About this role
Job summary
Highly Specialist Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Psychotherapist
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Highly Specialist Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Psychotherapist to jointhe Forensic Psychotherapy Department in West London Forensic Services. This is a part-time permanent post (18.75 hours per week), offering the chance to provide specialist expertise within a service committed to reflective practice and high-quality, patient-centred care.
The post holder will deliver a specialist psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy service to patients with severe and complex needs within forensic settings. This includes undertaking assessments and providing individual and group psychodynamic psychotherapy, including Mentalisation-Based Treatment (MBT).
You will play a key role in developing the therapeutic ward environment, including facilitating reflective practice groups to support staff in managing the emotional impact of working with complex patients.
The role also involves providing specialist consultation to multidisciplinary teams and delivering supervision to qualified staff, honorary therapists and trainees.
Working autonomously within professional and Trust guidelines, you will contribute to service development through collaboration, teaching, training, audit and research across WLFS and the wider Trust.
Main duties of the job
To provide a comprehensive and highly specialised psychodynamic psychotherapy service to mentally disordered offenders with severe and enduring mental health conditions (including mental illness and/or personality disorder) and complex forensic histories.
To undertake specialist assessments for individual and group psychodynamic psychotherapy, integrating complex information from multiple sources such as referrals, clinical history, liaison with services, CPA and risk documentation, RiO records, and patient-reported measures.
To communicate assessment outcomes to referrers through detailed reports, including psychodynamic formulation and recommendations regarding treatment suitability, modality (group or individual; short or long-term), patient-therapist matching, risk formulation, and future care planning.
To manage an independent clinical caseload of patients with complex and long-term therapeutic needs, delivering both individual and group interventions.
To facilitate regular reflective practice groups for MDTs working on forensic wards or in the community and for professional groups (e.g. Arts Therapists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists etc.) in WLFS.
To take on Care Coordinator responsibilities where appropriate, particularly for patients seen by honorary therapists, trainees, or supervised staff.
To communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, carers, and colleagues, supporting engagement and collaborative multidisciplinary working.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job description Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
For more information or an informal discussion/visit please contact Dr Katherine Papaspirou, Consultant Forensic Psychotherapist and Departmental Lead, WLFS, by emailing [email protected].
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training Essential
A BPC accredited (or equivalent) qualification as a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist or Psychoanalyst (or being close to obtaining this) Qualification in a core profession e.g. medical, psychology, social work, nursing, teaching or extensive clinical experience at post-qualification level. Relevant honours degree or a recognised equivalent.
Desirable
Recognised further training in other modality or type of psychotherapy e.g. group psychotherapy
Experience Essential
A personal analytical psychotherapy or psychoanalysis of at least three times per week and of sufficient intensity and duration to be able to work according to psychoanalytic principles with the most difficult and demanding cases Experience in assessment and treatment, including individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy, in an outpatient setting Experience in carrying own caseload in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, working independently and autonomously as a specialist practitioner.
Desirable
Experience in offering consultation, staff support and reflective practice to multidisciplinary staff teams and other professionals. Experience of clinically supervising, teaching and training junior staff and trainees. Experience of representing psychotherapy within the context of multi-disciplinary care. Experience of the application of psychodynamic thinking in different cultural contexts.
Knowledge and Skills Essential
Well-developed ability to effectively communicate highly sensitive and/or technical information to patients, as well as to professional colleagues within and outside the NHS both orally and in writing. Knowledge of psychotherapy research and relevant national treatment guidelines. Knowledge of relevant legislation and policy and its implication for clinical practice, professional management and service development. Evidence of on-going commitment to relevant CPD. Ability to respond flexibly to service developments and patient needs. Knowledge of and respect for other psychological treatment models employed in the NHS together with an understanding of the role of psychodynamic psychotherapy in a modern NHS Mental Health Service Adequate keyboard skills and an ability to use Word, email and internet. Some familiarity with other software such as Excel and PowerPoint Ability to respond flexibly to service developments and patient needs.
Desirable
Knowledge of different pathways of care and mental health provision available in statutory and non-statutory sectors. Knowledge of psychiatric diagnoses and treatments. Knowledge of audit and research design and methodology, including techniques of analysing quantitative and qualitative data. Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychotherapeutic approaches to the care of specific difficult to treat groups including personality disorder
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.
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 West London NHS Trust
Address St Bernard's Hospital
London
UB1 3EU
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)