Job overview
Are you committed to working in trauma-informed ways and collaborating with colleagues, service users and their families to provide innovative and effective mental health care? Do you value being empowered to develop your skills and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of forensic mental health care in Greater Manchester?
Due to internal progression of colleagues we are very pleased to be expanding our psychology provision with an additional WTE permanent Practitioner Psychologist posts. This is a unique time to join our Adult Forensic Services and we would warmly welcome hearing from you.
Our services have been on an ambitious transformation journey over the two years, resulting in substantial positive change. A major transformation has been the development of reimagined, psychologically informed clinical models of care underpinned by the guiding principles of collaborative and formulation-driven care, trauma-informed systems and the centrality of attachment and relational security.
These posts will be particularly attractive to dynamic and dedicated Practitioner Psychologists with a real desire to influence service design and delivery in ways that are evidence-based, trauma-informed and relationally attuned. Candidates with forensic experience are desirable, preceptorship roles will be considered for those with existing, relevant forensic experience.
Main duties of the job
Our services comprise of male medium and low secure services, women's blended service and Specialist Community Forensic Team. We support people with complex mental health and forensic needs requiring specialist, multi-disciplinary care to live safe and fulfilling lives. Positions available in inpatient areas.
You will:
1. Join Clinical and Forensic Psychologists, Trainee and Assistant Psychologists and Art Therapist. Specialisms include: CFT, CAT, DBT, Schema, Family Therapy, CBT, IPT and EMDR
2. Join MDT with psychiatry, social work, occupational therapists, assistant psychologists & nurses
3. Complete psychological assessment, formulation and interventions, opportunity to specialise in an area of interest
4. Provide formulations on care, risk and decision-making
5. Collaborate with patients & carers
6. Promote psychologically safe, curious cultures
7. Provide consultation, debriefs, reflective practice and supervision
8. Deliver training ( trauma-informed care, clinical skills)
9. Engage in QI and service development
Benefits:
10. Wellbeing: We are an established team with excellent staff retention, internal progression and compassionate leadership. Wellbeing leads, free on-site gym, dedicated office
11. Development: CPD options, opportunities to enhance leadership skills
12. Research: Join and lead on projects, including via GMMH Forensic Research Unit
13. Diversity: celebrating and valuing strengths of a diverse workforce, including networks supporting global majority staff
Working for our organisation
Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7,000 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 122 locations.
We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.
Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.
Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity.
Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See attached detailed job description and person specification:
Staff benefits
14. Pay Enhancements – 30% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 60% additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
15. 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
16. Excellent pension
17. Cycle to work scheme
18. Salary sacrifice car scheme
19. Wellbeing programme
Person specification
Doctoral training
Essential criteria
20. Postgraduate doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996, or the equivalent Stage 2 British Psychological Society (BPS) training for forensic psychologists
Desirable criteria
21. Additional postgraduate academic masters or doctoral-level qualifications
HCPC Registration
Essential criteria
22. Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable criteria
23. Awaiting HCPC registration/in final year of training
The Trust mandates all post holders who require a DBS for their role to subscribe to the DBS Update Service. You will be required to enrol for this service for a fee of £16 per year and maintain registration throughout your employment with GMMH.
Applicants are encouraged to apply for posts at Greater Manchester Mental Health who have direct experience of mental health, learning disability or drug and alcohol services either as a service user or a carer.
The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We are aspiring to ensure our workforce is representative of the diverse communities that we serve, and we are strongly committed to removing barriers to employment for candidates from under-represented groups, for example BAME, Disabled and LGBT+ communities. If you would like to have an informal chat about the recruitment process for this role or would value some additional support, we’d love to hear from you.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications
A candidate may utilise the help of AI when writing job application. The assessment of an application is made on its entirety and most times AI-generated content does not fully grasp the context and requirements of the job one applies for thus producing inaccurate and misleading information, especially in the supporting statement section of an application that can lack real life examples of one’s achievements, success and challenges.
We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored. GMMH reserves the right to follow up with a candidate at the interview on specific responses and those examples used in the supporting statement to explore it further.
Sponsorship
We are proud to be an approved sponsor for the Skilled Worker visa. Applications from individuals who require sponsorship will be considered alongside all other applications. Please be aware that not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible roles and salary requirements on the UK Government’s website – click .
If you are offered a role with us and you require sponsorship, we will check your eligibility in line with the information on the above website. Your offer of employment could be withdrawn if the role is not eligible for sponsorship, and you are not otherwise able to evidence your right to work in the UK.
The Home Office introduces new changes from 22/07/2025 that impact the health and care sector, you may wish to familiarise with it.
Do you have experience outside the NHS?
We want to attract and retain people with diverse skills and experience, to deliver inclusive healthcare services to our communities.
We will consider relevant experience outside the NHS to calculate your salary on appointment.