Greater Manchester Mental Health NHSFT

Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist (Cancer Care)

The closing date is 29 October 2025

Job summary

8A Practitioner Psychologist (0.8WTE)

Band 7 preceptorship may be available

We are excited to advertise this post within The Christie Hospital Psycho-Oncology department. This role would be suitable for applicants with previous experience of working within physical health settings (ideally cancer), but a preceptorship (commencing at Band 7) would be considered for less experienced candidates who have undertaken clinical roles in a relevant physical health setting (e.g. training placement during doctoral course).

You will join the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) supporting patients with cancer, and you will have support from a principal clinical psychologist already in post, as well as the support of other psycho-oncology team members. The role includes the possibility of training and supervision of non-psychology staff in screening for and working with emotional distress associated with living with and beyond cancer.

The role compromises direct clinical work, as well as MDT working and there will be opportunities to participate in system-level thinking and working around how to improve psychological aspects of cancer care across the Christie Hospital and Greater Manchester.

Main duties of the job

Post-holder must be able to form and sustain good and collaborative working relationships, using skills for formulation to help inform patient care, as well as the MDT approach.

Work flexibly and creatively with physical complexity, at times aligning therapeutic approach with other disciplines

Direct and indirect working, as well as contributing directly into particular difficulties faced by groups of patients within the service as they arise.

Ability to communicate and inform care beyond the immediate MDT to support patients in their pathways with other services (including mental health services) due to physical complexity/comorbidities.

Opportunities for service evaluation/audit/research, which the team places value on

The service also offers 'in-house' teaching/education sessions which the post-holder will be supported to attend and contribute to

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

16 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

437-7511217

Job locations

The Christie Hospital

Wilmslow Road

Manchester

M20 4BX


Job description

Job responsibilities

Qualifications

Essential

Has required qualifications

Training

Essential

Has training in relevant evidence based psychological therapy following physical health difficulties.

Experience

Essential

Has experience of providing evidence based psychological therapies

Desirable

Experience of working within acute hospital environments and liaising with hospital staff/MDTs

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
  • fuelGenie Fuel Cards (for applicable roles)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Qualifications

Essential

Has required qualifications

Training

Essential

Has training in relevant evidence based psychological therapy following physical health difficulties.

Experience

Essential

Has experience of providing evidence based psychological therapies

Desirable

Experience of working within acute hospital environments and liaising with hospital staff/MDTs

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
  • fuelGenie Fuel Cards (for applicable roles)

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oProfessional qualification in Clinical/Counselling/Health Psychology at doctoral level (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
  • oRegistration as a clinical/counselling/health psychologist with the HCPC

Desirable

  • oTraining in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological relevance (e.g. staff training, research methodology, and / or other fields of applied psychology)

Experience

Essential

  • oExperience of working with client groups in a physical health setting, presenting with the full range of clinical severity. This includes maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the possible threat of physical abuse. (less experienced candidates will be appointed at Band 7 and work towards 8A competencies)
  • oExperience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling/health psychologist (less experienced candidates will be appointed at Band 7 and work towards 8A competencies)
  • oExperience in the application of cognitive-behavioural approaches to clinical settings.
  • oExperience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment
  • oExperience of working within a multidisciplinary team

Desirable

  • oExperience of working within medical/surgical environments, delivering evidenced based psychological interventions to clients with physical health conditions such as Psycho-oncology.
  • oExperience of providing supervision and training

Knowledge

Essential

  • oDoctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology
  • oKnowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies

Desirable

  • oKnowledge of legislation in relation to clients of the Psycho-oncology service, and of relevant mental health legislation.

Skills

Essential

  • oSkills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
  • oWell-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical, and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
  • oAbility to use own initiative and to work under supervision where appropriate
  • oAbility to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise effectively with other professionals

Desirable

  • oSkills in providing consultation to other professionals and non-professional groups

Other

Essential

  • oAbility to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.

Desirable

  • oExperience of working within a multicultural framework
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oProfessional qualification in Clinical/Counselling/Health Psychology at doctoral level (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
  • oRegistration as a clinical/counselling/health psychologist with the HCPC

Desirable

  • oTraining in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological relevance (e.g. staff training, research methodology, and / or other fields of applied psychology)

Experience

Essential

  • oExperience of working with client groups in a physical health setting, presenting with the full range of clinical severity. This includes maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the possible threat of physical abuse. (less experienced candidates will be appointed at Band 7 and work towards 8A competencies)
  • oExperience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling/health psychologist (less experienced candidates will be appointed at Band 7 and work towards 8A competencies)
  • oExperience in the application of cognitive-behavioural approaches to clinical settings.
  • oExperience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment
  • oExperience of working within a multidisciplinary team

Desirable

  • oExperience of working within medical/surgical environments, delivering evidenced based psychological interventions to clients with physical health conditions such as Psycho-oncology.
  • oExperience of providing supervision and training

Knowledge

Essential

  • oDoctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology
  • oKnowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies

Desirable

  • oKnowledge of legislation in relation to clients of the Psycho-oncology service, and of relevant mental health legislation.

Skills

Essential

  • oSkills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
  • oWell-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical, and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
  • oAbility to use own initiative and to work under supervision where appropriate
  • oAbility to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and to liaise effectively with other professionals

Desirable

  • oSkills in providing consultation to other professionals and non-professional groups

Other

Essential

  • oAbility to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.

Desirable

  • oExperience of working within a multicultural framework

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

The Christie Hospital

Wilmslow Road

Manchester

M20 4BX


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHSFT

Address

The Christie Hospital

Wilmslow Road

Manchester

M20 4BX


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Principal Clinical Psychologist

Dr Colsom Bashir

colsom.bashir1@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

16 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

437-7511217

Job locations

The Christie Hospital

Wilmslow Road

Manchester

M20 4BX


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHSFT's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)