Job Description
The OPD Pathway is a psychologically led, joint initiative between His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and NHS England for high-risk men and women in the criminal justice system who have personality difficulties. The OPD pathway offers two types of services, namely Core and IIRMS. In the Core part of the service, you will provide mainly indirect work through case consultations, psychological formulations, staff training and reflective practice to Probation colleagues, including staff in the approved premise. Some time-limited direct work can be facilitated with a service user and their Probation Practitioner. Within IIRMS, you will provide direct support to high-risk service users in the community. This is largely via psychoeducational groups such as DBT skills and enrichment activities.
1. You will undertake protocol based psychological assessments of service users, applying psychological tools.
2. You will assist in the development of formulations and delivery of care plans, by reviewing case files, analysing this information, providing summaries and reports, under the supervision of a qualified psychologist.
3. You will assist in the co-ordination and running of therapeutic groups and structured sessions at the IIRMS hub or probation service premises e.g., approved premises.
4. You will provide advice, guidance and support to service users and staff working with them, to enhance awareness of clients’ needs and how best to meet these.
5. You will facilitate joint work with service users and probation practitioners within the parameters of the OPD pathway.
6. You will contribute to the training and support of other staff to assist them in delivering psychologically-informed care.
MPUFT provides physical and mental health care, learning disability, and adult social care services across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. In addition, we provide services on a wider regional and national basis. We serve a population of 1.5 million and employ around 8,500 members of staff.
By joining MPUFT you will become part of a diverse and inclusive team who are empowered and supported to deliver care in a way which is consistent with our values:
- putting people at the heart of what we do
- empowering people to improve care and wellbeing
- delivering better health, better care in partnership
We are embedding values based and inclusive recruitment practices to ensure that all applicants, from any backgrounds, from under-represented groups, such as black, Asian or other ethnic groups, individuals with a disability, or LGBTQ+ individuals. All have an equal chance of success in achieving a role with us.
We will support your career development and progression. Membership of the excellent NHS pension scheme, generous maternity, paternity, adoption leave, pay and the option for flexible working. You will receive up to 27 days annual leave (increasing to 33 days) and the opportunity to purchase additional annual leave.
We are also proud to have a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.
As a member of the team you will be responsible for:
- undertaking assessments, formulating service users’ needs, providing case consultations, and writing reports, under the supervision of a qualified psychologist
- delivering trauma and DBT informed psychological interventions and enrichment activities to individuals in the IIRMS pathway of the service
- developing strong working relationships with colleagues in your immediate and larger team
- preparing and submitting regular data returns
- supporting the training and development of colleagues within Probation service
- delivering joint work sessions with Probation colleagues and their clients
- ensure that robust procedures are maintained for gaining and recording service users’ informed consent
- keep up with continued professional development and implementation of best practice.
Qualifications and training - essential
A First or Upper Second honours degree in psychology or a lower Second degree with a post-graduate qualification (e.g. Master’s degree)
Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
Experience - essential
You will have experience of
Face-to-face work (in a previous assistant psychologist post) with people with mental health problems (including mental illness and personality difficulties), learning disabilities and/or offending behaviour
Working in a healthcare setting
Using psychological assessments, formulations, evidence-based risk assessments (e.g., HCR20v3) and care planning
Working in a Multidisciplinary Team
Knowledge - essential
You will have
High level communication skills (written and verbal)
An understanding of the needs of people with complex personality difficulties/mental illness/learning disability
Ability to communicate sensitive information to service users in a way that addresses psychological resistance
An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare
An understanding of the impact of trauma and the label of personality disorder
Experience using computers for compiling databases or data-analysis (SPSS)
Training and experience of audit, evaluation and research methods.