Assistant Psychologist

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Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust Assistant Psychologist

The closing date is 18 September 2026

Apply for this job

Job summary

We are recruiting an Assistant Psychologist to work within the inpatient Adult Forensic Mental Health Service at the Riverside Centre. We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated psychology graduates, to work with people who have complex needs and behaviour that has brought them into secure services.

You will join a large team of experienced colleagues. You will be involved in activities that include assessment, therapeutic interventions and work to support colleagues in the wider service. You will also be involved in research/audit/QI activity in your role here.

We expect applicants to appreciate the kinds of issues and challenges that are faced in working with people who have mental health difficulties and problems related to offending and/or aggression and violence towards others. Histories of significant adversity and trauma, and problems with self-harm, substance misuse, and managing relationships with others are common. Ideally, you will have prior experience in working in a forensic/secure setting and/or a service where you have supported people with complex needs. You will receive all necessary training, supervision and support to enable you to fulfil the role effectively, and to also maintain your own psychological and emotional well-being.

If you feel that you are ready for the opportunities, challenges and rewards that working in a setting like this provides, then this may well be the next role for you! We look forward to your application.

Main duties of the job

To contribute to the provision of a high-quality, specialist psychology service for individuals with complex clinical and forensic needs located in male medium and low services, or the women's secure blended service

based at Prestwich Hospital Site (including Riverside Centre and the Lowry Unit). The post holder will join a psychology department that comprises clinical, counselling, and forensic psychologists, and an art therapist. The post entails working within a Multi-Disciplinary Team (including Psychiatry, Occupational Therapy, Social Care and Nursing teams), contributing to risk assessment and formulation and providing therapeutic interventions to inpatients. These can be provided on both an individual and group basis, all under the supervision and line management of a qualified psychologist. The post holder will also be expected to contribute to other service-related activities - including service evaluations and audits, as required.

About us

Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) 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.

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

07 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£28,392 to £31,157 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

437-8125275-A

Job locations

Riverside Centre

Bury New Road

Prestwich

M25 3BL

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see full Job description and Person Specification attached to this vacancy.

To undertake direct work with service users to facilitate psychological understanding of their needs and risks.

To support the psychological assessment, formulation, and treatment of

forensic mental health inpatients. This could be informed by one or more

therapeutic approaches (e.g., schema therapy, cognitive analytic therapy (CAT),dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), compassion focused therapy (CFT) etc),

and be in individual or group contexts.

To be able to use and review structured professional judgement tools to develop an understanding of a service users risk.

To attend and contribute to Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings to assist in development of psychological formulations to support the multi-disciplinary teams understanding of service users presentation, needs and risk management plans.

To contribute to progress notes, letters, reports, risk assessments and

management plans, and other clinical documents.

To work with potentially distressing material in relation to service users personal

histories and offending behaviour, as well as risks to self and others.

Have an understanding of working under supervision and direction, with an awareness of professional limits.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see full Job description and Person Specification attached to this vacancy.

To undertake direct work with service users to facilitate psychological understanding of their needs and risks.

To support the psychological assessment, formulation, and treatment of

forensic mental health inpatients. This could be informed by one or more

therapeutic approaches (e.g., schema therapy, cognitive analytic therapy (CAT),dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), compassion focused therapy (CFT) etc),

and be in individual or group contexts.

To be able to use and review structured professional judgement tools to develop an understanding of a service users risk.

To attend and contribute to Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings to assist in development of psychological formulations to support the multi-disciplinary teams understanding of service users presentation, needs and risk management plans.

To contribute to progress notes, letters, reports, risk assessments and

management plans, and other clinical documents.

To work with potentially distressing material in relation to service users personal

histories and offending behaviour, as well as risks to self and others.

Have an understanding of working under supervision and direction, with an awareness of professional limits.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential

• A first or upper second-class honours Psychology Degree accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) OR a lower second with the addition of a higher degree in psychology (e.g., MSc).

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, and/or research design and analysis.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a forensic setting or with forensic service users
• Experience of working with people with significant mental health problems, complex psychological distress or personality difficulties

Desirable

• Experience of research evaluation and audit of the application of psychological principles to mental health problems
• Previous experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist
• Experience of working within an integrated multi-disciplinary team

Knowledge

Essential

• Awareness and understanding of issues relating to risk and forensic mental health settings
• An understanding of the needs of service users with complex mental health difficulties and/or other psychological/physical disabilities
• Experience using computers for databases and data-analysis

Desirable

• Awareness of one or more structured professional judgement risk assessment tools (e.g., the HCR-20v3, the RSVP, the SARA, etc)
• Awareness of the basic principles of one or more therapeutic approaches (e.g., schema therapy, cognitive analytic therapy (CAT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), etc)
• An understanding of forensic mental health related-legal frameworks

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• High-level communication and interpersonal skills (written and verbal), including report writing, and an ability to engage and establish positive working relationships with professionals and service users
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and supervised at regular intervals
• Ability to self-reflect and respond well to feedback
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively
• Basic IT skills, including the ability to use word processor and spreadsheet software, and to quickly learn how to use new applications (e.g., the Trust electronic patient health record)

Desirable

• Skills in group facilitation
• Skills in research analysis
• Professional robustness and resourcefulness when working with complex service users
• Skills in working within a multi-disciplinary team and the ability to communicate effectively with varied range of professionals

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential

• A first or upper second-class honours Psychology Degree accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) OR a lower second with the addition of a higher degree in psychology (e.g., MSc).

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, and/or research design and analysis.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a forensic setting or with forensic service users
• Experience of working with people with significant mental health problems, complex psychological distress or personality difficulties

Desirable

• Experience of research evaluation and audit of the application of psychological principles to mental health problems
• Previous experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist
• Experience of working within an integrated multi-disciplinary team

Knowledge

Essential

• Awareness and understanding of issues relating to risk and forensic mental health settings
• An understanding of the needs of service users with complex mental health difficulties and/or other psychological/physical disabilities
• Experience using computers for databases and data-analysis

Desirable

• Awareness of one or more structured professional judgement risk assessment tools (e.g., the HCR-20v3, the RSVP, the SARA, etc)
• Awareness of the basic principles of one or more therapeutic approaches (e.g., schema therapy, cognitive analytic therapy (CAT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), etc)
• An understanding of forensic mental health related-legal frameworks

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• High-level communication and interpersonal skills (written and verbal), including report writing, and an ability to engage and establish positive working relationships with professionals and service users
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and supervised at regular intervals
• Ability to self-reflect and respond well to feedback
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively
• Basic IT skills, including the ability to use word processor and spreadsheet software, and to quickly learn how to use new applications (e.g., the Trust electronic patient health record)

Desirable

• Skills in group facilitation
• Skills in research analysis
• Professional robustness and resourcefulness when working with complex service users
• Skills in working within a multi-disciplinary team and the ability to communicate effectively with varied range of professionals

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).

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Riverside Centre

Bury New Road

Prestwich

M25 3BL

United Kingdom

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Riverside Centre

Bury New Road

Prestwich

M25 3BL

United Kingdom

Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Abigail Faleur

[email protected]

Details

Date posted

07 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£28,392 to £31,157 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

437-8125275-A

Job locations

Riverside Centre

Bury New Road

Prestwich

M25 3BL

United Kingdom

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