Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity to join our supportive and forward-thinking Core CAMHS team in Salford, working with children and young people presenting with a range of complex mental health needs.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled Clinical Psychologist or experienced Mental Health Practitioner who is passionate about delivering high-quality, compassionate care. This role offers the opportunity to further develop your expertise in mental health assessment, formulation, and therapeutic intervention, while supporting children, young people, and their families to achieve positive outcomes.
You will join a dynamic multidisciplinary team where collaboration, clinical excellence, and innovation are valued. The role requires a confident practitioner who can work autonomously, manage clinical risk, and contribute to a busy and rewarding service.
We offer excellent opportunities for professional development, including regular supervision and access to specialist training across the Trust and Greater Manchester.
Salford CAMHS works within the Thrive Framework, placing children, young people, and families at the centre of care. This is a rewarding opportunity to contribute to meaningful service delivery and improve outcomes for young people.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will provide specialist mental health assessment, formulation, and evidence-based intervention for children and young people referred to Salford Core CAMHS. As a Band 7 Senior Mental Health Practitioner, you will work autonomously with a defined caseload, including complex and high-risk presentations, supporting safe, effective, and high-quality clinical care.
You will undertake comprehensive mental health and risk assessments, develop formulation-driven care plans, and deliver therapeutic interventions in line with evidence-based practice and professional standards. You will work collaboratively with families, schools, and partner agencies to provide holistic, coordinated care and improve outcomes for children and young people.
The role includes providing consultation and clinical advice to colleagues and partner agencies, contributing to safe caseload management, and supporting risk management within the multidisciplinary team. You will also contribute to service development through audit, quality improvement, and implementation of best practice.
As a senior practitioner, you will support colleagues through supervision, mentoring, and sharing clinical expertise. You will contribute to maintaining high standards of care, supporting service delivery, and improving access and outcomes for children and young people within Salford CAMHS.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Supporting Documents’ heading. So that you’re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you’ll need to take time to read the ‘Candidate Essentials Guide’ that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how ‘we care for you as you care for others’. Most importantly, it also contains critical information you’ll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application
Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU—for our patients, our communities, and each other.
As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application—especially personal statements and responses to role-specific questions—is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.
Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.
Person specification
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of working with children and young people with Mental Health difficulties
- Experience in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Experience of administering and interpreting neuropsychological tests to the required age group
- Relevant experience and training in multi-disciplinary assessments of neurodevelopmental difficulties in children and adolescents.
- Proven experience of working effectively with people with mental health difficulties, including autonomous management of a complex caseload which frequently deals with distressing and emotional circumstances.
- Experience of hard-to-reach diverse community groups and individuals with emerging complex needs, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities and safeguarding.
- Experience of assessing and managing risk: including safeguarding.
- Experience of developing and providing evidenced based assessments, formulations, and care plans and effective use of ROMS.
- Experience of liaison and working with a range of other relevant agencies and professionals, including managing difficult conversations and differences of opinion.
- Understanding of the principles of Clinical Governance and a willingness to follow Trust Policy and Procedures
Desirable
- Experience of providing a variety of interventions for children and young people with mental health problems and their families.
- Community mental health experience across a variety of settings.
- Experience of mentoring and supervision of others, including supporting the mental health and wellbeing of junior staff and trainees.
Personal attributes
Essential
- A commitment to undertake further relevant training and self-directed study.
- Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required.
- A commitment to the inclusion of young people’s, parent/carer views in service delivery, development and design.
- Willingness to contribute to team functioning, performance and the ongoing development of the service.
Work related circumstances
Essential
- Ability to travel across the MFT footprint
- Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
- Appointments to be regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS check
Qualification & Registration
Essential
- You must must have recognised qualification. Recognised qualifications are Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology accredited by BPS and required by HPCP, Registered Nurse: RMN/RSCN/RNMH, Social Work, Occupational Therapy
Desirable
- ADOS Trained
- Certificate in supervision skills
- Postgraduate training in psychological therapies and interventions
Knowledge, skills and ability
Essential
- Up to date knowledge of child mental health and relevant legislation.
- Ability to assess needs, plan, implement and evaluate appropriate interventions with young people, parents/carers
- Advanced knowledge and skills in delivery of evidence-based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences clinical practice
- Ability to select, use and interpret a range of psychological measures including cognitive and developmental assessments
- Ability to plan, implement and evaluate appropriate therapeutic interventions with children across the age range and their parents/carers.
- Ability to integrate psychological theories and outcome data with clinical practice and service provision
- The ability to use assessment tools and outcome measures / ROMs effectively and in collaboration with the child, young person, and family.
- Highly developed communication skills with the ability to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information and overcome barriers to acceptance
- Knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practised within the clinical fields of psychology.
- To be able to function as a part of a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise effectively with other agencies i.e., education, GP’s, maintaining positive working relationships.
- To be able to provide feedback and constructive guidance to junior members of the team and trainees to facilitate their personal and professional development.
- The ability to reflect on and critically appraise own performance
- To have the ability to manage own caseload and act as lead practitioner.
- Ability to manage and organise own time and diary and work flexibly and creatively in a clinical context and pressurised situations.
- The ability to follow policy and make proposals for change.
- The ability to work independently with the support of clinical and management supervision.
- The ability to maintain clinical records both written and electronic.
- The ability to work with people from a range of different backgrounds, cultures and or different ages.
Desirable
- Experience of delivering training
- Delivery of group work and workshops.
- Advanced IT skills.
- Experience of audit and research
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Clinical Psychologist/Senior CAMHS Practitioner with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Nurse practitioner role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 Per Annum (Pro Rata). The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 30 Jun 2026.
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