Job summary
- Main area
- Health and Justice
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 333-D-HJ-1906
- Employer
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Gordon Hospital
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £56,276 - £63,176 p.a inc HCAS (pro rata if P/T)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 30/10/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 18/11/2025
Employer heading
MHTR Psychological Therapist
NHS AfC: Band 7
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity to work within a newly commissioned pan-London Men’s Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) service to reduce custodial sentences and improve the wellbeing of men in the criminal justice system with mental health needs. MHTRs were introduced by the Criminal Justice Act in 2003, recognising that for many individuals who offend, mental health and substance misuse issues underpin their offending behaviour. Treatment requirements offer courts an alternative to short custodial sentences and aim to prevent reoffending by addressing underlying vulnerabilities and improving quality of life. This service aims to increase the use of primary care treatment requirements as part of a community sentence, offering psychologically informed interventions and advice.
The MHTR Service will also provide the courts with information and confidence to sentence to robust and effective treatment requirements. North London Forensic Collaborative is the largest forensic Provider Collaborative in England and is a partnership between forensic services within five NHS Trusts including: North London NHS Foundation Trust - Lead Provider; Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust; East London NHS Foundation Trust; North East London NHS Foundation Trust and West London NHS Trust.
These 2 Band 7 posts will be hosted by Central North West London Foundation Trust as part of a team that will work across North West and North Central London.
Main duties of the job
North London Forensic Collaborative are looking for three band 7 Psychologists or Psychological Therapists. The two CNWL posts will cover North West and North central London and NELFT’s post will cover North East London. Oxleas are also recruiting 2 posts to work in South London. These posts will be responsible for assessing for suitability and making recommendations for MHTRs across and for delivering short-term psychological interventions for those that are sentenced to an MHTR. We expect all of the MHTR services to work closely together to ensure that there is consistency in the MHTR service being offered across London.
The successful candidates will hold a clinical caseload and be responsible for supervision of the Senior Assistant Psychologist team. We hope to recruit a staff team reflective of the population we serve and welcome applications from those with protected characteristics, including minoritised ethnic groups. Candidates will be considered for all five MHTR band 7 posts at interview. All trusts support flexible working and applications for secondments to this substantive role will be considered.
We welcome applicants who are newly qualified or are approaching qualification who are enthusiastic and dedicated to working in this field, with or without prior experience in secure or forensic services.
Working for our organisation
By joining CNWL’s Health & Justice Directorate you will be joining a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide an array of mental health and OPD services across London, Surrey, Kent and Bucks. Our staff are dynamic and welcoming and the networking and CPD opportunities are central to our services ethos. We have active research forums and promote our services and work through academic and clinical forums. All staff receive regular supervision and are supported with career aspirations and progression.
Click here to find out more Psychology at CNWL
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Assessment of men prior to sentencing to consider suitability for an MHTR
- Providing short-term psychological interventions for those that are sentenced to an MHTR
- Liaison with stakeholders including probation colleagues and court staff Supervision of prequalified staff including trainees and assistant psychologists
- Involvement in service research, audits and development
- The postholder will supervise pre-qualified psychological therapists including assistant psychologists
Please see attached document for full Job Description and Person Specification.
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Doctoral level training in clinical, counselling or forensic psychology or its equivalent, accredited by the BPS. Training in models of developmental lifespan psychology, psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
- HCPC Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist.
- A recognised post graduate qualification in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (or equivalent).
- Accreditation with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP) (via having a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions e.g. nursing, psychology, medicine, social work, occupational therapy or evidence of having achieved the Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (KSA) route)
- A recorded/registered qualification in counselling or psychotherapy and further post accreditation qualification in a NICE recommended or evidence-based therapy (e.g. CBT; EMDR)
- Accreditation with a Professional Standards Authority recognised Accreditation Body.
Desirable criteria
- Other relevant CPD qualifications, pre- or post-training. Especially training in working with people with trauma presentations, research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
- Training in more than one psychological therapy.
Previous Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity. Maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- Experience working with and delivering psychological therapy to those with a diagnosis of personality disorder and/or a history of self-harm and substance misuse and experience of working with complex trauma.
- Experience of delivering brief, primary care, CBT interventions or equivalent
- Experience of working effectively in multidisciplinary settings.
- Experience of teaching and training.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural and specialist contexts.
- Experience of working in secure settings, either prison or secure hospitals.
- Experience of working with service-users to develop peer facilitated support or treatment initiatives.
- Experience of working using multitherapeutic approaches.
- Experience of using a trauma informed approach. Experience in supervising others in the delivery of psychological therapy.
- Understanding of court processes and current sentence procedures and practices
Skills & Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing training, advice and psychological information and consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- High level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
- Broad knowledge of models of assessment, management and treatment of mentally disordered and PD offenders.
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses).
- Ability to work intensively with people who present challenges in the complexity of their problems and needs, including sexual and violent offending and self-harming and suicidal behaviours.
Desirable criteria
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Louise Minchin
- Job title
- Lead Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Roz Kerr (L&D & MHTR Service Manager) [email protected]
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