25041 - Counselling Psychologist

The vacancy in Kent Surrey and Sussex can have a flexible location. Whilst HMP Lewes and HMP Rochester are mentioned we will be able to discuss flexibility around the successful candidate’s location.

This role requires the provision of Counselling Services. The role would suit a qualified Counselling Psychologist.

Overview of the job     

This is non-operational prisoner facing job

Summary           

The job holder will be working with prisoners and staff and applying their competence in the area of psychology to reduce the risk of harm and of re-offending by undertaking a range of work including risk assessment of prisoners, conducting research, providing consultancy and delivering training for staff and assessment and interventions for prisoners. This is non-operational and non rotational prisoner facing job

This job holder will be able to provide designated support and supervision to trainee psychologists.  

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Offer authoritative professional advice on targets and objectives for relevant offenders and advise on the best location for those offenders (both within the establishment or relocation to another category establishment)
• Offer professional opinion to teams conducting prisoner reports e.g. lifer reports, parole reports
• Develop strategy and plans of activity for some areas of operation e.g. manages the organisation of Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP) assessments or manages assessment and interviews indeterminate sentence prisoners
• Provide consultancy support to colleagues such as the establishments SMT or other teams in relation to psychology services and outcomes.
• Conduct relevant research including data gathering and analysis
• Responsible for managing and providing supervision to trainee forensic psychology staff
• Provide training, mentoring and support to trainee psychologists and other staff (e.g. interventions staff).
• Can be required to provide professional (designated) supervision of trainees e.g. professional Supervision to ensure that a trainee is able to develop through the key steps towards chartered and registered status.
• Ensure staff are developed in accordance with key competencies and gateways and ensuring consistency across the team in the application of policies and procedures affecting staff and prisoners
• Lead on risk assessment and resulting risk management of prisoners
• Participate in risk assessment of prisoners to determine their risk of harm to self, others and the risk of reoffending. May undertake Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) and self-harm assessments.
• Can be required to deliver and/or oversee the quality of programmes (treatment management). These will be of the more complex type requiring such qualified input
• Provide consultancy role on specialist area e.g. Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP) strategy or Indeterminate Sentenced Prisoners (ISP) Strategy
• Act as a negotiation adviser where suitable and competence has been demonstrated
• Act as a ‘professional witness’ in a parole board hearing, multi-agency meetings, and other formal settings where psychology input is required. May also act as expert witness in respect of court proceedings for Ministry of Justice.
• Maintain own Continued Professional Development (CPD) an registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC)

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the Job Holder

Competencies

All of the competencies in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Competency and Qualities Framework are relevant to this group profile. For the purpose of selection the following competencies will be measured:

• 3. Making Effective Decisions
• 4. Leading and Communicating
• 5. Collaborating and Partnering
• 6. Building Capability for All
• 14. Persuading and Influencing

Essential Skills/ Qualifications/ Accreditation/ Registration       

The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title such as Forensic. They may also be a Chartered Psychologist and Full member of the appropriate division of the British Psychological Society (BPS) if the post requires it.

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh

Hours of Work

37 hour working week