Job summaryTo support and enhance the professional psychological care of offenders within the service, across all sectors of care; providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with the qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures.
To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching.
Main duties of the jobSpecifically, to provide psychological therapy services to service users residing in HMP Wandsworth.
We are looking to recruit two assistant psychologists who will be part of the integrated mental health team within the prison, which provides a range of psychological services from self-help literature to individual and group therapies.
The integrated mental health team work within a trauma informed care model which includes supporting prison colleagues by providing teaching, training and consultation.
About usOxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
- We're Kind
- We're Fair
- We Listen
- We Care
DetailsDate posted: 16 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 4
Salary: £34,186 to £37,389 a year pa inc
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 277-8107465-WANDS
Job locations: HMP Wandsworth, Heathfield Road, London, SW18 3HU, United Kingdom
Job responsibilitiesIMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ:All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.
You will need to provide:
Proof of right to work documentation
Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID
Proof of address documentation
Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.
Clinical:- To undertake psychological assessments of clients applying psychological theory, including neuro-psychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.
- To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in the prison setting.
- To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups or clinical projects.
- To work with other staff to assess or support service users in the prison and contribute to multidisciplinary discussions or care guidelines as agreed with the psychologist/psychological therapist providing supervision.
- To assist in the development of a psychological based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.
IT responsibilities (clinical):- To create graphs or charts to collate or summarise data on individual interventions or treatment programmes.
- To assist in producing visual or material or user-friendly information for interventions with clients.
Teaching, training and supervision:- In common with all assistant psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
- To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post holder is employed.
- To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
- To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.
Management, recruitment and service development:- To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects with the service as required.
- To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
Research and service evaluation:- To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
- To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
Person SpecificationQualificationsEssential- Psychology degree BPS accredited
Desirable- Relevant post graduate qualification
Clinical experienceEssential- Worked in a mental health setting
Desirable- Worked in forensic or prisons
SkillsEssential- Knowledge of relevant psychological theory
Desirable- Applying this to practice, team working, use of supervision, research
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.Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.Employer detailsEmployer name: Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Address: HMP Wandsworth, Heathfield Road, London, SW18 3HU, United Kingdom
Employer's website: http://oxleas.nhs.uk/
Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact:Psychological Therapist, Maria Bernat, maria.bernat1@nhs.net, 02085883984
