residents. The co-delivery of brief psycho-education groups and skills-based training to residents. As well as developing the residents’ engagement, motivation and implementing individualised risk management plans.

Both roles offer further opportunities to gain insight into multi-agency risk management processes (e.g. MAPPA), as well as gaining a wider perspective of services for this client group; through attendance at commissioning meetings and regional/ national events. Both roles will give opportunities to expand experience with; consultation work, conduction of audits, collection and analysis of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, clinically related administration, as well as other associated project work will further be supported.

They may request their local base to be either Peterborough, Huntingdon, or Cambridge Probation Office.

The team is looking for an enthusiastic, robust, committed individual who has a keen interest in working with complex forensic clients with identified personality difficulties. Previous experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team, with clients with personality difficulties (diagnosed or undiagnosed) and/ or complex presentations/ challenging behaviours is essential. Furthermore, previous experience of working with clients within forensic settings is desirable.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities
- To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients’ applying; psychological (including neuropsychological tests), self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations as well as semi-structured interviews with clients/ others involved in the client’s care.
- To support the running of the PIPE, its staff and residents through groups, training and consultation.
- To provide support and advice to Offender Managers through the process of consultation, across the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire region, as directed by your Professional Manager.
- To work within risk assessments undertaken within the service in line with Trust and inter-agency policies/procedures
- To work with other staff to assess and review the needs/ care of offenders across the PIPE and Peterborough and Cambridgeshire region.
- To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings, including; team meetings, team supervisions, probation based meetings and commissioning meetings (where appropriate).
- In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
- To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
- To contribute to the provision of advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of agencies and settings, where appropriate and under the direction of your professional manager.