Job Description (JD)
Band 7
Group Profile - Registered Practitioner (RP)
Job Description - RP: DTC Creative Psychotherapist
Document Ref.
JES 2203 JD B7 RP: DTC Creative Psychotherapist Therapeutic
Community v7.0
Document Type
Management
Version
7.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
02/08/19
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
JES 2203 JD B7 RP: DTC Creative Psychotherapist Therapeutic v7.0
Job Description
Job Title
RP : DTC Creative Psychotherapist
Group Profile
Registered Practitioner
Organisation Level
Functional Specialist
Band
7
Overview of the job
This is a non-operational, prisoner-facing job within an establishment focusing on
the therapeutic needs of prisoners
Summary
The job holders covered by this job description are usually categorised as specialists
in their field or those whose role requires significant additional experience, training
and personal development.
The focus of the work is based on therapeutic community principles, where the post-
holder provides specialist input into a dedicated multidisciplinary team to develop
and maintain a treatment environment where attitudes and expressions, which
would not normally be tolerated in prison, are accepted and used to give feedback
to prisoners. This therapeutic dialogue leads to prisoner’s greater understanding of
their usual behaviour and is based on psychotherapeutic principles.
The job holder will largely excel in the area of psychodynamic and psychotherapeutic
models of treatment, particularly of a creative discipline such as Art Therapy or
Psychodrama. At this level the jobholder has the responsibility for the specialist
contribution to clinical group processes, and is involved in the delivery of a
therapeutic community intervention which includes the provision of a specialist
creative psychotherapy service within the therapeutic core model.
The job holder will provide clinical specialist input and advice within the therapeutic
community setting supporting operational staff and other clinicians in their approach
to TC treatment. The job holder will deliver psychotherapy through a creative
psychotherapy medium. This will be delivered in group sessions to prisoners as a
primary mode of communication to tackle a wide range of difficulties, disabilities or
diagnoses in a group environment.
The job holder will be working with complex prisoners and prison staff and applying
their experience and competence in the area of creative psychotherapies to reduce
the risk of harm and re-offending by undertaking complex treatment intervention
with prisoners, conducting or contributing to research and delivering training for
staff and group interventions for prisoners.
Delivery of Creative Psychotherapy services by the post holder will aim to address
specific offence related issues in more depth, overcome blockages to progressing
treatment, consolidate the work of the DTC and promote pro-social creative
expressions of emotion.
This is a prisoner facing role with no line management responsibilities
JES 2203 JD B7 RP: DTC Creative Psychotherapist Therapeutic v7.0
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
Specialise in the clinical delivery of an accredited intervention (Democratic
Therapeutic Community) ensuring that clinical requirements are adhered to and
complement operational practice.
Facilitate Creative Psychotherapy group sessions, and facilitate large community
meetings, supporting co-facilitators and other staff engaged in these processes
Provide a specialist creative psychotherapy contribution to the adult male treatment
service in the prison setting, working men with significant offending behaviour and
Personality Disorder referred to the Therapeutic Community, utilising information
from a broad base of creative and complementary therapy theory and methodology
and integrating it into a psychological formulation of the client in the context of their
family and wider social context.
Ensures the integrity and effectiveness of the group sessions ensuring a range of
professional standards are met in relation to the delivery of each session through
oversight and supervision of other staff
Ensures that the delivery of treatment complies with the requirements of the
programme and remains consistent with the underlying theoretical models and
prescribed delivery style
Contribute to the effective implementation of the Democratic Therapeutic
Communities accredited core model in the prison setting.
Manage therapy group dynamics and support other staff such as officers to facilitate
groups, providing clinical input and knowledge where required
Promote clinical principles, supporting staff to these into practice in the way they
communicate with and work with one another, modelling TC values and culture for
other staff on the unit.
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
Provide clinical assessments of referrals to the creative psychotherapy service,
ensuring that this assessment aligns with risk management and treatment plans.
Contribute to effective risk assessment and resulting risk management of complex,
vulnerable or high risk prisoners, reporting on treatment and therapeutic progress in
relation to criminogenic factors.
Develop and maintain expertise in the assessment and treatment of offenders and
risk areas targeted by the programme
Provide specialist advice to decisions relating to progress in treatment for residents
on the TC, continuation or termination of therapy and therapeutic dosage.
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)
Attend weekly clinical, community, staff team meetings, including administrative,
assessment and academic meetings, and other service meetings as necessary for
effective team working and service development needs.
Integrate into the Therapeutic Community, engaging in all aspects of its community
life, abiding by the rules of the constitution in line with other members, staff and
residents. Ensure all members of the team adopt this approach.
Ensure interactions between prisoners and staff is actively encouraged and
constructive within the therapeutic environment
JES 2203 JD B7 RP: DTC Creative Psychotherapist Therapeutic v7.0
Provide supervision, training, mentoring and support to trainee creative
psychotherapists and those undertaking psychotherapeutic qualifications where
required.
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.
Provide a specialist contribution to the preparation for clinical external audit of the
therapeutic community, including preparation of case studies, detailed self-reviews
and liaison with external agencies such as the community of communities. Act as a
peer-reviewer consultant to other Therapeutic Communities outside of the prison
service.
Provide specialist reports when requested for prisoners and to submit within the
appropriate time framework
Maintain professional networks with other clinicians and TCs sharing best practice
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
Behaviours
•
Making Effective Decisions
•
Leadership
•
Communicating and Influencing
•
Working Together
•
Developing Self and Others
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Essential Experience
Possess a professional background in one of the following disciplines:
Psychotherapy, Psychology, Psychiatry, Nursing
Experience in providing clinical supervision preferably both group and individual
Completed relevant training in effective models of treatment and best practise
Technical
Qualified and registered clinician with an associated and relevant professional body
Requirements
e.g. BAAT, BACP and UKCP. This qualification will usually be a recognised as a post
graduate qualification in Art Therapy (or similar) which would facilitate registration
with the Health Professions Council (HPC).
Have undertaken further creative psychotherapy or mainstream psychotherapy
training, usually at Masters level.
Qualification in Clinical Supervision.
Ability
JES 2203 JD B7 RP: DTC Creative Psychotherapist Therapeutic v7.0
Minimum Eligibility
? All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
? All external candidates are subject to 6 months’ probation. Internal candidates are
subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within
HMPPS.
? All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or
organisation which HMPPS consider to be racist.
Hours of Work
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
JES 2203 JD B7 RP: DTC Creative Psychotherapist Therapeutic v7.0
Success Profile
Technical
Strengths
N.B these are the technical
requirements for the group profile,
Behaviours
It is advised strengths are
Ability
Experience
please check the individual job
chosen locally,
description relating to this group
recommended 4-8.
profile for the any job specific
requirements and add if required.
Qualified and registered clinician with
an associated and relevant
Possess a professional
professional body e.g. BAAT, BACP and
background in one of the
UKCP. This qualification will usually be
Making Effective Decisions
following disciplines:
a recognised as a post graduate
Psychotherapy, Psychology,
qualification in Art Therapy (or similar)
Psychiatry, Nursing
which would facilitate registration with
the Health Professions Council (HPC).
Have undertaken further creative
psychotherapy or mainstream
Experience in providing clinical
psychotherapy training, usually at
Leadership
supervision preferably both group
Masters level.
and individual
Completed relevant training in
Communicating and Influencing
effective models of treatment and
Qualification in Clinical Supervision.
best practise
Working Together
Developing Self and Others
JES 2203 JD B7 RP: DTC Creative Psychotherapist Therapeutic v7.0