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Job summary

Main area
Perinatal
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Happy to discuss flexible working)
Job ref
437-7293404
Employer
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Prestwich Hospital
Town
Prestwich
Salary
£27,485 - £30,162 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
25/08/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust logo

Assistant Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 4

Job overview

Come and join our expanding psychological therapies team within a passionate and friendly service.

 

The Specialist Perinatal Service is a well-established multidisciplinary community team providing a range of tailored approaches to meet the mental health needs of women, birthing people, and their families in the perinatal period.

 

Our core purpose is to work with women/birthing people to address their mental health needs and mitigate any impact on the unborn baby and infant. We aim to provide a timely, integrated, high quality, and effective service.

 

An exciting and rewarding opportunity has arisen to develop services by offering an opportunity for a Band 4 Assistant Psychologist (1.0wte). We are keen to consider applications from individuals with direct perinatal experience or those seeking to develop their skills in a new and innovative role.

 

Please note - This role is not eligible for sponsorship unless you meet criteria by temporary exemption from current changes to immigration rules put in force on 22/07/2025. Separate provisions are applied to workers who have been sponsored and held continuously Skilled Worker visa since prior to 04/04/2024.

 

Main duties of the job

The post holder will support the work of the psychological therapies team- initial assessments and direct therapeutic work with women/birthing people experiencing a wide range of moderate to severe mental health problems.

 

There are also opportunities for indirect working, including supervision, consultation, and training to both colleagues within the service and wider systems, including PETALS (the maternal mental health service), maternity services, perinatal NHS Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT), specialist psychotherapy services and parent-infant mental health services.

 

The post offers an incredibly supportive team working environment. The successful post holder will receive regular and consistent line management, clinical and professional supervision, and develop relationships with established psychologists and psychological therapists working within the service who regularly meet for ongoing CPD, discussion of clinical / professional issues and invaluable peer support. There are also opportunities for professional development and additional internal training is actively encouraged and supported.

 

Our service is keen to recruit people who enjoy working in a multi-disciplinary team, who are passionate, creative, adaptable, and responsive to working with and meeting the needs of women, birthing people, partners, and families during such a fundamentally important and crucial time.

 

There is a regular requirement to travel across the footprint of the Trust.

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 attached job description and person specification

Staff benefits

  • Pay Enhancements
  • 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
  • Excellent pension
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Salary sacrifice car scheme
  • Wellbeing programme
  • Blue Light Card Discounts
  • fuelGenie Fuel Cards (for applicable roles)

Person specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
  • Entitlement to graduate basis for registration (GBR) with the British Psychological Society
Desirable criteria
  • • Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working with people with mental health problems.
  • Experience of working independently and liaising with other healthcare workers
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working in perinatal or maternity settings.
  • Experience of working with psychological trauma.
  • Experience of using outcome measures to evaluate clinical outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • An understanding of psychology applied to mental health care
  • Knowledge of key models of psychological therapy, including CBT
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of using computers for databases and data analysis
  • Knowledge of key policy and legislation in relation to perinatal mental health

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria
  • High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
  • Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in an appropriate way
  • Ability to produce reports under supervision to a high standard
  • An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems.
  • An ability to organise time effectively
  • An ability to use initiative and to work under supervision
  • An ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise effectively with other professionals

Other requirements

Essential criteria
  • Ability to support the delivery of teaching and training to other professionals
  • Ability to travel to a range of locations in a timely and efficient manner.
Desirable criteria
  • Personal experience of mental health problems
  • Experience of working within a multicultural framework

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardWe are a Living Wage EmployerApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyHSJ Best places to workDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeWe offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employer

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Claire Lyndon-Jones
Job title
Principal Clinical Psychologist
Email address
[email protected]
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