Principal Clinical Psychologist

NHS; Wigan; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity in Wigan for an 8b Principal Psychologist to lead and enhance psychological services within the Community Mental Health Teams. This position offers the chance to supervise junior staff, maintain high care standards, and implement effective interventions for clients with complex needs. Join a dedicated team in a vibrant area committed to delivering outstanding mental health care.

Benefits

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Excellent pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Wellbeing programme

Blue Light Card Discounts

Qualifications

• Registered Clinical Psychologist with HCPC required.
• Experience working with older adult clients and complex psychological issues is essential.
• Desirable experience in NHS management and publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership and oversee the work of junior psychologists.
• Ensure high standards of psychological care are maintained for service users.
• Conduct assessments and provide evidence-based interventions for clients.

Skills

Clinical Psychology

Leadership

Supervision

Assessment

Intervention Strategies

Education

Post-graduate doctorate in Clinical Psychology

Post graduate diploma in Clinical Neuropsychology

Job description

Job summary

The Community Mental Health Teams in Wigan are undergoing an exciting period of change in line with Community Transformation.

We have a vacancy for an 8b Principal Psychologist working initially within the Specialist CMHT but with a view to expanding psychology provision across all community teams including Neighbourhood Mental Health Team (currently Living Well), Older Adult CMHT and Specialist CMHT in line with a new service model.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will be employed by Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust to work across, and provide clinical leadership to, the Wigan Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT's) in relation to the provision of all aspects of direct and indirect psychological work.

The post holder will, via a cascade model, provide supervision, and therefore maintain oversight, of the work of more junior psychologists/psychological therapists, including the clinical work of Mental Health Well-being practitioners, based within the Wigan community teams. They will ensure that psychological aspects of CMHT service provision continue to be maintained at the highest possible standards, ensuring people who use the service and their carers/families receive high quality care. The post holder will be expected to supervise trainees on placement with the service.

The postholder will also maintain an overview of and support non-psychology colleagues' psychosocial work of via the provision of co-working opportunities and case formulation, clinical supervision, reflective practice, and practice-based training sessions as needed.

They will regularly offer expert assessment sessions to people with highly complex presenting problems referred by CMHT colleagues and will also provide evidence-based intervention work for the people who use the service and their families. The postholder will work to ensure the development and governance of both direct and indirect psychological offers within the CMHTs.

About us

Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over7000members of staff, who deliver services from more than122locations.

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.

Details Date posted

17 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year per year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

437-7246215

Job locations

Claire House

Phoenix Way

Wigan

WN3 4NW

Job description Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification

Staff benefits

• Pay Enhancements:

Band

Saturday (midnight to midnight) and any week day after 8pm and before 6am

All time on Sundays and Public Holidays (midnight to midnight)

1

Time plus 47%

Time plus 94%

2

Time plus 41%

Time plus 83%

3

Time plus 35%

Time plus 69%

4 9

Time plus 30%

Time plus 60%

• 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

Genie Fuel Cards (for applicable roles)

Job description Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification

Staff benefits

• Pay Enhancements:

Band

Saturday (midnight to midnight) and any week day after 8pm and before 6am

All time on Sundays and Public Holidays (midnight to midnight)

1

Time plus 47%

Time plus 94%

2

Time plus 41%

Time plus 83%

3

Time plus 35%

Time plus 69%

4 9

Time plus 30%

Time plus 60%

• 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

Genie Fuel Cards (for applicable roles)

Person Specification Essential Essential

• Clinical Psychologist registered with the HCPC Post-graduate doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent for those trained before 1996) as accredited by the BPS.Post graduate diploma in Clinical Neuropsychology

Desirable

• Related academic qualifications to masters or doctoral level Completion of relevant modules of Accredited Doctoral Clinical / Counselling Psychology Course: Introduction to Supervision Courses (approx 30 hours) and/or successful supported supervision of 1 or more trainees. Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology as recognized by the BPS Training in Leadership and Management

Essential / desirable Essential

• Significant experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist, in a Later Life service and/or significant experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist in a Memory Assessment service. Experience of working with NHS managers, other professional colleagues and other agencies. Experience of working within a team. Significant experience of assessment and treatment of older adult clients and those with psychological difficulties in the context of an organic presentation, across a full range of care settings. Significant experience of conducting highly specialist psychological and relevant neuropsychological assessments and formulations and advising others about the outcome of this. Experience of working with and planning clinical interventions in a relevant service area. Experience of conducting risk assessments of service users. Experience of supervising Psychology Doctorate Trainees and/or Psychology Assistants or Research Assistants. Experience of teaching and training of trainees, clinical psychologists and/or staff from other professional groups in psychological skills and concepts

Desirable

• Experience of NHS management tasks (e.g. recruitment and selection). Experience of developing and evaluating services. Experience of managing junior staff, including appraisal and KSF reviews. Record of having published in peer reviewed journals or books. Experience of working with families and carers. Experience of working within a multi cultural framework Research experience within an area relevant to work within an older adult service.

Person Specification Essential Essential

• Clinical Psychologist registered with the HCPC Post-graduate doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent for those trained before 1996) as accredited by the BPS.Post graduate diploma in Clinical Neuropsychology

Desirable

• Related academic qualifications to masters or doctoral level Completion of relevant modules of Accredited Doctoral Clinical / Counselling Psychology Course: Introduction to Supervision Courses (approx 30 hours) and/or successful supported supervision of 1 or more trainees. Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology as recognized by the BPS Training in Leadership and Management

Essential / desirable Essential

• Significant experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist, in a Later Life service and/or significant experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist in a Memory Assessment service. Experience of working with NHS managers, other professional colleagues and other agencies. Experience of working within a team. Significant experience of assessment and treatment of older adult clients and those with psychological difficulties in the context of an organic presentation, across a full range of care settings. Significant experience of conducting highly specialist psychological and relevant neuropsychological assessments and formulations and advising others about the outcome of this. Experience of working with and planning clinical interventions in a relevant service area. Experience of conducting risk assessments of service users. Experience of supervising Psychology Doctorate Trainees and/or Psychology Assistants or Research Assistants. Experience of teaching and training of trainees, clinical psychologists and/or staff from other professional groups in psychological skills and concepts

Desirable

• Experience of NHS management tasks (e.g. recruitment and selection). Experience of developing and evaluating services. Experience of managing junior staff, including appraisal and KSF reviews. Record of having published in peer reviewed journals or books. Experience of working with families and carers. Experience of working within a multi cultural framework Research experience within an area relevant to work within an older adult service.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHSFT

Address

Claire House

Phoenix Way

Wigan

WN3 4NW

Employer's website

https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHSFT

Address

Claire House

Phoenix Way

Wigan

WN3 4NW

Employer's website

https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)