Clinical/ Counselling/ Forensic Psychologist/Forensically Modified DBT

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical/ Counselling/ Forensic Psychologist/Forensically Modified DBT

The closing date is 06 January 2026

Are you interested in working with personality disorder and assisting teams to support women with complex needs? We are seeking a DBT therapist, psychologist or psychological therapist to join our 'Options' Offender Personality Disorder Team at HMP Downview (a female prison in Sutton, Surrey). Options is a treatment and support service running primarily modified forensic DBT Programmes, offering treatment for service users who have been identified on the Personality Disorder Pathway. Additionally, we offer 1:1 EMDR therapy, we offer staff training, consultation and formulation services to our probation and prison colleagues who work alongside us to support and progress women safety through their sentence plan, in preparation for their move into the community. Service users report many improvements in the way they manage emotions and relationships.

You will have experience and expertise in working within teams, within multi-agency settings. Individual and/or Group treatment expertise within the field of Personality Disorder or complex need is essential, expertise in DBT is desirable (DBT training within role can be provided). You will be joining an enthusiastic and committed team. The service is part of the national Offender Personality Disorder pathway and supports access to local and national training and networking. We are closely linked to our local mental health team.

Band 6-7 applicants are welcome to apply, including those seeking a preceptorship opportunity

Main duties of the job

• To deliver Modified Forensic Dialectic Behavioural Therapy to women screened into the OPD pathway, this will include individual and group based treatment. To attend and take part in weekly DBT consultation meetings and adhere to DBT principles.
• To develop individual formulations and applying theoretical models of the psychology of mental health and personality disorder and offending, to observed behaviour, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal patterns, for service users who present with complex clinical needs.
• To undertake delivery of individual and group therapy including outreach support and stabilisation with prisoners at HMP Downview as directed.
• To develop individual formulations and applying theoretical models of the psychology of mental health and personality disorder and offending, to observed behaviour, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal patterns, for service users who present with complex clinical needs.
• To provide clinical supervision to the team's psychological therapists, Assistant Psychologists and trainees and other members of the team when appropriate.
• To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures.

About us

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is a Top Employer Award Winner and works in partnership to provide responsive and dependable primary care, mental health, intellectual disability and substance misuse services to the diverse and culturally rich communities we serve.

By joining CNWL's Health & Justice Directorate you will be joining a large department of psychologists and psychological therapists that provide a variety of mental health and OPD services across prisons, the youth estate, secure hospitals and the community. 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. All of our sites in Surrey offer free use of the onsite leisure facilities and free parking for staff.

Click here to find out more about working within the psychological professions at CNWL and here to see what our Health & Justice staff say about working within our award winning teams.

Job responsibilities

Please see job description and person specification for more details.

We are a friendly team and encourage any prospective candidate to contact us with any questions and/or to book an informal visit.

You can also find more information on our services and the work we do within the Health & Justice Directorate please do take a look at our new website

Person Specification EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Relevant clinical qualification within health or social care professions with accreditation and registration with the relevant clinical body (e.g. HCPC) and eligibility for membership of the SfDBT or equivalent
• Accredited membership of the BABCP (via having a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions e.g. nursing, psychology, medicine, social work, occupational therapy with additional CBT qualification or evidence of having achieved the Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (KSA) route)
• Doctoral level training in clinical, forensic or counselling psychology or its equivalent, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS
• HCPC Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Pre- or Post-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
• Training or qualification in risk assessment
• Completion of accredited DBT Training

OTHER

• Ability to work in a secure environment, in line with HMPS policy and procedure - to obtain and maintain enhanced security clearance

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, secondary care community, primary care and in patient 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 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 working effectively in multidisciplinary settings and representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
• Experience of working with clients from a range of cultural and ethnic groups and within a multicultural framework
• Experience of working within the personality disorder pathways
• Experience of working within a prison environment and or a forensic environment
• Experience of trauma informed care

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES

• 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 consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
• Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the Women's Offender Personality Disorder Pathway and how to identify and support women on the pathway
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult-to-treat groups (e.g. people with additional disabilities).
• Can apply psychological knowledge creatively in developing new initiatives
• Ability to write reports for varied audiences, including courts and purchasers of services

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.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust