Principal Practitioner Psychologist | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional mental health service provider in Manchester is seeking a Principal Practitioner Psychologist. The role involves leadership within the psychology team, managing a clinical caseload, and ensuring high-quality psychologically-informed care for adults with complex needs. Applicants must be HCPC registered with extensive experience in secure settings. This full-time position offers benefits including generous annual leave and a strong pension scheme.

Benefits

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Excellent pension

Cycle to work scheme

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Wellbeing programme

Blue Light Card discounts

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in secure mental health settings.
• Ability to engage with multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience supervising and training junior staff.

Responsibilities

• Leading the Psychology Team at AFS.
• Managing clinical caseloads and staff.
• Providing supervision and training to staff from various disciplines.

Skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Team management

Psychologically-informed care

Decision making

Education

HCPC registration

Clinical/Forensic Psychology qualification

Job description

Are you looking for an opportunity to join a forensic mental health service where trauma‑informed, evidence‑based and relationally focused care are key priorities?

We wish to recruit an enthusiastic, experienced and skilled Principal Practitioner Psychologist (AFC Band 8B), to join a large and growing team of psychological practitioners at the GMMH Adult Forensic Service. We invite applications from suitably qualified Clinical/Forensic Psychologists. HCPC registration is essential. The post is full‑time position (1.0 WTE).

You will have extensive previous experience of working in a secure mental health setting and be ready to fulfil a key role in a leadership and managerial capacity, within both the psychology team and the wider multi‑disciplinary service structure. You will support organisation and delivery of psychologically‑informed care for a population of adults with complex needs, and histories of offending and/or significantly challenging behaviours. You will have high levels of ability to engage with systems – including families/support networks of service users, and colleagues from a range of disciplines and agencies. You will demonstrate excellent skills in communication and forging positive relationships, and contribute creatively to decision making and strategic planning within the service.

Responsibilities

• Fulfilling a leadership role within the Psychology Team at AFS
• Line management and supervisory responsibilities for other psychologists at Band 8A and below
• Representing psychology at specific AFS forums for service management and governance
• Holding a clinical caseload, including responsibility for provision within a MDT as the named psychologist across specific wards
• Providing supervision, training, and reflective practice for staff from a range of other disciplines within the service
• Maintaining competencies and skills for professional registration, through CPD and other relevant activity

Benefits

• 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)

Greater Manchester Mental Health 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.

This advert closes on Sunday 7 Dec 2025.