Highly Specialist Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Psychotherapist
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Highly Specialist Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Psychotherapist to join the Forensic Psychotherapy Department in West London Forensic Services. This is a part-time permanent post (18.75 hours per week), offering the chance to provide specialist expertise within a service committed to reflective practice and high-quality, patient-centred care.
The post holder will deliver a specialist psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy service to patients with severe and complex needs within forensic settings. This includes undertaking assessments and providing individual and group psychodynamic psychotherapy, including Mentalisation-Based Treatment (MBT).
You will play a key role in developing the therapeutic ward environment, including facilitating reflective practice groups to support staff in managing the emotional impact of working with complex patients.
The role also involves providing specialist consultation to multidisciplinary teams and delivering supervision to qualified staff, honorary therapists and trainees.
Working autonomously within professional and Trust guidelines, you will contribute to service development through collaboration, teaching, training, audit and research across WLFS and the wider Trust.
To provide a comprehensive and highly specialised psychodynamic psychotherapy service to mentally disordered offenders with severe and enduring mental health conditions (including mental illness and/or personality disorder) and complex forensic histories.
To undertake specialist assessments for individual and group psychodynamic psychotherapy, integrating complex information from multiple sources such as referrals, clinical history, liaison with services, CPA and risk documentation, RiO records, and patient-reported measures.
To communicate assessment outcomes to referrers through detailed reports, including psychodynamic formulation and recommendations regarding treatment suitability, modality (group or individual; short or long-term), patient–therapist matching, risk formulation, and future care planning.
To manage an independent clinical caseload of patients with complex and long-term therapeutic needs, delivering both individual and group interventions.
To facilitate regular reflective practice groups for MDTs working on forensic wards or in the community and for professional groups (e.g. Arts Therapists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists etc.) in WLFS.
To take on Care Coordinator responsibilities where appropriate, particularly for patients seen by honorary therapists, trainees, or supervised staff.
To communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, carers, and colleagues, supporting engagement and collaborative multidisciplinary working.
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- Recognised highly specialist formal training in psychoanalysis, individual psychoanalytic or psychodynamic psychotherapy accredited by the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) or group analysis accredited by the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
Qualification in a core profession e.g. medical, psychology, social work, nursing, teaching or extensive clinical experience at post-qualification level.
Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPC/UKCP and core profession.
Desirable criteria
Recognised further training in other modality or type of psychotherapy e.g. group psychotherapy
Further training or post-graduate qualification in supervision and/or institutional/ organisational dynamics.
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification above is not the full person specification , but outlines some of the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
For more information or an informal discussion/visit please contact Dr Katherine Papaspirou, Consultant Forensic Psychotherapist and Departmental Lead, WLFS, by emailing
[email protected].
