Clinical Specialist(UK Visa Sponsorship)

Job Description

About the Role

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Clinical Specialist to join our Mental Health Team at HMP Northumberland, a Category B men’s prison. This is a challenging and rewarding role for a senior clinician who is confident working within secure and forensic environments and who brings compassion, professionalism, and clinical leadership to complex care settings.

HMP Northumberland supports up to 1,300 individuals, many of whom are working towards rehabilitation, education, and reintegration into the community. Mental health services on site are delivered by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring equivalence of care with community services.

In this role, you will provide expert clinical leadership, support service development, and strengthen pathways, governance, and quality of care across the prison mental health service.

What You’ll Be Doing

As a senior clinical specialist, you will:

• Provide advanced assessment, formulation, and intervention for individuals with complex mental health needs
• Lead and support high standards of evidence-based practice within a secure environment
• Act as a professional lead for Clinical Leads within the team, supporting development and supervision
• Contribute to service pathways, clinical governance, and quality improvement initiatives
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and with prison staff and external agencies
• Model compassionate, trauma-informed, and non-discriminatory practice
• Support risk assessment and management relating to self-harm, safeguarding, and risk to others
• This is a highly autonomous role requiring excellent judgement, resilience, and the ability to build trusted professional relationships in a custodial setting.

The Team & Working Environment

You will work within a well-established multidisciplinary team, including:

• Registered Mental Health and Learning Disability Nurses
• Psychologists and Psychiatrists
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Primary Care Mental Health Practitioners
• Prison healthcare staff, social care, and partner agencies

You will receive robust clinical supervision, a comprehensive induction, and access to a wide range of personal, professional, and academic development opportunities.

Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for a clinician who:

• Has substantial experience working in prison, forensic, or secure mental health services
• Demonstrates a compassionate, recovery-focused approach within restrictive environments
• Is confident leading practice, supporting colleagues, and influencing service delivery
• Is flexible, innovative, and skilled in engaging people with complex and high-risk needs
• Is committed to equality, inclusion, and non-discriminatory practice
• Reflects the Trust’s values of Responsibility, Respect, and Compassion

Essential Qualifications & Professional Requirements

You must have:

• Current registration with a relevant professional body (e.g. NMC, GMC, HCPC, or Social Work England)
• Training in clinical supervision (or willingness to complete)
• Practice Assessor / Practice Supervisor status (for nursing professions, or working towards)
• Postgraduate diploma in a relevant field or commitment to achieving within two years
• Commitment to achieving a recognised advanced clinical qualification or Master’s-level credits within the first year (e.g. CBT, DBT, Systemic Therapy, Non-Medical Prescribing, AMHP, Practice Educator Level 3)
• Equivalent experience to postgraduate level, supported by relevant CPD

Knowledge & Experience

You will demonstrate:

• Significant experience working with people with complex mental health needs
• Strong skills in assessing and managing risk, including safeguarding
• Experience working effectively within multidisciplinary teams
• Involvement in service evaluation or quality improvement activities
• Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act

About the Trust

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust delivers mental health and learning disability services across the North East and North Yorkshire. We invest heavily in staff development and wellbeing, providing structured induction, ongoing supervision, and tailored career development through Personal Development Plans (PDPs).

Pre-Employment Checks & Right to Work

Appointment is subject to standard NHS pre-employment checks, including:

• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance
• Verification of identity, qualifications, and employment history
• Occupational Health clearance
• Right to work in the UK

Applications from candidates requiring Skilled Worker visa sponsorship are welcome and will be considered in line with UK Government regulations.

Additional Information

• Flexible working options, including compressed hours, may be available
• We encourage interested candidates to contact us for an informal discussion
• Applicants are advised to clearly demonstrate how they meet the Person Specification, as those not meeting essential criteria cannot be shortlisted