Clinical Psychologist/Senior CAMHS Practitioner/YJS

MFT; Salford; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) in Salford is recruiting for a Clinical Psychologist/Senior CAMHS Practitioner to support the Salford CAMHS and Youth Justice Service (YJS).

The role is Band 7, full-time, with a focus on assessment, formulation and specialist interventions for children and young people with complex mental health needs, including close collaboration with families and partner agencies.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology is required.
• Experience with children and young people with autism and social communication difficulties.
• Experience in multi-disciplinary assessments of ASD.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist mental health assessments, formulations and interventions for children and young people.
• Deliver CAMHS input into Salford Youth Justice Service (YJS).
• Provide supervision to colleagues and contribute to service development.

Skills

Clinical psychology

Autonomy

Risk assessment

Youth justice

Consultation

Education

Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology

Tools

Assessment tools

Job description

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Clinical Psychologist/Senior CAMHS Practitioner/YJS

NHS AfC: Band 7

Main area Clinical Psychologist/Senior Mental Health Practitioner Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract 12 months (fixed term) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 349-SHCG-8229480-RL4

Site Pendleton Gateway Town Salford Salary £49,387 - £56,515 Per Annum (Pro Rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 13/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join our supportive Core CAMHS team in Salford, with a key part of the role providing designated CAMHS input into Salford Youth Justice Service (YJS).

We are looking for a skilled Clinical Psychologist or experienced Mental Health Practitioner who is passionate about delivering high-quality care to children and young people with complex mental health needs.

The postholder will work across Core CAMHS and YJS, providing specialist mental health assessment, formulation and therapeutic intervention. Within YJS, you will work closely with the multi-agency team, providing consultation and specialist mental health input to young people who may present with complex mental health, risk, safeguarding and wider social needs.

You will join an experienced multidisciplinary team and will be expected to work autonomously, manage clinical risk and work effectively with families and partner agencies.

We offer regular supervision and opportunities for professional development and specialist training across the Trust and Greater Manchester.

Applicants applying as a Clinical Psychologist must have completed their Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and provide confirmation of successful completion formally ratified by their university.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will provide specialist mental health assessment, formulation and evidence-based intervention for children and young people across Salford Core CAMHS, with designated responsibility for providing CAMHS input into Salford Youth Justice Service (YJS).

As a Band 7 Senior Mental Health Practitioner, you will work autonomously with a defined caseload, including young people presenting with complex mental health, risk and safeguarding needs. You will undertake mental health and risk assessments, develop formulation-led care plans and deliver appropriate therapeutic interventions.

A key part of the role will be working alongside YJS colleagues to identify and respond to the mental health needs of young people known to the service. This will include direct clinical work, consultation, advice and joint working with the wider professional network, supporting young people to access appropriate mental health support.

You will work closely with families and partner agencies to provide coordinated care and contribute to the assessment and management of clinical risk.

As a senior practitioner, you will provide clinical support and supervision to colleagues and contribute to service development, audit and quality improvement, helping to maintain high standards of care across Salford CAMHS and YJS.

Working for our organisation

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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll 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 one‑stop 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. You’ll 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.

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 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.

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.

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 that’s considered relevant to the role.

Enhanced with Barred Lists : Includes all of the above, plus checks against the children’s 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.

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

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

Qualifications

• 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
• Additional post graduate training in psychological therapies and interventions

Experience

• 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
• 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

• 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 work independently with the support of clinical and management supervision.
• Experience of working with young people involved with Youth Justice Services
• The ability to cope with stressful situations including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the case of highly emotive and distressing problems.
• Experience of delivering training.
• Experience of audit and research
• Delivery of group work and workshops.
• Advanced IT skills.
• Experience of supervising junior staff

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.