Senior Practitioner – Forensics


Company:	NHS Jobs
Salary:	£49,387 to £56,515 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	BILLERICAY, CM12 9NW
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	12 Oct 2026
Closing date:	26 Oct 2026

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Summary

The Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT) provides specialist community forensic mental health support to service users with forensic histories and complex social, clinical and rehabilitation needs. As Senior Forensic Practitioner, you will provide clinical and operational leadership within the team, working closely with the Service Manager and the wider multidisciplinary team to maintain standards of clinical practice and service delivery. You will be responsible for managing and coordinating the team caseload and will maintain a detailed understanding of the service users being supported by the team. You will ensure that care planning, risk assessment, risk management and rehabilitation planning are carried out effectively and in accordance with relevant professional and Trust requirements. You will hold a caseload of service users, including those with complex needs, and collaborate with other members of the team in their support and management. Caseload size and composition will be determined according to service requirements, patient need and the demands of the role. You will provide clinical leadership within the multidisciplinary team and contribute to effective MDT decision-making. This will include chairing MDT meetings where required, providing professional advice, supporting complex clinical decision-making and ensuring that concerns relating to clinical risk are appropriately identified and managed. You will work closely with colleagues across the Trust and with external agencies and statutory partners. Effective partnership working will be important in supporting service users with complex social, forensic and rehabilitation needs and in promoting effective transition and discharge. Service development SCFT is developing its service model to provide a more integrated geographical approach across Essex. The developing model includes three geographical teams, with shared clinical leadership and access to specialist resources across the service. The postholder will contribute to the development and implementation of this model, working with colleagues to establish effective team arrangements and ways of working. This will include supporting primary and secondary working arrangements, effective cross-cover and shared responsibility for service users. The service is also developing extended-hours working to increase planned clinical capacity and provide an appropriate response to patient need and risk. The postholder will be expected to contribute to the development and implementation of these arrangements as the service model progresses. You will support the service to move towards more planned and coordinated clinical work, while maintaining the ability to respond to changing clinical need and risk. You will contribute to improving patient flow through effective transition, discharge and step-down arrangements. This will include working closely with inpatient services, community mental health teams, local authorities and other partner agencies. Clinical and team leadership You will provide clinical leadership to the multidisciplinary team and support effective decision-making in relation to complex clinical and forensic presentations. You will contribute to the supervision, appraisal and development of staff and provide support and guidance to members of the multidisciplinary team. You will also contribute to recruitment, performance management and staff development within the team. You will organise and manage your own time in response to the demands of the team and its caseload. You will need to balance competing priorities, respond to changing demands and manage unpredictable work patterns while maintaining safe and effective clinical practice. Clinical governance and service improvement You will contribute to clinical governance, audit, quality improvement and risk management and support the implementation of changes to practice. You will work with colleagues to identify areas for improvement and support the development of effective and responsive specialist forensic community services. You will contribute to the education and development of students and other learners, undertaking appropriate practice education responsibilities where applicable to your professional role.

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