Principal Clinical/ Counselling/ Forensic Psychologist

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) is a well-established provider of healthcare services across prisons in Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

This role is based at HMP Bedford, a local Category B remand prison for men aged 18 and over.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated psychologist who is confident working independently while also contributing as part of a large, integrated multidisciplinary healthcare team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about making a meaningful impact within a challenging and rewarding environment.

Prison healthcare plays a vital role in ensuring people in custody have access to healthcare that is equivalent to that available in the community. The role offers a unique opportunity to improve outcomes for a vulnerable population who may previously have experienced significant barriers to accessing effective healthcare and psychological support.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Mental Health Lead, Head of Healthcare, and Consultant Psychologist for Secured Services to deliver high-quality psychological care and support for residents at HMP Bedford.

Alongside senior colleagues, the postholder will contribute to service development initiatives, with a particular focus on continuing to embed and enhance psychologically informed practice across the healthcare department.

The role includes maintaining a small clinical caseload, providing supervision and consultation to colleagues, and supporting the psychological formulation of complex presentations. We are therefore keen to recruit a psychologist with substantial experience and specialist knowledge in working with severe and enduring mental health difficulties, including complex trauma, personality difficulties, and neurodivergence. The successful candidate will be committed to developing psychologically informed approaches that enhance care across the wider healthcare system.

Working for our organisation

NHFT is an NHS Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in hospital settings and in the community. We provide over 200 services across the county - as well as some specialist services in bordering and nearby counties. We work together with our partners to ensure that everyone who comes through our doors receives compassionate, person-centred care, regardless of their background or circumstances.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning, to improve the care and safety of our patients and colleagues. We have achieved our ‘outstanding’ rating by encouraging opportunity, innovation, development and growth across our workforce.

At NHFT we believe that work should be rewarded in every sense which is why we are proud to an accredited living wage employer.

We aim to support financial wellbeing and create an environment where are people feel valued and able to thrive.

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the ‘About You’ Section of the document.

By completing an application you are giving authorisation for the transfer of your data. In submitting an application form, you authorise us to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process. Including factual reference, occupational health clearance and statutory and mandatory training records and full service history.

You must ensure that your application, including supporting statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Correspondence regarding your application will be sent to you via a TRAC system account.

Please submit your application as soon as possible; due to the high volumes of applications we receive we reserve the right to close any adverts before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications.

We are an equal opportunities employer, which aims to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.

All roles are subject to the home office immigration rules and therefore eligibility must meet certain requirements for any sponsorship to be considered. Please visit the government website for more information regarding eligibility,

At NHFT we support many of our colleagues to work flexibly and we will consider requests for flexible working from day one. For this role, we are open to discussing a range of options including flexible hours, agile/home working, compressed hours and part time hours. Please have a conversation with the recruiting manager about the flexibility you need and we will promise to explore what is possible with you.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.

All posts that are engaged in a regulated activity will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and a DBS re-check on a three yearly basis whilst employed in such a role. Staff employed in these posts will therefore be asked to register with the DBS Automatic Update Service upon receipt of their DBS certificate and must update yearly , the annual fee will be reimbursed subject to Trust policy. For further information please visit: DBS Update Service: applicant guide - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Please note if a DBS is applicable for the position then a charge will be deducted from your first salary.

Please note that all new starters to the trust are subject to a probationary period.

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