Forensic/Clinical Psychologist
Job overview
The Forensic Service provides forensic low secure and forensic outreach liaison services for people with highly complex clinical / risk presentations in addition to a learning disability and / or autism. The Forensic Outreach Liaison Service (FOLS) has developed in line with the requirements of the National Transforming Care agenda, providing an innovative, expanding, and multidisciplinary team with a strong psychological focus rooted in a trauma-informed clinical model.
We are looking for an excellent forensic or clinical psychologist band 8a to join FOLS in a senior clinical leadership role, helping to build on our early successes and further develop our unique offer.
The Psychologist is a highly regarded role integral to the effective functioning of the FOLS team, working collaboratively across disciplines to support safe, effective, and evidence-driven practice in this complex and rewarding field. Excellent skills in consultancy and clinical leadership are essential, as is a working knowledge of new developments in practice, theory, and research related to the reasons why people become involved with – and desist from –harmful behaviour.A commitment to the continued development of a psychologically minded workforce is essential
Main duties of the job
FOLS provides consultancy, in-reach, training, risk assessment, and offencefocused intervention across a wide range of community, inpatient, and Criminal Justice services, working with adult men and women who have a diagnosis of autism and/ or learning disability.Excitingly, we work to support discharge and effective resettlement, and also provide early intervention prevention to reduce the risk of people (with autism or learning disability) putting members of the public at risk and would thereby otherwise lead to contact with the CJS or admission to secure hospital.
The successful candidate must therefore have extensive experience of using and interpreting relevant psychometric assessments and structured professional judgement tools in risk assessment and management, as well as highlydeveloped skills in communicating and formulating complex ideas and risk management plans. You must enjoy working across disciplines, supporting professional development within a mixed professional team, and be able to work in the community making effective and timely dynamic risk assessments.
Working for our organisation
Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) employ around 4000 talented colleagues who are very much appreciated, valued, and respected.
We have a wide portfolio which includes mental health, physical health, learning disability and drug and alcohol services.
We are passionate about enhancing the quality of our service and we work hard to attract and select the right colleagues for our organisation. Our goal is to employ those who share our passion for providing first class care while remaining committed to our vision and values. Please view our Strategy using the link below:
https://www.rdash.nhs.uk/documents/clinical-and-organisational-strategy-2023-to-2028/
To find out more about working for RDaSH and the fantastic benefits we offer visit our website:
https://workwithrdash.co.uk/
We are committed to inclusive cultures and really value people in our organisation, view our Allyship video on YouTube to find out more:
https://youtu.be/WMJSkLoTk4Q
The main terms and conditions of service can be found here:
https://www.nhsemployers.org/publications/tchandbook
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please view the attached job description and person specification to view the full details about the role
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Post-graduate training in forensic or clinical psychology (as accredited by the BPS and HCPC) with registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.
- Post-doctoral training in additional specialised areas of psychological practice e.g. risk assessment, autism, personality disorder, substance dependence etc.
Experience
Essential criteria- Assessed experience of working as a qualified forensic or clinical psychologist for a minimum of six years, including at least 3 years post qualification experience within learning disability, working with clients with ‘forensic’ needs, either in secure or non-secure settings.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, inpatient, custodial, and residential care settings including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients’ psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multi -disciplinary care plan.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision. Doctoral level knowledge of forensic or clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology.
We welcome applications from individuals who may require sponsorship [if eligible] under the skilled worker or health & care visa route. Please note, not all vacancies are eligible for sponsorship.
Before applying, you can make a self-assessment of potential eligibility for sponsorship using the criteria for the skilled worker visa under the UK’s point’s based immigration system here: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
**Please note, there have been some changes made to Home Office guidance in relation to salary thresholds for sponsorship applications from 9 April 2025**