Clinical Psychologist/Senior CAMHS Practitioner

Job summary

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.

About us

Join Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and become part of a 30,000 plus strong team, delivering exceptional care to over 1 million people every year. As the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe, we are forward-thinking, committed to clinical excellence and driven to deliver innovation, and continuous improvement.Whether you're beginning your career or taking the next step, MFT offers a stimulating and supportive environment where your contribution truly matters. Our Hive Electronic Patient Record system enables safer, smarter, and more efficient ways of working - empowering you to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients.You'll be part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary community, working alongside professionals from a wide range of clinical backgrounds. Together, we push boundaries, share knowledge, and deliver care that transforms lives.At MFT, you'll find a workplace where everyone is respected, supported, and encouraged to thrive. We offer clear clinical pathways for professional development, helping you grow your skills and achieve your ambitions.Your journey at MFT is more than a job - it's an opportunity to make a lasting impact. We'll support you as you shape the future of healthcare, one patient at a time.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Documents to download heading.

Explore Inside MFT Your Candidate Place

To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT Your Candidate Place. This welcoming onestop hub gives you a real sense of who we are, what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. Youll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.

To access **Inside MFT Your Candidate Place, simply click on the relevant PDF document under the Documents to download heading and once opened, you can either scan QR code or click on the link provided.

Closing vacancy listings early

We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity MattersMFT 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.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, were 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.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

As part of our commitment to safeguarding patients and staff, many roles at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This is a standard process across the NHS and helps us ensure a safe environment for everyone.

What is a DBS Check?

A DBS check is a background check that reveals any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings. The level of check required depends on the role:

Standard DBS: Checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings.

Enhanced DBS: Includes the above, plus any additional information held by local police thats considered relevant to the role.

Enhanced with Barred Lists: Includes all of the above, plus checks against the childrens and/or adults barred lists.

Who Needs a DBS Check

Most roles involving direct patient contact, working with children or vulnerable adults, or access to sensitive information will require a DBS check. The job advert and recruitment team will let you know if this applies to your role.

The Costs for a DBS

At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), roles that require a DBS check are subject to a cost recovery policy. This means that the cost of submitting and processing a DBS application if you are successful and join us, will be deducted from your salary within the first three months of employment. If, however, you withdraw from a conditional offer after the DBS process has begun, you will still be liable for the cost incurred.

For more information about the cost of the various types of DBS, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dbs-fees-are-changing-in-december

DBS Update Service

Candidates are also expected to register with the DBS Update Service which must be completed within 30 days of the certificate being issued. This helps streamline future employment checks and supports safer recruitment practices. For more information, please visit the DBS Update Service.

Person Specification

Registration/ Accreditation

Essential

• You must be registered/accredited with a professional body (e.g. NMC, SW England, UKCP, HCPC, BACP)

Qualifications

Essential

• You must have a recognised qualification. Recognised qualifications are: Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent) as accredited by the BPS Registered Nursing: RMN/RSCN/RNMH Social Work (CQSW/DipSW) Occupational Therapy

Desirable

• ADOS trained
• Certificate in supervision skills
• Additional post graduate training in psychological therapies and interventions

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working with children and young people with autism and social communication difficulties
• Relevant experience and training in multi-disciplinary assessments of ASD 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.
• Experience of mentoring and supervision of others, including supporting the mental health and wellbeing of junior staff and trainees.
• 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.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Up to date knowledge of child mental health and relevant legislation.
• Advanced knowledge and skills in delivery of evidence-based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influences clinical practice.
• The ability to assess, formulate and manage care appropriately, ensuring discharge is timely.
• The ability to select, use and interpret assessment tools and outcome measures / ROMs effectively and in collaboration with the child, young person, and family
• Ability to integrate psychological theories and outcome data with clinical practice and service provision
• Ability to plan, implement and evaluate appropriate therapeutic interventions with children across the age range and their parents/carers
• Highly developed communication skills with the ability to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information and overcome barriers to acceptance with children, parents and professionals.
• 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.
• The ability to work with people from a range of different backgrounds, cultures and or different ages.
• 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 cope with stressful situations including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the case of highly emotive and distressing problems.

Desirable

• Experience of delivering training.
• Experience of audit and research
• Delivery of group work and workshops.
• Advanced IT skills.
• Experience of supervising junior staff

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Pendleton Gateway

1st Floor, 1 Broadwalk

Salford

M6 5FX

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://mft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)