£345 to £375 per day – 45 days/annum
About the appointment
Introduction from the Chair
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Psychiatrist Member of the Parole Board.
The Parole Board is an independent body whose aim is to protect the public by risk assessing prisoners to decide whether they can be safely released back into the community. We play a vital role in the justice system, assessing a prisoner’s overall risk. Our work is of critical importance to victims and public safety, as well as prisoners and their families but it also has a wider role in maintaining public confidence in the justice system.
Parole Board members come from a range of diverse backgrounds from all walks of life, they are psychologists, psychiatrists, judges, police and much more. Every member plays a vital role in assessing parole reviews and significantly contribute to the efficiency, effectiveness and impartiality of every decision made.
All members are provided with special training and support throughout their time at the Board to assess parole reviews.
The work and training that new members undertake will be predominantly online, however there is expectation of some face to face hearings and in-person training sessions. Due to the amount of work that will take place online, we need to ensure that all new members are fully IT capable. There is also a real need for all new members to be well equipped with the skills to Chair hearings. As such, part of the recruitment process will be testing these skills in the application form, written exercises and interview. Detailed eligibility requirements are explained in this candidate pack.
In this recruitment round, as well as increasing the proportion of members with expertise in psychology and psychiatrics, we are also very keen to increase the diversity of membership which currently sits at 17.6%.
If you share our values and possess the competencies, skills and judgment to contribute to our important work, we welcome your application.
This is a very exciting time to be joining the Parole Board. We have modernised our way of working, we are updating our Rules and we are becoming more transparent.
If you believe that you have the experience and qualities that we are seeking, we hope you will consider applying for this important position.
Caroline Corby, Chair of the Parole Board
Cecilia French, CEO of The Parole Board
Appointment description
The key task of all members of the Parole Board is to make rigorous, fair and timely risk assessments about individual cases which have the primary aim of protecting the public and which contribute to the rehabilitation of offenders where appropriate.
As a Psychiatrist Member of the Parole Board for England & Wales you will:
• Analyse and critically evaluate information to identify continuing risks in parole cases referred by the Secretary of State, where information may come from a variety of sources including electronic dossiers and evidence given at oral hearings.
• Apply psychiatric knowledge and professional judgement to parole cases to decide whether a prisoner can safely be released into the community; to set licence conditions where release is appropriate; and, in relevant cases, to decide whether to recommend a prisoner is transferred to open conditions.
• Be proactive to identify and resolve issues in all allocated cases at the earliest opportunity, applying the current relevant law, procedure and guidance. Seek advice from subject experts within the Board, including specialist members, and legal and practice advisors. Be proactive to manage case administration that arises both as a Chair and co-panellist. This will require regular email monitoring during the working week.
• Assess parole cases on referral to conclude on the papers or set directions for effective case management of those to be considered at an oral hearing.
• Take an active part in oral hearings ensuring all areas of risk are identified and addressed by the panel, witnesses are questioned appropriately to inform the panel’s assessment of risk, and there is a full panel discussion of a case to properly weigh the evidence.
• Advise panels to clarify specific psychiatric issues in a case that are relevant to risk.
• Advise panels about specialist psychiatric reports including qualifications and experience of author, specific assessment tools used where appropriate, overall quality of assessment and conclusions drawn.
Advise panels where appropriate with respect to the interaction between the Mental Health Act (MHA) and the parole process, on the reports to be expected when a prisoner is detained in hospital for treatment during the course of their sentence, and the implications for aftercare under S117 of the MHA.
• Advise panels when two or more differing psychiatry opinions exist.
• Work collaboratively with other panel members to make judgements about the available evidence and to provide structured written reasons for the panel’s decision or recommendation in every case.
• Use Parole Board IT effectively to access electronic dossiers, draft reasons for panel outcomes, communicate with the panel and colleagues and to undertake learning and development activity.
• Complete all mandatory continuing professional development in line with Parole Board policy. Take responsibility for personal development by accessing materials and opportunities provided by the Board to remain up to date with current law, procedure, guidance and developments. Reflect individually and collectively on experiences and practice.
• Achieve accreditation and maintain an active mixed portfolio of casework including paper panels (MCA), oral hearings, duty cases and chairing. You will train as a Chair in year 7 and Oral hearing chair accreditation is required within the second term of your appointment (year 10 of appointment).
• Work will be allocated based first on the business needs of the Parole Board and then on the availability provided by members and their accreditations.
• Be an effective ambassador whenever representing the Parole Board. Contribute positively to the effective running of the organisation through non-casework activity including mentoring, quality assurance, governance, training and participation in consultation, working groups and development roles.
• Travel in line with Parole Board policy to attend oral hearings in prisons throughout England and Wales. Also travel to the London office and other venues to attend Parole Board events, including training. Occasional overnight stays may be required, and expenses will be reimbursed in accordance to the prevailing policy.
Organisation description
The Parole Board is an independent body that works with other criminal justice agencies to protect the public by risk assessing prisoners to decide whether they can safely be released into the community. Their work is of critical importance to public safety, as well as prisoners and their families but the Parole Board also has a wider role in maintaining public confidence in the justice system Full details about the Parole Board and its work is at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-with-us#what-is-being-a-member-like
Regulation of appointment
Person specification
Essential criteria
To be considered for appointment you need to be:
- At least five years as a consultant psychiatrist in the UK
- Specialist registration as a medical practitioner with the General Medical Council
- A licence to practice is not required
- No outstanding fitness to practice matters
Candidates will be able to demonstrate the following:
- Demonstrable ability to conduct effective evidence-based decision making, bringing independence of mind and making sound judgements through:
o weighing facts and evidence.
o analysing and critically evaluating large volumes of complex information and;
o identifying key issues, within tight deadlines and working on own initiative.
- Demonstrable report writing skills including:
- the ability to condense multiple documents with complex and potentially conflicting information into an accessible and legally justified document;
- ability to work collaboratively to assist colleagues in the drafting and review of these reports;
- ability to draft well-formed written accounts which accurately document, analyse and summarise evidence in support of a decision or recommendation;
- able to work collaboratively to produce written reasons that accurately reflect how the panel came to its decision or recommendation.
- Demonstrable case management skills, effective time management, organisational and administrative skills. Ability to identify and resolve issues at an early stage taking proactive steps to ensure cases are concluded at the earliest opportunity.
- Evidenced IT skills, ability to use templates and spreadsheets, review and comment on documents online and to conduct meetings online with multiple people. Ability to adapt to new technology and a willingness to learn.
- Strong commitment to professional and personal development.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills; able to gain respect and maintain rapport through effective communication and influencing skills. Confident to challenge opinions, work collegiately and resolve differences to reach sound decisions. Able to communicate sensitively and effectively with a wide range of individuals, varying the approach as necessary, treating others with respect, listening actively and evaluating replies to probe issues. Able to communicate expert knowledge in a manner a lay person can readily understand.
- Demonstrable high standards of corporate and personal integrity and conduct, including a strong desire to serve the public, evidence of commitment to equality and diversity, resilience and reflection in decision making, and personal accountability.
Completing your Supporting Statement
Within this online application (under the How to Apply section), you will be asked for a Supporting Statement. To complete the Supporting Statement, candidates should:
- Provide, in no more than 250 words, clear examples which evidence how they meet the eligibility criteria; and
- Answer the three behaviour questions below (limit of 250 words per behaviour).
1) Eligibility
Candidates must first meet the eligibility criteria, including the professional qualifications and registration to meet the technical skill requirement.
Please provide clear examples which evidence how you meet the eligibility criteria below in no more than 250 words:
- At least five years as a consultant psychiatrist in the UK
- Specialist registration as a medical practitioner with the General Medical Council
- A licence to practice is not required
- No outstanding fitness to practice matters
To demonstrate the potential to adopt the required behaviours in the role of a Parole Board Psychiatrist Member please answer the following three questions, each within a limit of 250 words.
In your response to these questions, you should refer to the essential criteria and job description above and:
- Limit your answers to 250 words for each of the three questions;
- Be aware that you may draw on your personal life experiences as well as any voluntary or paid work experience;
- Select your strongest examples, these do not need to involve the criminal justice system, we are looking for evidence of transferable knowledge, skills and qualities in the examples that you give;
- Ensure your own role in the example is clear and that your answers are specific and tailored to cover the essential competency criteria that we are testing.
Behaviour One – Making effective decisions
Parole Board members must analyse and critically evaluate information to identify continuing risk in a parole case. Information may come from a variety of sources including written dossiers, verbal evidence and electronic updates to decide whether it is necessary for the protection of the public that a person remains confined in prison. All decisions are made by panel of 1, 2 or 3 Parole Board members.
ANSWER THIS QUESTION:
Please give an example of how you went about making a significant decision to positively impact upon public safety, where you had to reconcile differing opinions and/or conflicting evidence to decide upon a course of action.
In no more than 250 words, please outline: the situation and your role; what you wanted to achieve; how you went about making your decision; and what the outcome was.
Behaviour Two – Delivering at Pace
Parole Board members are required to use a range of IT effectively to access documentation, share and comment on written decisions and communicate with other panellists and staff. Most hearings are conducted remotely by video, but hearings are also conducted in person or by telephone. Other cases are completed remotely on the papers without the parties being present. Parole Board members need to plan their time carefully to ensure they are fully prepared and meet deadlines whilst being flexible to accommodate changing circumstances, some of which may be beyond their control.
ANSWER THIS QUESTION:
Please give us an example of a time you had to use a range of IT resources to efficiently and successfully deliver a piece of work to a tight deadline, which had consequences for you and other people or organisations.
In no more than 250 words, please outline: the context; how you made use of the IT resources to assist you in achieving a successful outcome; how did you prioritise the work required; the outcome of your actions on the wider organisation;
Behaviour Three: Communicating and Influencing
Parole Board members are required to take an active part in oral hearings as a panel member or panel chair. They work collaboratively with other panel members in order to make judgements that have a fundamental impact on the lives of others. An oral hearing panel can have 1, 2 or 3 members. They each need to be receptive to others’ views, prepared to be challenged on their own views, communicate effectively and work well as a team.
ANSWER THIS QUESTION:
Please give us an example of when you had to work with a colleague with opposing views to reach a decision as a team.
In no more than 250 words, please outline: the context, how you adapted your communication style to reach the decision, how you adapted to better understand the opposing arguments, how you approached the situation, what the outcome was.
Desirable criteria
It is desirable for candidates to be able to demonstrate the following:
· Evidenced experience in the Criminal Justice System.