Band 8b Principal Practitioner Psychologist - CMHT Forensic Interface

Band 8b Principal Practitioner Psychologist - CMHT Forensic Interface

The closing date is 11 January 2026

Principal Practitioner Psychologist for CMHT Forensic Interface

Fixed term/secondment 18.75 hours per week (0.5wte)

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Principal Practitioner Psychologist to join our CMHT Forensic Interface Provision, a newly developed specialist function within Community Mental Health Services. The post holder will be based within, and work closely alongside, Small Heath CMHT as the main team.

This provision delivers enhanced, time-limited, and high-intensity support to people with complex mental health needs at critical points in their recovery journey. This includes individuals stepping down from secure and forensic services, as well as people within secondary care who would benefit from additional therapeutic input, coordinated risk management and continuity of care to help them remain safely supported in the community.

To support the intensity and quality of this work, the provision is designed to operate with a reduced caseload for care co-ordinators, recognising the complexity and level of input required.

This post forms part of a pilot designed to evidence and embed a sustainable model of care. The pilot's timeframe is for 18 months / no later than July 2027. The intention is for the provision to continue, once the pilot is completed. This is a fixed-term 18 month contract (dependant on the start date).

As a highly experienced forensic/clinical/counselling psychologist (or equivalent), with experience of working with people with complex mental health problems and a history of offending behaviour, the post holder will be responsible for the development, systematic provision of, evaluation & governance of psychological services at the CMHT Forensic Interface. They will provide clinical leadership in the service and work collaboratively with multidisciplinary colleagues to achieve effective, evidence based psychological service provision to those accessing the CMHT Forensic Interface.

The post holder will be responsible for leadership and oversight of NICE recommended psychological therapies/interventions to individuals within the pilot service (individual or group interventions), providing supervision for psychological practitioners (and those in training) as well as MDT colleagues, consultation, service development, research and teaching/training as required.

The role offers a meaningful opportunity to shape and strengthen the pathway between secure care and community services, improve transitions, and support people to build stability, independence, and hope. You will be part of a small, specialist MDT working closely with partners across health, social care, and the criminal justice system to deliver safe, compassionate, and recovery-focused care.

Please see 'Job Description' for more details

Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.

Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people's lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

• Successful completion of accredited postgraduate professional training course in Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychology
• Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice
• Post-doctoral training or additional qualifications in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or other psychological therapy: including DBT, MBT, brief psychodynamic interventions, CAT, EMDR
• Management and or leadership training

• Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling or forensic psychologist post qualification, with extensive experience at the Senior (Band 8a) level
• Experience of highly specialist psychological assessment and individual and group based treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including primary and secondary / specialise care and inpatient / residential, outpatient and community team…