Assistant Psychologist

Job summary

We are looking for an assistant psychologist to join the Outside the Box (OTB) team, part of the offender personality disorder (OPD) pathway in Devon, based at HMP Channings Wood. The OPD pathway is based in prisons and probation, with NHS and HMPPS staff working together to increase the wellbeing and reduce the risk of those screened into the pathway, whilst improving the knowledge and attitudes of wider workforce.

OTB is an intervention service supporting those who are stuck (e.g. not willing to engage, multiple releases and recalls) or displaying behaviours that mean they aren't able to access other services they would benefit from (e.g. self-harm, substance use). The service provides individual and group interventions in a range of modalities with a focus on the relational. This includes the development of a shared formulation with each person on caseload, as well as pro-social groups (e.g. gardening, bee-keeping), psycho-educational groups (e.g. healthy self-esteem), skills groups (DBT skills) and more therapeutic groups (MBT).

The role will be within a cohesive, motivated and enthusiastic team including prison officers, psychologists, assistant psychologists, an art therapist and an occupational therapist. There is lots of space given to supervision, reflective practice and opportunities for training, in acknowledgement of how challenging this work can be.

Main duties of the job

The role will include working on an individual and group basis with those on caseload to support them to achieve shared goals based on a collaborative psychological formulation.

The post holder will have the chance to develop and facilitate psycho-educational and skills based groups such as DBT skills, groups around identity and attachment based groups, with appropriate training. There is also scope to be involved in co-facilitating pro-social groups such as bee keeping, social club, mindfulness, cooking and gardening etc.

They will hold a caseload jointly with prison staff, and for those individuals, will work to undertake assessment and develop a shared formulation and intervention plan/goals, with supervision from the psychologist/clinical lead. Within this, there will be the opportunity to offer support and consultation to operational staff within OTB, as well as to the wider prison workforce.

You will work with community services to develop links, with the aim of creating psychological understanding for people once they leave the prison and positive transitions to community services for service users.

There is also opportunity for involvement with a research project, supported by the central OPD research team and with the aim of this being published in the future, and to deliver training to staff across the prison.

We would be happy to arrange a visit to the service for anyone interested in learning more.

About us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Date posted: 09 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 5

Salary: £29,970 to £36,483 a year

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number: C9369-25-0313-1

Job locations: HMP Channings Wood, Denbury, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 6DW

Job description Job responsibilities

Job responsibilities

The Outside the Box service provides a reach out and day service to people screened into the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway in HMP Channings Wood. In particular, it aims to engage those whose behaviour is deemed problematic or who are stuck to the extent that it might prevent engagement in their sentence plan or progression through prison towards the community. The aims of the pathway are to reduce likelihood of violent/sexual reoffending, to improve well-being and to improve the skills, attitudes and knowledge of staff working with people with personality difficulties in partnership organisations such as prisons and probation. Outside the Box aims to do this by offering a range of group and one-to-one interventions, working in a psychologically informed and formulation-led way.

The Band 5 Senior Assistant Psychologist role will consist:

1. Plan, organise and deliver psychologically-informed relational support to people on caseload, alongside HMPPS members of the team (providing support, joint planning / preparation and peer supervision as needed).
2. Co-ordinate, agree and deliver the psycho-educational, MBTi and DBT skills group interventions in collaboration with other relevant staff.
3. Support the referral process, including offering consultation, case discussion and support to offender managers in relation to this process.
4. Collaboratively produce psychological formulations and personal development plans for all individuals on caseload.
5. Organise arrangements for and undertake group sessions, including developing ideas, writing sessions for new groups, anticipating and mitigating risk issues or other challenges and ensuring there are a clear rationale and benefits for all groups.
6. Individual interventions will also form part of the role, in general facilitated alongside a member of HMPPS staff within the team. The senior assistant psychologist will be expected to take a lead in planning clinical content for these, under supervision.
7. Liaise with relevant services, including those within the OPD pathway, to support arrangements for prisoners being released from prison.
8. Outcome measurement (collation and analysis) is central to services in the OPD pathway and the senior assistant psychologist will be expected to organise and monitor the collection, collation and reporting arrangements.
9. Ensure regular personal development plan reviews occur, including consideration of whether the goals for engagement have been completed and conditions for discharge are met, and that these are recorded for all clients.
10. Agree plans for the management of non-attendance and eventual discharge.
11. Undertake other responsibilities e.g. quality improvement initiatives or service development / evaluation projects under supervision.
12. Liaise with a range of other services (including health, criminal justice, prison and third sector agencies) relevant to the OTB service.

Duties and Responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

• Clients, family and carers: To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner with clients who may have specific difficulties in understanding and/or communicating and who may be hostile, antagonistic or highly emotionally disturbed.
• Multidisciplinary team colleagues: To work closely with multiprofessional colleagues in the service and in the wider prison/community on a day to day basis.
• Health & social care staff: To communicate with a wide range of health & social care staff in prison and in hospitals/community settings in a skilled and sensitive manner, complex and sensitive information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under the service's care. To provide support & guidance in the application of psychological principles and techniques, and to foster reflective practice.
• Senior managers & professional staff: To maintain and build good working relationships with senior professional staff and managers within HMP Channings Wood and in DPT, to foster a positive approach to the OTB service/wider OPD pathway and to enable effective negotiation.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

• To produce psychological formulations, including integrating complex information.
• To use reflective/analytical thinking to apply psychological perspectives in work in a prison setting.

Planning and Organisational Skills

• To plan and prioritise own workload with supervisor, balancing the demands of service user care, support and guidance of HMPPS staff and professionals, and service research and development activities.
• To provide psychology knowledge to the multi-professional planning, development and implementation of OTB services.

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy

• Assessment & intervention: To make assessments, and deliver treatment plans within a supervised context for individuals, and groups, and to demonstrate awareness of diversity issues.
• Consultation & guidance: To provide advice, guidance and consultation on psychological aspects of service user care to colleagues, other service providers, service users, supporters and families. To be aware of the impact of modelling of psychological principles and psychological ways of working for teams and service users.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development Implementation

• To follow policy guidance in own role and to comment on proposed policy changes and service developments.

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources

• Careful use of equipment.

Responsibility for Human Resources, e.g. Supervision, Training, HR Advice and Management

• Leadership & supervision: To assist the work of less experienced assistants, HMPPS staff and/or trainees as required. To provide consultation to prison, health and social care colleagues as required.

Responsibility for Information Resources and Administrative Duties

• To maintain accurate records.
• To be responsible for using an email account to generate, monitor, and respond to the e-mail traffic by which the Trust conducts much of its internal communication.

Responsibility for Research and Development

• To undertake service-relevant research and development activity agreed within the OTB service, and to organise personal or service led R & D activities as required.

Freedom to Act

• The post holder is responsible for their own professional actions, acting within Trust policies and procedures and Professional Practice Guidelines, working within clearly defined occupational procedures.

Any Other Specific Tasks Required

• To ensure all clinical care and treatment provided by psychologists is carried out under appropriate supervision and leadership.
• To ensure that all psychologists continuously update the skills and techniques relevant to their clinical work.
• To be prepared to work flexibly to support the service.

Person Specification Qualifications

Essential

• Honours degree at 2:1 or above in psychology and the qualification renders the applicant eligible for graduate membership of the BPS or a BA or BSc (Hons) in modular studies incl. psychology & related fields.

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis.

Planning and Organisational Skills

Essential

• Organisation and time management skills.
• Ability to be flexible and cope with multiple demands. Capable of using initiative and organise work to agreed goals.
• Ability to work independently and know when to ask for and use supervision, identifying when there is need for advice and using supervision at agreed intervals.
• Small-scale project management skills.

Other

Essential

• Information technology skills. To have highly developed IT skills and good working knowledge of statistical packages.
• Ability to work independently within defined occupational procedures and use initiative.
• Ability to work as a member of a team.

Desirable

• Ability to tolerate ambiguity, and maintain own morale and motivation in challenging service delivery contexts.
• Ability to travel between bases preferably being able to drive and having access to a vehicle.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

Essential

• Ability to integrate complex data; make evaluations; produce psychological formulations and contribute to decisions.
• To assimilate complex information and use reflective/analytic thinking, to apply psychological perspectives in work in a criminal justice setting.

Experience

Essential

• Experience as an assistant psychologist in a related setting.
• Experience of working as part of a team.
• Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact.

Desirable

• Experience of working with people with complex needs.
• Experience of working with people with personality problems, preferably in a mental health or forensic setting.
• Experience of the use of psychometric tests.
• Experience working within the Criminal Justice System e.g. prison or probation.
• Experience of teaching health, prison or probation professionals.
• Lived experience of mental health issues.

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

Essential

• To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times.
• To be able to provide and receive complex sensitive or contentious information in a potentially highly emotive atmosphere.
• High standard of report writing.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name: Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address: HMP Channings Wood, Denbury, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 6DW

Employer's website: https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/