Job summary
Principal Psychologist - Band 8b (applications welcome from band 8a or above). Community Forensic Learning Disability & Autism Services

Split post: FACTT (2.5 days) / FASTER (2.5 days)

We are seeking an experienced psychologist with a background in community and forensic work with adults with learning disabilities and/or autistic adults to join our specialist community forensic services in a split post across FACTT (Forensic Assessment, Consultation, Training and Treatment) and FASTER (Forensic Autism and learning disability Support, Training & Enhanced Risk management).

Both services are based at Brooklands Hospital in Marston Green, Birmingham but also involve home working. This role is available as a 20-month fixed-term contract.

The FACTT element of the post covers Coventry and Warwickshire (including Rugby, Nuneaton, Coventry and Leamington).

The FASTER element is part of a newly developing West Midlands Learning Disability and Autism Community Forensic Service, delivered in partnership between Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust and Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

Across both services, the post holder will play a key role in leading specialist psychological services, providing clinical and professional leadership, and supporting recovery-focused outcomes for individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism who present with forensic needs across community and inpatient settings.

Main duties of the job
Based on the core functions of the national specification for community forensic LD and Autism services, the community forensic service is set up to provide:

• In-reach support to inpatient services to support safe and timely discharges
• Forensic risk assessment and management of risk in the community to ensure public safety and safety of the individual
• Delivery of offence specific therapeutic interventions
• Expert advice and training to other agencies, including health services, probation, police, prison service and Prevent.
• Consultancy and support

The Principal Clinical or Forensic Psychologist will hold responsibility for the supervision and governance of the service and support psychological practice within the team through consultation, supervision, formulation and training. They will be expected to utilise research skills for audit, service development and research within the area served by the team/service.

About us
At Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT), we deliver a wide range of physical, mental health, learning disability and autism services, and are proud to serve communities across Coventry, Warwickshire and beyond.

We put 'people at our heart'; this ethos is at the centre of everything we do and how we do it. We care for our staff and colleagues as much as they care for others and offer a wide range of benefits and development opportunities.

• generous annual leave entitlement which increases during your time with us
• excellent learning and development opportunities, including apprenticeship frameworks, distance learning, internal training, coaching and mentoring, and much more
• salary sacrifice schemes for lease car/ vehicle, Cycle to Work, home and electronics, gym membership and more
• discounts with a range of retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues through our Employee Assistance Programme and NHS discount schemes
• wellbeing support, including an in-house counselling service, external helpline and more
• staff networks and support group

We're always on the lookout for people who share our passion for improving the lives and wellbeing of people in our community, as well as our values of compassion, collaboration, excellence, integrity and respect.

Job responsibilities
Key priorities include:

• Leading the planning, delivery, and evaluation of highly specialist psychological services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism who present with forensic needs, across community and inpatient settings.
• Providing high-quality psychological assessment, formulation, and intervention for highly complex cases.
• Offering specialist consultation and training to professionals across statutory and independent services to support individuals to remain in the community.
• Supervising and supporting junior psychologists, assistant and trainee psychologists, and other staff delivering psychologically informed care.
• Holding responsibility for the governance of psychological practice and ensuring safe, autonomous practice in line with professional and lone working policies.
• Providing clinical and professional leadership to psychology and wider MDT colleagues.
• Contributing to service development, operational policy, research, audit, and service evaluation, and advising managers on psychological and organisational matters.
• Participating in the West Midlands wide on-call rota to provide out-of-hours clinical advice and urgent support (FASTER only).

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Forensic experience within an inpatient or community setting
• Experience of working with autism or learning disability

Knowledge & Skills
Essential

• Ability to teach and train others.

Qualifications
Essential

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical or forensic psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK] as approved by the HPC.
• Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC)

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details
Employer name
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust

Address
Brooklands Hospital
Brooklands Way
Marston Green
B37 7HH
United Kingdom

Employer's website
https://www.covwarkpt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Consultant Forensic Psychologist
Joanne Lomas
joanne.lomas@covwarkpt.nhs.uk