Job overview

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) is a well-established provider of healthcare services across prisons in Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

This role is based at HMP Bedford, a local Category B remand prison for men aged 18 and over.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated psychologist who is confident working independently while also contributing as part of a large, integrated multidisciplinary healthcare team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about making a meaningful impact within a challenging and rewarding environment.

Prison healthcare plays a vital role in ensuring people in custody have access to healthcare that is equivalent to that available in the community. The role offers a unique opportunity to improve outcomes for a vulnerable population who may previously have experienced significant barriers to accessing effective healthcare and psychological support.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will work closely with the Mental Health Lead, Head of Healthcare, and Consultant Psychologist for Secured Services to deliver high-quality psychological care and support for residents at HMP Bedford.

Alongside senior colleagues, the postholder will contribute to service development initiatives, with a particular focus on continuing to embed and enhance psychologically informed practice across the healthcare department.

The role includes maintaining a small clinical caseload, providing supervision and consultation to colleagues, and supporting the psychological formulation of complex presentations. We are therefore keen to recruit a psychologist with substantial experience and specialist knowledge in working with severe and enduring mental health difficulties, including complex trauma, personality difficulties, and neurodivergence. The successful candidate will be committed to developing psychologically informed approaches that enhance care across the wider healthcare system.

Working for our organisation

NHFT is an NHS Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in hospital settings and in the community. We provide over 200 services across the county - as well as some specialist services in bordering and nearby counties. We work together with our partners to ensure that everyone who comes through our doors receives compassionate, person-centred care, regardless of their background or circumstances.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning, to improve the care and safety of our patients and colleagues. We have achieved our ‘outstanding’ rating by encouraging opportunity, innovation, development and growth across our workforce. 

At NHFT we believe that work should be rewarded in every sense which is why we are proud to an accredited living wage employer. 

We aim to support financial wellbeing and create an environment where are people feel valued and able to thrive.