91347 - Senior Registered Psychologist- Psychology Services - HMP Bronzefield

91347 - Senior Registered Psychologist- Psychology Services - HMP Bronzefield

Number of jobs available: 1

Detail of reserve list: 12 Months

Region: South East, South West

City/Town: Ashford (Surrey)

Building/Site: HM Prison Bronzefield, TW15 3JZ

Grade: SEO

Band: 8

Post Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full Time

Role Type: Psychology

Will the successful applicant have line manager responsibilities? Yes

HMP Bronzefield is a privately managed prison with an established team of PSG Psychologists working within it who are specialists in working with women in custody – part of the Women’s Estate Psychology Service (WEPS). The work of the team is diverse and includes specialist roles working with restricted status women, a bespoke young adults service, and an intervention to support better emotional regulation.

This post is a newly created opportunity for a senior psychologist to join the psychology team to develop a specialist service for the increasing number of TACT prisoners located there and the opportunity to work within a multidisciplinary team in providing a comprehensive range of services to this cohort. This work will be supported by other Women’s Estate psychologists who are trained in delivering ERG and HII, and the successful post holder will coordinate the range of TACT activities with visiting professionals.

Overview of the job

This is a non-operational offender facing job.

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 job holder will largely excel in the area of risk assessment or be a specialist in a specific area such as working with those convicted of sexual offending. At this level, the jobholder may have responsibility for the key specialist tasks involved in the delivery of a programme or related individual case management, which would also entail overseeing the quality of delivery and supervision. They will also provide direction and support for other supervisors. This is a non-operational and non-rotational job.

The job holder will be working with complex individuals and staff and applying their experience and competence in the area of psychology to reduce the risk of harm and re-offending by undertaking complex risk assessments, conducting research, providing consultancy, and delivering training for staff and interventions (individual and group).

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties

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

1. Conduct full case reviews on difficult cases and offer authoritative advice on next steps relating to sentence plans.
2. Specialise in the delivery of psychology services in settings such as therapeutic community wings or PIPEs.
3. Lead, supervise, and facilitate group sessions.
4. Offer professional opinions to multi-functional teams conducting offender reports e.g. risk reports, parole reports on high-risk or vulnerable offenders.
5. Develop and/or strategies such as sexual offending or indeterminate sentence assessment and intervention strategy.
6. Deliver and supervise (treatment management) the delivery of more complex programmes e.g. healthy sex programme.
7. Provide consultancy support to colleagues such as Senior Management Team (SMT) in relation to psychology services and outcomes.
8. Conduct relevant research including data gathering and analysis.
9. 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.
10. Manage and provide professional supervision to trainee forensic psychology staff.
11. Provide supervision, training, mentoring, and support to trainee psychologists and where relevant other staff such as interventions staff.
12. Assist in national specialist tasks such as training on courses related to their specialist discipline.
13. 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.
14. 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 offenders.
15. Lead on risk assessment and resulting risk management of complex, vulnerable, or high-risk offenders. Will be competent to undertake the full range of risk assessments including the more complex risk assessments. Give feedback of the assessment to the individual and other stakeholders.
16. Contribute to other offender management processes (usually with more complex cases in work such as Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) assessments and self-harm or personality disorder assessments).
17. Provide consultancy role to wider team on their specialist activity. Visit a range of sites/forums to advise on complex cases.
18. Act as a negotiation adviser where suitable and competence has been demonstrated.
19. Manage own Continued Professional Development (CPD) requirements and maintain professional standards.
20. Ensure they maintain their professional Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration.
21. Provide a psychological contribution to the work of areas of the wider service provision (such as a therapeutic community or regime activity).
22. Provide psychological reports when requested for those convicted of a life sentence and to submit within the appropriate time framework.
23. Responsible for relevant accreditation audit baselines as detailed in the audit document.
24. Line management of trainee psychologists.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and are 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

Experience

Possess a professional background in Psychology. Experience in providing clinical supervision.

Completed relevant training in effective models of treatment and best practice.

They are likely to also be a Chartered Psychologist and Full member of the appropriate division of the BPS if the post requires it.

Technical requirements

The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.

Mandatory Eligibility Requirements

Licences
The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.

Professional memberships
The job holder will be a Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and eligible to use a protected title.

Languages
Spoken and Written English.

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 an 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 suitably 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 the 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.

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ is 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.

Please note the successful applicant will need to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Security Check for this post.