Clinical/Forensic Psychologist/Forensically Modified DBT Psychological Therapist

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There's a place for you at CNWL. We're passionate about delivering first class patient centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, a community clinic or the patient's own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.

Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people. We're always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we're hoping to find our future leaders and we'll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more - whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Job Overview

Job reference: 333-D-HJ-1918-A

Band: NHS AfC Band 7

Site: HMP Downview, Sutton, Surrey

Salary: £38,682 - £54,710 per annum (incl. HCAS)

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Closing date: 06 January 2026

Main duties of the job

• Deliver Modified Forensic Dialectic Behavioural Therapy to women screened into the OPD pathway, including individual and group based treatment. Attend weekly DBT consultation meetings and adhere to DBT principles.
• Develop individual formulations and apply theoretical models of the psychology of mental health and personality disorder and offending to observed behaviour, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal patterns for service users who present with complex clinical needs.
• Undertake delivery of individual and group therapy including outreach support and stabilisation with prisoners at HMP Downview as directed.
• Provide clinical supervision to the team's psychological therapists, assistant psychologists, trainees and other team members when appropriate.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures.

Working for our organisation

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is a Top Employer Award Winner. We work in partnership to provide responsive and dependable primary care, mental health, intellectual disability and substance misuse services to diverse and culturally rich communities.

By joining CNWL's Health & Justice Directorate you will be joining a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide a variety of mental health and OPD services across prisons, the youth estate, secure hospitals and the community. Our staff are dynamic and welcoming and the networking and CPD opportunities are central to our services ethos. All staff receive regular supervision and are supported with career aspirations and progression.

All sites in Surrey offer free use of the onsite leisure facilities and free parking for staff.

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

All employees are employed on a non discriminatory basis in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and other relevant legislation. We are an equal opportunities employer.

Qualifications

• Relevant clinical qualification within health or social care professions with accreditation and registration with the relevant clinical body (e.g. HCPC) and eligibility for membership of the SfDBT or equivalent.
• Accredited membership of the BABCP (via having a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions e.g. nursing, psychology, medicine, social work, occupational therapy with additional CBT qualification or evidence of having achieved the Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (KSA) route).
• Doctoral level training in clinical, forensic or counselling psychology or its equivalent, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS.
• HCPC Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• Pre or Post qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
• Training or qualification in risk assessment.
• Completion of accredited DBT Training.

Other

• Ability to work in a secure environment, in line with HMPS policy and procedure - to obtain and maintain enhanced security clearance.

Previous Experience

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment across care settings, including outpatient, secondary care community, primary care and in patient settings.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups across whole life course presenting problems with high severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
• Experience of working effectively in multidisciplinary settings and representing psychology within multi-disciplinary care.
• Experience of working with clients from a range of cultural and ethnic groups and within a multicultural framework.
• Experience of working within the personality disorder pathways.
• Experience of working within a prison environment and or a forensic environment.
• Experience of trauma informed care.

Skills, Knowledge, Abilities

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non professional groups.
• Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the Women's Offender Personality Disorder Pathway and how to identify and support women on the pathway.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. people with additional disabilities).
• Can apply psychological knowledge creatively in developing new initiatives.
• Ability to write reports for varied audiences, including courts and purchasers of services.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Contact information

If this sounds like the job for you and you would like some more information, please contact Sarah Wilkins (w/c 27th October) .