Assistant Psychologist - HMP Downview OPD

Role overview

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is an award-winning employer that delivers primary care, mental health, neurodevelopmental and substance misuse services in partnership with diverse communities. This position sits within a well-established multidisciplinary team, Options, which is part of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway at HMP Downview.

The post is aimed at someone who wants to support psychological care for people with personality disorder or related difficulties and complex needs. The service is known for developing Assistant Psychologists, offering training, and supporting progression into further training routes. You will work in a busy prison-based setting with people who may have experienced trauma and disadvantage, so strong communication, organisation and motivation are essential.

Main purpose of the role

The post holder will provide psychological input to the service under regular supervision from a qualified HCPC-registered Psychologist or Psychological Therapist. The work includes direct group and individual support, service coordination, administrative systems, and contributions to training, research and service development.

Key duties

• Facilitate a forensic adaptation of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills groups for women and other individuals accepted onto the OPD pathway.
• Provide outreach support during periods of instability.
• Handle referral processes, databases and suitability screening.
• Support clinical, training and research work through administration and coordination tasks appropriate to the role and level of competence.
• Represent the team in diversity meetings and help maintain the team’s diversity action plan.
• Work independently to an agreed plan while making full use of supervision.
• Create and manage databases, spreadsheets and referral systems, using advanced IT skills for audit, evaluation and research.
• Attend weekly DBT consultation and reflective practice meetings and follow DBT principles.
• Assess referred individuals, develop formulations and apply psychological models to mental health, personality disorder and offending behaviour.
• Liaise with multidisciplinary colleagues and prison staff, including prison and probation officers, offering consultation and contributing to formulation, diagnosis, treatment planning and management.
• Support workforce development activities for prison and probation staff in relation to the OPD pathway.
• Contribute to service development and evaluation projects.

Candidate profile

This role suits a well-organised, motivated psychologist with sound communication skills and the ability to work in a demanding environment. You will need to deal effectively with sensitive or difficult conversations, work with resistance, and remain calm under pressure. Confidence in report writing, reflective analysis and independent working is important, along with knowing when to seek supervision.

Training and development

The trust provides strong development support for Assistant Psychologists, including monthly supervision, annual development planning and appraisals, and access to internal and external training. The organisation also has a good record of supporting progression into further training opportunities.

Benefits and staff support

• Health and wellbeing support services
• Season ticket loan facility
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to MyTrustBenefits with more than 1,400 discounts across major retailers and services
• Free online courses covering professional and personal topics such as business management, languages, law and teaching
• Support with revalidation
• Recognition through Hidden Gem and annual award ceremonies

Additional information

The trust may close the advert early if a high number of applications is received, so early application is advised.

This is a prison-based role at HMP Downview in Sutton Green, England, United Kingdom.

Qualifications

• An honours degree in Psychology at 2:1 or above, or an equivalent qualification, with eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS.
• Desirable: additional training in professional psychology, mental health practice, or research design and analysis.

Experience

• Essential: relevant clinical and research experience.
• Essential: experience working within a team.
• Essential: basic knowledge of databases, research methods and methodology.
• Essential: ability to apply existing psychological knowledge in a healthcare setting.
• Essential: understanding of psychology applied to healthcare.
• Desirable: experience with people with disabilities, complex needs, mental health issues, or in a health or inpatient setting.
• Desirable: experience using psychometric tests.
• Desirable: experience delivering groups and one-to-one therapeutic contact.
• Desirable: experience in inpatient services.
• Desirable: experience teaching other health professionals.
• Desirable: lived experience of mental health issues.

Skills and abilities

• Strong communication under pressure and consistently professional conduct.
• Ability to give and receive sensitive, complex or contentious information in emotionally charged situations.
• High-quality report writing.
• Analytical and reflective thinking with the ability to apply psychological perspectives in healthcare.
• Flexibility and capacity to manage competing demands.
• Initiative, self-organisation and the judgement to know when supervision is needed.
• Calmness when facing emotional distress, verbal hostility or abuse.
• Basic computer proficiency.

Working context

You will be supporting people serving custodial sentences, many of whom have experienced trauma and disadvantage. The setting requires resilience, tact and the ability to build effective relationships with partner agencies and prison-based colleagues.