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Overview of the job
This is a non-operational, prisoner facing job with functional management and clinical management responsibilities.
Summary
The job holder will provide clinical specialist assessment and treatment interventions for a complex needs prison population such as those with Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorders, supporting operational staff and other clinicians in their approach to psychotherapy.
The job holder will be working with complex / high risk prisoners, applying their experience and competence in a range of therapies in CBT, DBT, EMDR. Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT) is our overarching framework – rather than a psychotherapeutic approach) to reduce the risk of harm and re-offending by undertaking complex treatment interventions. They will undertake senior treatment manager responsibilities acting as lead for the Imminent Needs Team, conducting or contributing to research and delivering training for staff and group interventions for prisoners in relation to national initiatives.
This is a prisoner facing role with both line management and clinical management responsibilities
Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- Specialise in the clinical management of accredited interventions, ensuring that clinical and audit requirements are adhered to and complement operational practice
- Lead on the more complex elements of personality disorder assessments and processes
- Facilitate individual work sessions and small groups, supporting co-facilitators and other staff engaged in these processes
- Prepare, write and supervise specialist reports when requested for prisoners and to submit within the appropriate time framework
- Ensure the integrity and effectiveness of therapy, ensuring a range of professional standards are met in relation to the delivery of each session through oversight and supervision of other staff
- Ensure the delivery of treatment complies with the requirements of the programme and remains consistent with the underlying theoretical models and prescribed delivery style
- Develop and maintain expertise in the assessment and treatment of offenders and risk areas targeted by the programme
- Attend local and national clinical intervention meetings to promote good evidenced based practice.
- To be an active part of the Unit’s Clinical Management team, ensuring the profile of relevant interventions are appropriately resourced and delivered in a timely manner to ensure that National and Local KPT’s are achieved.
- Contribute to the development and delivery of training for multi-disciplinary staff recruited. Within this provide assessments and take an active role in individual staff development.
- Deliver individual and group clinical supervision to members of the staff team and develop the clinical abilities of staff. Contribute to the overall appraisal of staff with regard to competence and quality of intervention delivery
- Support and supervise others in the team delivering supervisory processes
- Provide group based interventions to the adult male treatment service in the prison setting, working men with significant offending behaviour and Personality Disorder.
- Promote clinical principles, supporting staff to these into practice in the way they communicate with and work with one another
- Manage relationships with internal and outside agencies ensuring plans are developed for continuity of the offenders treatment upon transfer or release in liaison with other staff
- Act as a “professional witness” in parole board hearings, multi-agency meetings, and other formal settings where specialist input is required, such as re-categorisation boards. May also act as expert witness in respect of court proceedings for Ministry of Justice
- Contribute to effective risk assessment and resulting risk management of complex, vulnerable or high risk prisoners, reporting on treatment and progress in relation to criminogenic factors
- Contribute to other offender management processes (usually with more complex cases in work such as Assessment, Care in Custody & Teamwork (ACCT) assessments and self harm or personality disorder assessments)
- Ensure the clinical effectiveness of own practice and of service functioning by participating in audit and development activities relevant to the service area
- Remain informed of and critically evaluate current research to support evidence-based practice in own professional work and to contribute this perspective in the multi-disciplinary team
- Participate in the evaluation of the Service by working with colleagues in the design and development of service-related research and evaluation projects, as agreed with the Head of Department.
- Maintain professional networks with other clinicians sharing best practice
- Line management responsibility for a team of therapists working within the DSPD unit.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the Job Holder
Competencies
All of the competencies in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Competency and Qualities Framework are relevant to this group profile. For the purpose of selection the following competencies will be measured:
- 3. Making Effective Decisions
- 4. Leading and Communicating
- 5. Collaborating and Partnering
- 6. Building Capability for All
- 9. Managing a Quality Service
- 12. Showing Drive and Resilience
Essential Skills/ Qualifications/ Accreditation/ Registration
Qualified and registered clinician with an associated and relevant professional body e.g. BACP, BPS, BABCP, and UKCP.
Possess a professional background in one of the following disciplines: Psychotherapy, Psychology, Psychiatry, Nursing, Probation/Social Work.
Trained to a high level in one or more of the following: CBT, EMDR, DBT, behaviour modification training, including knowledge of psychotherapeutic models and effective models for treatment delivery and adherence to best practice models.
Qualification and experience in providing clinical supervision (preferably both group and individual)
Hours of Work
37 hour working week