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Job overview
1 WTE Band 8B Principal Practitioner Psychologist
As an experienced Practitioner Psychologist, you will be responsible for establishing a new psychological care pathway (within the specialism of Gastroenterology – Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder and Nutrition Support Team) supporting those with difficulties associated with IBD / FGID / Nutritional Support, including pre- and post- surgery support, symptom management and psychological wellbeing approaches. The role will predominantly involve integrating psychological thinking and working within the wider MDTs, alongside provision of a consultation service (including assessment and formulation drawing on biopsychosocial models) to both staff and service users. Detailed scoping of the service pathways will be critical, working alongside members the MDTs (including exploring the potential of co-production with service users).
Main duties of the job
Conduct comprehensive psychological assessments to evaluate the emotional, behavioural and cognitive impact of living with IBD/FGID/NST, recognising how factors such as stress and coping style influence disease experience, in both newly diagnosed patients and those with chronic disease.
Support patients in managing the social and behavioural consequences of IBD/FGID/NS, including navigating daily life challenges, role changes, social relationships and the impact of fluctuating symptoms. Provision of a highly specialist psychological assessment/formulation/intervention pathway using evidence-based approaches
Work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary teams, contributing psychological expertise to holistic care planning and ensuring psychological needs are addressed alongside medical and nursing care.
Support IBD patients undergoing emergency surgery, supporting patients psychologically when faced with emergency surgery/coping with a stoma
Provide guidance and support for families or carers, where appropriate, to help them understand the psychological aspects and support the patient effectively.
To ensure the maintenance of highly specialised skills through CPD. This will include attendance at conferences and other training events, receiving regular supervision and carrying out research and audit projects.
To work with autonomy and accountability for own clinical decisions with guidance from broad occupational policies, peers and a clinical supervisor.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification for this role.
Essential and desirable criteria are outlined in the JD/PS for candidates to review
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Highly developed skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise effectively with other professionals. Skills in providing consultation to other professionals and non-professional groups.
Desirable
- Formal training in leadership
Knowledge
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the relevant field of applied psychology. Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies. Knowledge of structure and provision of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Health Care in the NHS. Knowledge of legislation in relation to clients of the service, and of relevant mental health legislation.
Desirable
- Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific groups (i.e. following trauma).
Experience
Essential
- Considerable experience of working as a clinical/counselling/health psychologist in relevant physical health settings (including pain settings) across the whole life course, presenting with the full range of clinical severity. This includes maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the possible threat of physical abuse. Considerable experience in assessment and therapeutic work with adults with mental health/psychological needs in the context of physical health problems Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care and treatment, within the context of multidisciplinary care. Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team and representing professional psychology in multidisciplinary settings. Experience of providing supervision (professional / clinical), teaching and / or training.
Desirable
- Experience of working within medical environments (ideally specialities with Gastroenterology / IBD / FGID involvement), delivering evidenced based psychological interventions. Experience of assessment and therapeutic work with adults with trauma presentations Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
Qualifications
Essential
- British Psychological Society Accredited Doctoral Degree in Clinical, Counselling or Health Psychology. Registered with The Health & Care Professions Council as a ‘Practitioner Psychologist’. Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
Desirable
- Training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological relevance (e.g. staff training, research methodology, and / or other fields of applied psychology) Training in leadership and/or management skills
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Principal Practitioner Psychologist (Gastroenterology) with Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 per annum pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 30 Jul 2026.
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