Job summary
- Main area
- Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical or Forensic Psychologist)
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- 12 months (Secondment)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 437-7745846
- Employer
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- HMP New Hall
- Town
- Wakefield
- Salary
- £38,682 - £54,710 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 13/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Band 7 Practitioner Psychologist
Band 7
Job overview
An exciting position has arisen for a Band 7 psychologist for a one-year fixed term contract to a Band 7 Psychologist role within our established team at the Rivendell Service at HMP New Hall.
The Rivendell Service is a long-standing and well-established residential treatment unit which exists as part of the National Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) . The aims of the pathway are to reduce the likelihood of violent reoffending, to improve wellbeing and to improve the skills of staff working with personality difficulties. Rivendell is a two-year treatment programme, on a dedicated wing offering a range of bespoke one-to-one interventions and groupwork to a maximum of 16 women. Residents present with complex risk, trauma and personality problems and are supported to develop more effective strategies to manage their difficulties.
We are a formulation led, trauma informed service, with a focus on relational dynamics to work effectively with the client group and develop understandings of how personality problems influence the risk of further offending or harm to self.
The role will be varied and stimulating, offering excellent opportunities to develop a broad range of skills. We actively encourage and fund training and development opportunities. You will be supported by an experienced clinical team.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work closely with our clinical and forensic psychologists to support the delivery the Rivendell Therapeutic service. The role will include working on an individual and group basis with service users to support them to achieve shared goals based on a collaborative psychological formulation.
Key duties will include co-ordinating, developing and co-facilitation of psycho-educational skills based groups, in conjunction with relevant clinical staff.
The postholder will be expected to support the assessment process for new service users and to support clinicians in delivery of one-to-one interventions. This might include collating relevant data, compiling reports, developing risk assessments under supervision and conducting psychometric assessments. The role will give opportunity for developing collaborative formulations with the relevant service user and prison staff team to build understanding of the service users. The postholder will be supported to take a role in service evaluation and potential research projects.
Ideally, we hope to attract candidates with existing experience in the area of working with complex presentations, however, training in this area will be provided.
This would suit a newly qualified applicant. We would also consider a Band 6 Forensic psychologist in training close to completing their qualification, with therapeutic experience.
Working for our organisation
Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7000 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 122 locations.
We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.
Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.
Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity.
Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See attached job description and job specification.
Key duties will include co-ordinating, developing and co-facilitation of psycho-educational skills based groups, in conjunction with relevant clinical staff. This will include DBT skills groups, Power Threat Meaning Framework and Compassion Focussed Groups. The post holder will take in lead in co-working with the prison officer team to jointly plan and deliver meaningful activities with service users, which includes activities such as cooking, craft sessions mindfulness.
The postholder will be expected to support the assessment process for new service users and to support clinicians in delivery of one-to-one interventions. This might include collating relevant data, compiling reports, developing risk assessments under supervision and conducting psychometric assessments. We anticipate that the role will give opportunity for developing collaborative formulations with the relevant clinician and prison staff team to build understanding of the service users on our caseload. We have a group for service users who have graduated from Rivendell and envisage that the postholder will be actively involved in the delivery of these sessions.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential criteria
- • Doctoral degree in clinical or forensic psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) or Masters degree in Forensic psychology plus experience working in a therapeutic environment. • Eligibility for BPS Chartership •
Desirable criteria
- • Current HCPC registration as a clinical or forensic psychologist.Further post graduate or specialist training in psychology, mental health practice or therapeutic skills.
Experience
Essential criteria
- • Experience of developing assessments, formulations and therapeutic intervention to people presenting with complex mental health, personality difficulties or offending behaviours.
Desirable criteria
- • Worked within a trauma-informed environment. • Experience of working professionally within a custodial or secure environment. • Worked specifically with the needs of women. • Experience of providing supervision and training to multi-disciplinary staff
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- • Knowledge and awareness of the factors that contribute to complex personality presentations, emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties. • Knowledge of psychological models and treatment approaches for working with those presenting with complex personality difficulties.
Desirable criteria
- • Awareness of the OPD pathway strategy
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Gemma Robinson
- Job title
- Clinical Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01924 803516
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