88564 - Therapy Manager - Therapeutic Unit, HMP Grendon
Overview of the job
This is a non-operational, prisoner facing job with functional management and clinical responsibilities.
Summary
The job holders covered by this job description are usually categorised as specialists in their field or those whose role requires significant additional experience, training and personal development.
The focus of the work is based on therapeutic community principles, where a dedicated multidisciplinary team are clinically led by the post holder to develop a treatment environment where attitudes and expressions, which would not normally be tolerated in prison, are accepted and used to give feedback to prisoners. This therapeutic dialogue leads to prisoner's greater understanding of their usual behaviour and is based on psychotherapeutic principles.
The job holder will largely excel in the area of psychodynamic and psychotherapeutic models of treatment, risk assessment or be a specialist in a specific area such as working with sex offenders, learning disability or personality disorder. At this level the jobholder has the responsibility for the key specialist tasks involved in the delivery of a therapeutic community intervention which includes overseeing the quality of delivery and supervision. They will also provide direction and support for other supervisors.
The job holder will provide clinical leadership in the provision of Psychotherapy within their work area by offering group and individual supervision in the support of Psychotherapists and other clinicians.
This is a specialist clinical job with responsibility for the output and activity for a large team of operational and specialist team members.
The job holder will be working with complex prisoners and prison staff and applying their experience and competence in the area of psychotherapy to reduce the risk of harm and re-offending by undertaking complex treatment intervention with prisoners, conducting or contributing to research, providing consultancy and delivering training for staff and group interventions for prisoners.
This is a prisoner facing role, which may have line management responsibilities
Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Specialise in the clinical delivery and management of an accredited intervention (Democratic Therapeutic Community) ensuring that clinical and operational requirements are in place and fit for purpose.
- Lead and oversee the effective implementation of the Democratic Therapeutic Communities accredited core model in the prison setting.
- Manage the function of the multi-disciplinary clinical team, comprising of operational and non-operational staff, ensuring staff are competent and equipped to deliver the therapeutic intervention.
- Lead and deliver individual and group clinical supervision to all members of the staff team and develop the clinical abilities of staff who deliver group therapy. Contribute to the overall appraisal and performance management of staff on the TC.
- Support and supervise others in the team delivering supervisory processes.
- Provide a specialist group analytic contribution to the adult male treatment service in the prison setting, working men with significant offending behaviour and Personality Disorder referred to the Therapeutic Community, utilising information from a broad base group theory and methodology and integrating it into a psychological formulation of the client in the context of their family and wider social context.
- Manage the tensions between therapeutic and operational imperatives are properly balanced
- Ensure that the staff group put these principles into practice in the way they communicate with and work with one another, the Therapy Manager should model TC values and culture for staff
- Oversee all clinical written documentation (sentence plans, recording of groups, parole reports, etc. ) and ensure this accurately reflects the work being done and progress being made by individual prisoners
- Ensure creative psychotherapy or complementary work undertaken with prisoners (e.g. education, offending behaviour programmes, complementary therapies) is properly integrated into the prisoner's Individual Treatment Plan
- Conduct full case reviews on difficult cases and offer authoritative advice on next steps relating to sentence plan
- Offer professional opinion to multi functional teams conducting offender reports e.g. risk reports, parole reports on high risk or vulnerable prisoners
- Act as a "professional witness" in parole board hearings, 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
- Lead on the formulation and implementation of plans for psychotherapeutic treatment or management of resident's mental health problems based on current evidence-based best practice within the Therapeutic Community.
- Lead on risk assessment and resulting risk management of complex, vulnerable or high risk prisoners, reporting on treatment and therapeutic progress in relation to criminogenic factors.
- Lead on decisions relating to progress in treatment for residents on the TC, continuation or termination of therapy and therapeutic dosage.
- Contribute to other offender management processes (usually with more complex cases in work such as Assessment, Care in Custody & Teamwork (ACCT) assessments and self harm or personality disorder assessments)
- Attend weekly clinical, community, staff team meetings, including administrative, assessment and academic meetings, and other service meetings as necessary for effective team working and service development needs.
- Integrate into the Therapeutic Community, engaging in all aspects of its community life, abiding by the rules of the constitution in line with other members, staff and residents. Ensure all members of the team adopt this approach.
- Monitor therapy practice through direct observation, feedback etc. to ensure that it meets the required standards
- Lead on the management of referrals received, ensuring these are appropriately managed and apply appropriate criteria in assessing suitability. Provide ultimate clinical judgement and override for cases outside of the criteria where appropriate.
- Provide supervision, training, mentoring and support to trainee psychotherapists and those undertaking psychotherapeutic qualifications (e.g. Group Analysis training) where required.
- Provide consultancy support to colleagues such as an establishment SMT in relation to psychology services and outcomes
- Assist in national specialist tasks such as training on courses related to their specialist discipline
- Develop and provide specialist clinical advice to strategic policy developments for therapeutic communities
- Provide professional supervision to support a trainee in developing through the key steps towards chartered and registered status. This may be as a coordinating or designated supervisor.
- Teach psychotherapy principles to other professions and trainees of other professions within the NHS and other professions engaged in mental health work.
- Work with colleagues to develop service priorities through the design, development and evaluation of clinical audit tools and participation in appropriate clinical audit projects.
- Provide consultancy role to wider team on their specialist activity. Visit a range of sites to advise on complex cases
- Responsible for the management of relevant research including data gathering and analysis
- Ensure the clinical effectiveness of own practice and of service functioning by undertaking audit and development activities relevant to the service area.
- Remain informed of and critically evaluate current research to support evidence-based practice in own professional work and to contribute this perspective in the multi-disciplinary team.
- Participate in the evaluation of the Service by working with colleagues in the design and development of service-related research and evaluation projects, as agreed with the Head of Department.
- Responsible for relevant accreditation audit baselines as detailed in the audit document
- Lead on the preparation for clinical external audit of the therapeutic community, including preparation of case studies, detailed self reviews and liaison with external agencies such as the community of communities. Act as a peer-reviewer consultant to other Therapeutic Communities outside of the prison service.
- Ensure that the function produces and analyses audit and establishment performance management information identifying variances and areas requiring improvements
- Provide specialist reports when requested for prisoners and to submit within the appropriate time framework
- Engage with wing managers and Offender Management Unit (OMU) ensuring that regular and thorough assessments are completed on community members' progress and therapy
- Maintain professional networks with other TCs sharing best practice
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.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
Behaviours
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Developing Self and Others
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
Essential Experience
Possess a professional background in one of the following disciplines: Psychotherapy, Psychology, Psychiatry, Nursing
Experience in providing clinical supervision
Have undertaken psychotherapy training, including knowledge of psychotherapeutic models and effective models for treatment delivery and adherence to best practice models.
Technical Requirements
Qualified and registered clinician with an associated and relevant professional body, e.g. BACP, BPS, BABCP, UKCP
Qualification and experience in providing clinical supervision (preferably both group and individual)
Must be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.
Qualifications
Do you have a relevant qualification and professional registration with an associated and relevant professional body, e.g. BACP, BPS, BABCP, UKCP.
Professional memberships
Relevant qualification and professional registration with an associated and relevant professional body, e.g. BACP, BPS, BABCP, UKCP.
HMP Grendon is seeking a specialist Therapy Manager to join its unique Psychotherapy Community team.
The post-holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary specialist team focusing on delivery of psychodynamic and psychotherapeutic models of treatment to aid prisoners’ greater understanding of their behaviour, reducing their risk or reoffending and promoting psychological well-being. The position involves leading and having clinical responsibility for the delivering of a residentially based, therapeutic community service for complex need prisoners
This is a prisoner-facing post with clinical responsibilities and may have line management responsibilities.
Applicants must have:
Significant experience of working with those who have committed serious offences or in other challenging environments - such as with individuals with personality disorders or learning difficulties.
Experience of providing clinical supervision and have a professional background in either psychotherapy, psychology or psychiatric nursing with knowledge of psychotherapeutic models and effective models for treatment delivery.
Relevant qualification and professional registration with an associated and relevant professional body, e.g. BACP, BPS, BABCP, UKCP.
The post-holder will have responsibility for key specialist tasks involved in the delivery of accredited interventions within the prison’s Democratic Therapeutic Community, including:
- Working with complex prisoners and prison staff and applying their experience and competence in the area of psychotherapy, to reduce the risk of harm and re-offending by undertaking complex treatment intervention with prisoners.
- Conducting or contributing to research, providing consultancy and training delivery for staff, and group interventions for prisoners.
- Providing clinical leadership in the provision of psychotherapy within their work area by offering group and individual supervision in the support of psychotherapists and other clinicians.
- Overseeing quality of delivery and supervision, providing direction and support for other supervisors.
Other areas of responsibility will include the following but please see attached full job description for a full list of responsibilities.
Lead and oversee the effective delivery of the DTC (Democratic Therapeutic Communities) accredited core model in the prison setting, ensuring that clinical and operational requirements are in place and fit for purpose.
Manage the function of the multi-disciplinary clinical team, ensuring staff are competent and equipped to deliver therapeutic intervention, support and supervision of others in the team to develop the clinical abilities, ensuring the team uphold and promote the principles and culture of the therapeutic community.
Provide a specialist group analytic contribution to the adult treatment service in the prison setting, working with male prisoners with significant offending behaviour and Personality Disorder, who have been referred to the Therapeutic Community.
Utilising information from a broad base group theory and methodology and integrating it into a psychological formulation of the client in the context of their family and wider social context.
Oversee clinical written documentation (sentence plans, recording of groups, etc) and ensure this accurately reflects progress made by individual prisoners; conduct full case reviews on difficult cases and offer authoritative advice and professional opinion relating to sentence plan.
Provide consultancy support to colleagues with the prison senior management team in relation to psychology services and outcomes. Engage with wing managers and Offender Management Unit (OMU) ensuring that regular and thorough assessments are completed on community members’ progress and therapy.
Lead on clinical assessment and risk management of complex, vulnerable or high-risk prisoners, reporting on treatment and therapeutic progress in relation to criminogenic factors.
Work with colleagues to develop service priorities through the design, development and evaluation of clinical audit tools and participation in appropriate clinical audit projects. Ensure the clinical effectiveness of own practice and of service function by undertaking audit, evaluation and development activities relevant to the service area.
Responsible for relevant accreditation audit baselines as detailed in the audit document; lead on the preparation for clinical external audit of the therapeutic community, including preparation of case studies, detailed self-reviews and liaison with external agencies such as the community of communities.
Selection will be by application form and interview, which may include a presentation.
Applicants will be testing against the following behaviours:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Developing Self and Others
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.
If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.
The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.
Benefits
Annual Leave
-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.
Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays
-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment
Pension
-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Work Life Balance
HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ
Season Ticket Advance
-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work
Childcare Vouchers
For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
Training
HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes
-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts
-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles
Eligibility
-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post
-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS
-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
Diversity & Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
28/10/2024, 23:55 hours.
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com.
Please quote the job reference - 88564.
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Interview stage assessments
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
· UK nationals
· nationals of the Republic of Ireland
· nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
· individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
· Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
This Vacancy is closed to applications.