Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Achieved or working towards an upper second-class honours degree in a relevant subject.

Desirable

• Second class honours degree in psychology or nursing. Further training in relevant areas of mental health practice.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or offending behaviour problems and/or other disabilities

Desirable

• Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
• Experience of working in prisons or secure settings.
• Experience of co-facilitating psychosocial groups.
• Experience of working within a team

PERSONAL

Essential

• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
• An ability to establish and sustain engagement with people who have mental health problems and severely challenging behaviours including violence and sexually harmful behaviours.
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
• Knowledge of our business and how it supports patient care.

Desirable

• An interest in working with people with forensic histories, mental health problems.

OTHER

Essential

• Ability to accept and use clinical supervision appropriately and effectively.
• Ability to work in a secure environment, in line with HMPS policy and procedure – to obtain and maintain enhanced security clearance.
• Application must be clearly tailored to the post and Person Specification

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Essential

• High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses service user’s particular needs.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other disabilities.

Desirable

• High standard of report writing skills
• Knowledge and experience of using SPSS for windows

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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 (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Closing Date: 16 October 2026