Principal Psychologist

About The Role

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We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Psychologist to join our integrated Mental Health team at HMP Garth.

HMP Thameside is a category B remand prison located in South East London, close to Plumstead and Woolwich Arsenal stations. The prison houses around 1,232 patients with a variety of needs including complex and acute mental health needs. We are seeking a strong clinical, forensic or counselling psychologist, who has previously worked within a fully integrated mental health service, and understands the needs of the Psychological services required and delivered within a prison healthcare setting.

As part of this role you will be managing a Preceptorship Psychologist and Clinical Associate Psychologist as well as developing the psychological services at a busy remand site, where many patients only stay short term.

2.5 days per week between Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. This can be worked on a biweekly rolling rota.

This is a part time role. You’ll receive an annual salary of between £64,455 and £74,896 per annum depending on experience FTE, which will be pro rata for the part time hours.

• Bespoke induction, including our Introducing Health in Justice training course
• Competency framework
• Regional and national career development opportunities
• Our bespoke Learning Management System to address your learning needs

• Support the development and embedding of a trauma-informed mental health service model across sites
• Offer clinical support and oversight to the Integrated Mental Health Team (IMHT)
• Undertake psychological assessments
• Support complex multi-disciplinary formulations
• Deliver psychological interventions to cases of complexity
• Deliver and oversee 1:1 and group intervention as part of the Trauma Informed 'Making Sense' Programme
• Deliver teaching and training to healthcare and prison staff where required
• Contribute to the development of audit, service evaluation and research profile as appropriate

If you are interested in career development, we have a wide range of opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience, which include both internal and external options for development and learning.

It doesn’t stop there … we also offer:

• Discounts on shopping and leisure activities
• Support to grow in your role and continue your professional development
• 24/7 employee assistance helpline and financial assistance when you need it

Candidates are required to have a Legal right to work in the UK due to the nature of the role, offers of employment will be subject to additional vetting and security checks.

• we treat patients and each other as we would like to be treated
• we act with integrity
• we embrace diversity
• we strive to do things better together

We are looking for caring, compassionate but also driven professionals who can help us drive our vision for a fair and inclusive healthcare access to all.

• Qualified clinical, counselling or forensic psychologist and registered with the HCPC as a practitioner psychologist;
• Postgraduate qualification/training in at least one specific mode of psychological therapy relevant to people with severe and long standing mental health difficulties eg: CBT, Systemic /family therapy, Mindfulness based therapies, CAT, DBT, Mentalisation, Schema Therapy
• Critical awareness of a range of psychological models applicable to delivering psychological approaches in remand prisons .
• A working knowledge of current good practice and recent government policies relating to health services and professional guidelines;

Secure environments are one of the most challenging, yet rewarding places for healthcare professionals to work. If you’re looking for a role where you can develop your existing healthcare skills and learn something new every day in an environment that never stands still, then this could be the right opportunity for you.