About this role
Job summary
Maternity cover - fixed term 12 months
We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Specialist Applied Psychologist to join our Psychologically Informed Community Services (PICs) as part of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway across Durham and the Tees Valley.
This innovative service delivers psychologically informed formulation and consultation for individuals assessed as presenting with complex interpersonal, relational, and personality difficulties. Working closely withprobation partners, the service supports psychologically informed practice across community offender management, enhancing risk management, rehabilitation, and relational safety.
The PICs team forms a key component of the regional OPD Pathway and works alongside OPD services in custody and community settings.
This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. However, sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements, therefore, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position. Visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Main duties of the job
Clinical Formulation
Develop psychological formulations that integrate theory, evidence, and service-user context.
Provide risk assessments (self-harm, suicide, violence, vulnerability) and contribute to risk management plans.
Consultation and Multidisciplinary Working
Offer psychologically-informed consultation to probation colleagues and the wider MDT
Contribute to supporting clinical decision-making and care planning at MDT reviews.
Indirect Work and Service Development
Contribute to service improvement initiatives, pathway development, and quality assurance processes.
Participate in clinical governance, audits, and service evaluations.
Teaching, Training, and Supervision
Provide supervisionother staff.
Deliver training sessions to probation colleagues on psychological models, trauma-informed practice, risk, formulation, etc.
Professional Leadership
Take responsibility for defined areas of clinical practice or small-scale service initiatives.
Support the implementation of Trust-wide psychological strategies (e.g., trauma-informed care, relational security).
Work autonomously within professional guidelines (HCPC, BPS) and Trust policies.
Research, Evaluation, and Evidence-Based Practice
Use outcome measures, service evaluation tools, and research evidence to inform practice.
Contribute to or lead small-scale research projects, audits, or service evaluations.
About us
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
Job description Job responsibilities
Psychologists & Psychological Therapists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached on NHS Jobs. You can find more information about the NHS Leadership Academys Healthcare Leadership Model and the profiles at their website. We encourage you to look at these resources as they will play a part in the interview process.
We welcome applications from staff who are currently coming to the end of their training in Clinical or counselling psychology that on successful completion will achieve the required qualification and registration with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist. Trainee counselling psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts when they are in their 3rd year of the doctoral training and have the following confirmed as completed by the university. This information may be requested prior to interview: a. All clinical competencies. b. 80% of the 450 supervised clinical practice hours (360 hours)
Trainee clinical psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts when they are in their third year of training, as they will have completed their core clinical competencies by this stage of the course.
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist Trained in clinical supervision (within agreed timescale) Trained in care co-ordination (within agreed timescale) Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
Post-graduate qualification showing evidence of supervised practice in an evidence-based psychological therapeutic model Registration with BPS
Skills Essential
Must be able to: Communicate complex and highly sensitive information effectively, to a wide range of people Adapt creatively the evidence base for interventions in mental health for clients with communication difficulties / learning disabilities Provide (within agreed timescale) effective teaching, training and clinical supervision Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake care co-ordination/lead practitioner responsibilities Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems Utilise psychometric tests competently Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work Use approved breakaway techniques Demonstrate effective keyboard skills
Desirable
Skills in using multimedia materials in presentations
Experience Essential
Must have experience/interest in: Working with mental health/learning disability clients (depending on designated service area) Multi-disciplinary team working
Desirable
Experience of CBT, DBT, Psychodynamics, systematic therapy Experience of research and audit
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Address Roseberry Park Hospital
Middlesbrough
TS4 3AF
Employer's website https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)