Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
Principal Clinical/ Counselling/ Forensic Psychologist
The closing date is 06 March 2026
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) is proud to be rated Outstanding by the CQC and recognised nationally for innovation, staff wellbeing and the delivery of high‑quality mental health and specialist services.
As we continue to expand our specialist and secured care portfolio, we are excited to offer a unique opportunity to join our new OPD service at HMP Ranby.
We are seeking a Principal Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychologist to provide clinical leadership within The Hive – an assessment and treatment service for up to 20 service users as part of the National Offender Personality Disorder Pathway.
This is a role for an exceptional leader and someone who is passionate about trauma‑informed care, partnership working, innovation in forensic/secured services, and delivering psychologically informed environments for individuals with complex needs.
If you’re a compassionate, skilled and a confident principal psychologist looking to lead an innovative service and help shape the future of psychologically informed offender care – we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be based within The Hive Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway located in HMP Ranby and be responsible for working with service users who are engaged in the service. The service is not driven by diagnosis, but recognises the impact of trauma, deprivation, disempowerment and adverse childhood experiences in the development of persistent patterns of problematic relationships and behaviours. The service offers assessment, formulation, psychological/psycho‑social and occupational interventions, developing an enabling and psychologically informed environment and delivering training and case consultation.
As the Principal Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychologist you will provide high quality Clinical Leadership to the multidisciplinary team which consists of Assistant Psychologist, Creative Therapist, Occupational Therapist, alongside Prison Officers.
There will also be the opportunity for the postholder to utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research. The post requires the ability to work alongside partner agencies such as the prison, forensic psychology, and probation services to provide residents with care and support while meeting the operational needs of working within a secure setting. The production of reports and communication with partner agencies will require the regular use of professional writing skills.
About us
NHFT is an NHS Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in hospital settings and in the community. We provide over 200 services across the county – as well as some specialist services in bordering and nearby counties. We work together with our partners to ensure that everyone who comes through our doors receives compassionate, person‑centred care, regardless of their background or circumstances.
NHFT promotes a culture of learning, to improve the care and safety of our patients and colleagues. We have achieved our ‘outstanding’ rating by encouraging opportunity, innovation, development and growth across our workforce.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Experience
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/ Counselling/ Forensic psychologist for a minimum of 4 years with 2 years as a senior clinical psychologist.
- Post‑graduate doctoral level training in clinical/ counselling/ Forensic psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) accredited by the BPS.
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development as recommended by the BPS.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care environments.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision and forensic risk assessment.
- Worked as a principal clinician in the development of a high quality, responsive and accessible service including advising both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing.
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi‑disciplinary care.
Behaviours and Values
- Clear leadership style and experience.
- Able to hold difficult conversations and/or set boundaries, with sensitivity.
- Notices, responds to and formulates systemic complexity.
Skills and Abilities
- Strong collaborative leader bringing together systems and skills in providing consultation to other professional and non‑professional groups. Skilled in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Well‑developed skills in working with risk behaviour and understanding risk assessment.
- Well‑developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively with other service providers and to be able to demonstrate high standards of communication around complex issues.
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
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.
Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
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