Job Description (JD)
Band 7
Group Profile - Registered Practitioner (RP)
Job Description - RP : DTC Group
Psychotherapist
Document Ref.
OR-JES-2205-JD-B7: RP : DTC Group Psychotherapist
Document Type
Management
Version
6.0
Classification
Unclassified
Date of Issue
09/03/16
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
OR-JES-2205-JD-B7: RP : DTC Group Psychotherapist_v4.0
Job Description
Job Title
RP : DTC Group Psychotherapist
Group Profile
Registered Practitioner
Organisation Level
Functional Specialist
Band
7
Overview of the job
This is a non-operational, prisoner facing job with clinical responsibilities.
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, risk assessment or be a specialist in a specific area such as
working with group analysis, complex needs or personality disorder. 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 overseeing the quality of group process and the delivery of staff
supervision.
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 group psychotherapy. The post holder will be responsible for the effective
delivery and facilitation of large and small structured therapeutic groups with
prisoners, providing professional support and advice to all staff involved in these
sessions.
The job holder will be working with complex prisoners and prison staff and applying
their experience and competence in the area of psychotherapy 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.
This is a prisoner facing role with no line management responsibilities
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 large and small therapy groups, supporting co-facilitators and
other staff engaged in these processes
? Manage therapy group dynamics and support other staff such as officers to
OR-JES-2205-JD-B7: RP : DTC Group Psychotherapist_v4.0
facilitate groups, providing clinical input and knowledge where required
? 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.
? Deliver individual and group clinical supervision to members of the staff
team and develop the clinical abilities of staff who deliver group therapy.
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 a specialist group analytic 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 group theory and methodology and
integrating it into a psychological formulation of the client in the context of
their family and wider social context.
? 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.
? 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
? Provide clinical formulation and implementation of plans for
psychotherapeutic treatment or management of resident’s mental health
problems based on current evidence-based best practice within the
Therapeutic Community.
? 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.
? Develops and maintains 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
? Monitor therapy practice through direct observation, feedback etc. to
ensure that it meets the required standards in line with the post holder’s
own professional body
? Provide supervision, training, mentoring and support to trainee
psychotherapists and those undertaking psychotherapeutic qualifications
(e.g. Group Analysis training) where required.
OR-JES-2205-JD-B7: RP : DTC Group Psychotherapist_v4.0
? 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.
? Contribute 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
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
? 14. Persuading and Influencing
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
NOMS
? All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or
organisation which the Prison Service considers to be racist
Essential Skills/
Qualified and registered clinician with an associated and relevant professional body
Qualifications/
e.g. BACP, BPS, BABCP, and UKCP.
Accreditation/
Registration
Have undertaken psychotherapy or group analytic 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)
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium
of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh
OR-JES-2205-JD-B7: RP : DTC Group Psychotherapist_v4.0
Hours of Work
37 hour working week
OR-JES-2205-JD-B7: RP : DTC Group Psychotherapist_v4.0