MHTR worker/Assistant Psychologist

NHS; Exeter; Remote; GBP 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job description

Mental health treatment requirement workers (MHTR) are required as part of the exciting new Integrated Non-Custodial Services (INCS) contract, which has been awarded to DPT for the next seven years starting in April 2025.

The INCS contract brings together Criminal Justice, Liaison & Diversion, Reconnect and the Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTRs) in order to deliver care and support for individuals to address their health care needs and offending behaviour from custody diversion through to release back to the community.

The MHTR service delivers Mental Health Treatment Requirements to individuals who have received a community sentence from the courts which has an MHTR as an element of the order. MHTRs are designed to support individuals with low to medium mental health needs where the court considers that an individual's mental health is linked to their offending.

This post is offered at Band 4 subject to the Job Evaluation Process.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will promote the psychological health and well-being of service users delivering low level psychological interventions to individuals or groups of service users who may present with a range of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, personality disorders, and neurodiversity.

The post-holder will work remotely across Devon or Cornwall. They will work alongside practitioners in courts and probation, and also organisations in the community. The successful candidate will be expected to provide face-to-face sessions as required, so there will be an expectation of travelling. We will ask people at interview for preferred area of work either Devon & Torbay or Cornwall.

The post-holder will be expected to:

• Undertake psychological assessments of clients applying psychological tests, including self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations, and semi-structured interviews with clients and others involved in the client's care, under the supervision of a qualified psychologist.
• Deliver the MHTRs as a part of dual orders with DRRs and ATRs in partnership with Drug and Alcohol Services.
• Provide support and advice to professionals who contact the services.

About us

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 Trust's core values. These include attributes such as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving the 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, and 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.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

Person Specification

Experience

• Working within a community setting in either the statutory or voluntary sector.
• Ability to assess and manage risk.
• Lone working with people who use services.
• Experience of using psychological assessments, formulations, risk assessments and care planning.
• Prior experience of working with people with complex co-morbidities and vulnerabilities e.g. mental health, learning disability, ADHD, autism, offending behaviours, substance misuse, homelessness, debt etc.
• Prior experience of working with people who are hard to engage through their vulnerability, who are challenging in presentation OR employ risk behaviours including self-harm.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment.
• Experience of working within the criminal justice system.
• Some experience of using/manipulating Psychological test equipment for use in formal testing situations.
• Experience of using databases: inputting data and information accurately, retrieving data etc.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of mental health and/or social care practice acquired through NVQ Level 3, PLUS training to diploma level or equivalent, equivalent knowledge obtained through short courses OR relevant work-based experience OR psychology degree that confers graduate basis for registration to the BPS.
• Must already hold or be willing to obtain the Care Certificate within the first 3 months of employment.
• Additional formal and experiential training in working with children & adults who have complex needs.
• Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care.

Knowledge

• An awareness of other relevant legislation, e.g. Children's Act, Criminal Justice, Housing, Benefits, Social care.
• An awareness of Health and Criminal Justice Organisations working with Adults & young people e.g. Probation, Youth Offending Services (YOS), Mental Health & Learning Disability Services, Drug & Alcohol services, Child & Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS).
• A basic understanding of Mental Health Act (2007), Mental Capacity Act (2005), The Care Act (2014).
• A basic understanding of Care Program Approach.

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.

£26,530 to £29,114 a year Subject to Job Evaluation.