Job Description

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen within Secure Care and Offender Health division of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust (BSMHFT) to work within the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway services within HMP Foston Hall. HMP Foston Hall is located in the rural area of Foston, Derbyshire, within easy commuting distance from north Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, north Leicestershire and Staffordshire. It is a closed prison for adult women with capacity for around 290 women.
This role will involve re-establishing Enhanced Support Service (ESS) and a Dynamic Pathway as an extension to the CAMEO treatment service. Both services aim to reduce the negative impact of violent and disruptive behaviour in prisons using a small but dedicated multi-disciplinary staff team that works in partnership across prison, healthcare and psychology. ESS will work intensively with people in prison in a collaborative manner to develop motivation to facilitate better settlement, improved psychological wellbeing and in the long term, access to sentence planning services.
The successful candidate will be joining a large and diverse psychological therapies team within the division, consisting of clinical, forensic and counselling psychologists, arts therapists, specialist psychological practitioners and assistant psychologists. The division is committed to investing in staff and you will have opportunities for training, supervision and career development.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will work within HMP Foston Hall, taking charge of the day-to-day management of the ESS and Dynamic Pathway services. It will involve managing referrals into the service, undertaking clinical assessments and interventions as required and developing case formulations and support plans, in conjunction with other professionals involved. The successful candidate will need exceptional communication skills as well as an empathic and non-judgemental attitude towards the individuals within the service and within the prison environment. You will also need to be resilient and be able to work and make decisions in both an independent and collaborative manner. The successful candidate will have extensive experience of working with adults with personality disorder and challenging behaviour, in addition to those with other psychological difficulties, neurodiversity and complex needs and risks. An interest and experience of developing services will be an advantage. Leadership and service development experience is desirable, as well as managing and supervising a range of other professionals.
If you are ready for the next stage of your career progression, and able to compassionately challenge systems and staff to be better, hold integrity and also connect with the people around them, we hope that you speak to us and apply.
About us
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. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people's lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.
Details
Date posted
04 July 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8b
Salary
62,215 to 72,293 a year per annum, pro rata
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
436-7250711-A
Job locations
HMP Foston Hall
Derby
DE65 5DN
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Please click on the link for a little insight into our services and our people
https://vimeo.com/benthompsonfilms/psychologyrecruitment?share=copy Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Please click on the link for a little insight into our services and our people
https://vimeo.com/benthompsonfilms/psychologyrecruitment?share=copy
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Satisfactory completion of a British Psychological Society accredited Doctoral Level postgraduate professional training course in clinical psychology (the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), the completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Eligibility for entry onto the Register of Chartered Psychologists

Desirable

• Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice / therapy

Experience
Essential

• Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/forensic psychologist for a minimum of 4 years post qualification, with a minimum of at least 2 years at the Senior (highly specialist) level.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, with clients of all ages across the lifespan and of wide-ranging presenting problems that reflect the full spectrum of clinical complexity and severity

Desirable

• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of working therapeutically with 'difficult to treat' and or 'hard to reach' groups and clients in community settings
• Experience of safeguarding and risk management across several agencies, including appropriately escalating concerns

Skills
Essential

• Highly 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 4 years as a qualified psychologist
• Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
• Awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic groups and of the service issues arising within a multicultural urban area.

Desirable

• In depth knowledge of information governance legislation and information sharing practices across agencies

Personal
Essential

• Ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
• Capacity for tolerating frustration, change and high levels of demand with an ability to work effectively under pressure.

Desirable

• Willing and eligible to apply for higher level security clearance

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Satisfactory completion of a British Psychological Society accredited Doctoral Level postgraduate professional training course in clinical psychology (the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), the completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Eligibility for entry onto the Register of Chartered Psychologists

Desirable

• Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice / therapy

Experience
Essential

• Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/forensic psychologist for a minimum of 4 years post qualification, with a minimum of at least 2 years at the Senior (highly specialist) level.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, with clients of all ages across the lifespan and of wide-ranging presenting problems that reflect the full spectrum of clinical complexity and severity

Desirable

• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of working therapeutically with 'difficult to treat' and or 'hard to reach' groups and clients in community settings
• Experience of safeguarding and risk management across several agencies, including appropriately escalating concerns

Skills
Essential

• Highly 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 4 years as a qualified psychologist
• Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
• Awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic groups and of the service issues arising within a multicultural urban area.

Desirable

• In depth knowledge of information governance legislation and information sharing practices across agencies

Personal
Essential

• Ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
• Capacity for tolerating frustration, change and high levels of demand with an ability to work effectively under pressure.

Desirable

• Willing and eligible to apply for higher level security clearance