MHTR Clinical Lead at Devon Partnership NHS Trust in EXETER
About the role
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join the MHTR service. This is a relatively new service to the trust having only been running since April 2025.
Mental Health Treatment Requirements (MHTRs) were introduced in the Criminal Justice Act in 2003 and is one of three possible treatment requirements which may be made part of a Community Order or SuspendedOrder sentence.
The other two treatment requirements are Drug Rehabilitation Requirements (DRR) and Alcohol Treatment Requirements (ATR). An MHTR may be combined with DRR or ATR. ATRs/DRRs are provided through substance misuse services commissioned by the Local Authority.
The term Community Sentence Treatment Requirement (CSTR) refers to one or combinations of MHTR, DRR and/or ATR as part of a Community Order or Suspended Order sentence. The MHTR service falls under the 7 year Integrated Non custodial Services (INCS) contract which also incorporates the Liaison and Diversion service and Reconnect.
You will join an established team of practitioners, working closely alongside the team manager and the clinical psychologist you will oversee the signing off of the MHTR orders and helping to shape and drive the strategic future of the service.
Main duties of the job The Clinical Lead will be a qualified registered psychologist who will be the named clinician within the sentencing process.
Whilst the Primary Care MHTR Practitioner in practice will screen individuals for suitability for the intervention, the Clinical Lead will determine if the individuals are suitable to be recommended for an MHTR and will be personally responsible for their intervention.
The Clinical Lead should also ensure that the Primary Care MHTR Practitioner receives an appropriate induction, ongoing training and supervision.
The Clinical Lead has a critical role at determining local procedures for the MHTR, including: Locally agreed pre-sentence screening and assessment measures which will define guidance for the MHTR threshold, which is communicated in the PSRs; The consent process with the court (Probation Service); Clinical care plans for individuals; Determine the content of the intervention Provide feedback to the MHTR steering group with the clinical progression of the
requirements
Core functions of the Clinical Lead role include providing information to inform sentencing, ensuring robust oversight of the intervention and delivering successful clinical outcomes and MHTRs in practice.
About us
About Devon Partnership Trust We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing.
We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.
We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do Our values We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values.
These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible.
We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.
Job description
Job
responsibilities
For more information about this role please refer to the attached job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Experience Essential Experience of work in forensic clinical psychology in a range of service settings or agencies Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision Experience in undertaking leadership roles within clinical psychology services in the NHS, and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi disciplinary, multi agency contexts Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality Knowledge Essential Broad knowledge of forensic clinical psychology services; and of the services in the NHS where clinical psychology is commonly applied.
Extensive knowledge of the knowledge base, skills and practice of Clinical Psychology Knowledge of the policy context of services to Devon Partnership Trust and of leadership in this setting Desirable An extensive knowledge and awareness of Health and Criminal Justice Organisations working with Adults e.g.
Probation, Mental Health & Learning Disability Services, Drug & Alcohol services, Qualifications Essential Qualified Clinical Psychologist (D.Clin.Psychol. or equivalent), eligible for Chartered Clinical Psychologist Status in the British Psychological Society. Further training in forensic clinical psychology.
Desirable Further training in at least one psychological therapy Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
