Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist

Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist NHS AfC: Band 8a

Main area: Physical Health Psychological Services. Grade: NHS AfC Band 8a. Contract: Permanent. Hours: Part time - 15 hours per week (flexible working options available). Job ref: 945

Site: North Manchester General Hospital. Town: Manchester. Salary: £53,755 - £60,504 per annum pro rata. Salary period: Yearly. Closing date: 13/06/:59

Job overview

Post: 8A Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical/Counselling/Health)

(Band 7 preceptorship available for less experienced candidates)

Hours: 0.4 WTE (Permanent)

This is an excellent opportunity to support specialist HIV services at the Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine based at North Manchester General Hospital (MFT). The role involves providing high-quality holistic care to service users living with or affected by HIV across the north sector of Greater Manchester. You will work as part of the HIV multidisciplinary team, offering expert psychological care, including neuropsychological assessments.

Main duties of the job

For 8A appointment: You will have gained post-qualification experience in physical health settings, ideally with experience working with HIV and familiarity with complex issues arising in such settings. You should be committed to working with a multidisciplinary medical team in inpatient, outpatient, and community environments. Less experienced candidates may be considered for a Band 7 preceptorship role while working towards 8A competencies.

You will work as an independent practitioner with your own clinical caseload, contribute to staff consultation, research, and multidisciplinary work. The post is supported and supervised by a senior Clinical Psychologist specializing in Physical Health services. Access to in-house and specialist CPD is provided. The post is employed by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust under a service level agreement with Manchester Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Working for our organisation

Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7,000 staff across more than 160 locations, providing inpatient and community mental health services across Bolton, Manchester, Salford, Trafford, and Wigan, as well as specialist services across Greater Manchester and beyond. We are located in a vibrant region offering a rich cultural environment, excellent amenities, and a welcoming community. Our staff enjoy opportunities for professional development and are encouraged to innovate and improve patient care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification

Shift pattern: Saturday (midnight to midnight), any weekday after 8 pm and before 6 am, all time on Sundays and public holidays (midnight to midnight).

Annual leave: 27 days plus bank holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years.

Person specification Qualifications

• Professional qualification in Clinical/Counselling/Health Psychology at doctoral level, accredited by the BPS.
• Registration with the HCPC as a clinical/counselling/health psychologist.
• Training in additional specialized areas of psychology (e.g., staff training, research methodology).

Experience

• Experience working with client groups in physical health settings, including HIV, managing highly emotive and distressing issues, verbal and physical abuse.
• Qualified clinical/counselling/health psychologist experience.
• Application of cognitive-behavioural approaches.
• Full clinical responsibility for psychological care.
• Multidisciplinary team experience.
• Experience delivering evidence-based psychological interventions for physical health conditions such as HIV.
• Supervision and training experience.

Knowledge

• Research design and methodology, including multivariate data analysis.
• Psychological therapies and relevant legislation, including mental health and HIV-specific legislation.
• Training in supervision of psychologists.

Skills

• Complex psychological assessment and intervention skills.
• Initiative and ability to work under supervision.
• Effective communication skills, both oral and written.
• Consultation skills for working with professionals and groups.

Other

• Teaching and training abilities using multimedia tools.
• Knowledge of clinical governance and managing challenging behaviors.
• Experience working within multicultural environments.

Additional information: All positions require pre-employment checks, including DBS. Applicants with experience outside NHS are encouraged to apply; salary may be adjusted accordingly. The role may close early if sufficient applications are received. The Trust is committed to diversity and safeguarding and welcomes applications from underrepresented groups.