Job overview
Passionate about delivering trauma-informed, least restrictive, evidence-basedcare and keen to play a pivotal role in shaping the development of a Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT)? Value integrated multidisciplinary working and are you able to promote collaborative working with colleagues and other services for service user benefit? We would warmly welcome hearing from you.
The SCFT is part of GMMH Adult Forensic Services. SCFT adopts a multidisciplinary approach to achieve two primary functions: to assist service users to transition out of secure services and to provide expert consultation and support to non-forensic services to help avoid unnecessary admissions into inpatient secure beds. Further details can be found here:
This post will be attractive to forensically orientated Psychologists with a strong commitment to working closely with colleagues, external partners, and service users to provide exceptional care.
Main duties of the job
Main duties include:
1. Clinically leading the psychological provision within the SCFT, ensuring the integration of psychological approaches, and alignment with the clinical model of care and service specification.
2. Collaborate closely with the other SCFT lead clinicians and operational colleagues as part of the SCFT leadership team.
3. Responsible for the development and maintenance of a safe and effective forensic psychological provision within SCFT.
4. Carry a caseload of the most complex cases, utilising advanced forensic skills and knowledge in respect to psychological assessment, formulation and intervention.
5. The use of these skills and knowledge will extend to the provision of advice and consultation both within the SCFT and with the external services and professionals SCFT support.
6. Clinically supervise and/or line manage Practitioner Psychologists and Assistant Psychologists.
7. Develop the skills of others, both within and external to SCFT, by developing and/or delivering programmes of training.
8. Contribute to enhancing clinical effectiveness by identifying, planning and implementing clinical audit and quality improvement programmes.
9. Employ advanced research and organisational skills to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the SCFT provision.
Working for our organisation
Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7000 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
Please see full Job description and Person Specification attached to this vacancy.
Staff benefits
10. 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
11. Excellent pension
12. Cycle to work scheme
13. Salary sacrifice car scheme
14. Wellbeing programme
Person specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential criteria
15. Doctoral Degree or equivalent qualification, plus further specialist training, research and/or study, conferring advanced theoretical and practical knowledge relevant within a forensic mental health service.
16. Registered with the HCPC as a practitioner psychologist
17. Completion of post-graduate training in the clinical supervision of others
Desirable criteria
18. Accredited membership of an appropriate psychological therapy professional body.
19. Additional further professional training and/or qualification, such as neuropsychology or therapeutic models ( CBT, EMDR, schema therapy)
20. Additional training in the use of advanced, structured risk assessment tools.
21. Completion of an NHS leadership and/or management programme/qualification.
Exp
Essential criteria
22. Substantial experience as a qualified clinical or and/or forensic psychologist enabling fulfilment of a senior and specialist role as described.
23. Experience of one or more areas of specialist psychological assessment and treatment.
24. Significant experience in the supervision and management of clinical staff.
25. Experience working with service users with severe mental health problems who engage in significantly risky behaviour(s).
26. Experience working within multi- disciplinary mental health services and in multi-agency arenas
27. Significant experience of teaching, training and supervising others.
28. Experience of clinical audit, service development and leadership.
29. Experience providing psychological consultation (including formulation) to other professionals and professional groups.
Desirable criteria
30. Experience of working within multi-cultural staff and local population.
31. Publication(s) in peer-reviewed journals.
32. Experience of managing/leading multi-professional teams.
33. Experience of working within forensic settings.
34. Experience interfacing with criminal justice systems, MAPPA and HMPPS.
Know
Essential criteria
35. Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of psychological approaches to working with complex mental health difficulties (inc. personality and neurodevelopmental disorders) and significant, complex risk profiles.
36. Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for clinical practice.
37. Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non- professional groups.
38. Evidence of post-qualification CPD as recommended by professional body.
39. An understanding of the needs of Psychological professionals at all grades (pre and post-qualification).
Desirable criteria
40. Completion of approved training in structured professional judgement approaches to risk assessments, using validated tools such as the HCR-20 version 3 or such like.
41. Developed knowledge of research methodology, statistical analysis and publication-level written communication skills
42. Completion of appropriate supervision training course.
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
43. Skilled in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, formulation, intervention and management.
44. Skilled in conducting and communicating advanced risk assessments, along with sound formulation and risk management plans.
45. Ability to prioritise work, meet short deadlines and an unpredictable work pattern, which requires regular revision of plans.
46. Ability to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility
47. Ability to work and communicate highly sensitive, contentious information effectively in a highly emotive or hostile atmosphere, and to overcome barriers to acceptance/psychological resistance to potentially threatening information.
48. Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
49. Ability to work to professional practice guidelines of the appropriate professional body.
50. Ability to work with service users and their families to engage them as active participants within service user’s care and treatment.
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.