Job summary
We are delighted to invite applications for an experienced and passionate Band 8b Couples and Family Systemic Psychotherapist to join our expanding Specialist Perinatal Service.
You will join a warm, skilled, multidisciplinary team committed to:
- Trauma-informed, compassionate care
- A relational and systemic focus across all pathways
- Promoting the wellbeing of infants, parents, and the wider family system
- Collaborative working with partners across maternity, health visiting, and community services
We welcome applications from clinicians who:
- Are caring, relational, and family-focused
- Have strong systemic formulation and intervention skills
- Enjoy collaborative, multi-agency work
- Are committed to high-quality, evidence-based practice
- Are enthusiastic about shaping developing perinatal pathways
We offer:
- A highly supportive and reflective multidisciplinary team
- Comprehensive induction to perinatal practice
- Specialist systemic supervision from an experienced Couples and Family Systemic Psychotherapist
- Regular, supportive line management
- Access to CPD opportunities, professional networks, and development programmes
- Opportunities for involvement in research, innovation and service improvement
- A culture that values staff wellbeing, shared learning, and compassionate leadership
Main duties of the job
As a senior systemic psychotherapist within the service, you will:
- Offer clinical leadership within the perinatal care pathway
- Provide specialist systemic assessments and interventions for couples and families
- Support and supervise systemic family practitioners within the team
- Contribute to service development, pathway design and quality improvement work
- Participate in research, audit and evaluation
- Deliver training and consultation to colleagues across the perinatal system
You will work with families experiencing a range of perinatal mental health difficulties, providing systemic therapy that recognises relational, cultural, and contextual influences on wellbeing.
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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification
Staff benefits
- Pay Enhancements
- 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
Please see attached job description and person specification
Staff benefits
- Pay Enhancements
- 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
Educations/Qualifications
Essential
- Core professional/graduate qualification in a relevant field of mental health or social welfare e.g., nursing, social work, psychology, and demonstrable practice over a minimum of four years or equivalent experience
- Masters or equivalent level qualification as a Systemic and Family Psychotherapist
- Up to date Professional Registration (to be maintained) - UKCP registration: meeting CPD requirements including relevant short and long training events.
- Training in systemic supervision to the level of being a AFSP approved supervisor or willingness to undertake training within 2 years of appointment of post
Desirable
- A relevant management qualification and or training.
- AFT Approved Clinical Supervisor
- Hold a recognised qualification in teaching
Experience
Essential
- A minimum of 4 years post qualification experience as a systemic psychotherapist or equivalent experience including multi disciplinary experience of working with children, adolescents, families, and groups; some leadership experience and experience working across different services
- Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of teaching and training systemic psychotherapy in multiple contexts
Desirable
- Experience of representing a team or the profession at a local level and Trust level
- Experience of professional management of staff and/or managing budgets
- Experience in the field of perinatal mental health
Skills
Essential
- Advanced knowledge and skills in using the complete range of approaches within systemic practice as required to meet the needs of different patients and settings
- Ability to take full clinical responsibility for patient care and treatment
- Ability to work within a culturally diversive community in a wide variety of contexts
- Interpersonal skills of the highest level to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in order to convey complex and clinically sensitive information to family members of all ages and to a wide range of lay and professional persons, within and outside of the NHS
- Ability to demonstrate leadership and management skills and to articulate the value added by systemic psychotherapy services to multi disciplinary work
- Advanced knowledge and skills in providing consultation to other professionals and non professional groups.
- Information technology and management skills using word processing, spreadsheets, database and presentation software.
- Advanced skills in the use of videotape and other multi-media materials suitable for presentations in public, professional and academic settings
Desirable
- High level of knowledge and/or training and other psychological therapies
Knowledge
Essential
- Advanced level of knowledge of the mental health needs of women, partners and families in the perinatal period
- Knowledge of legislation and strategic frameworks and their implications for both clinical practice and professional management
- Knowledge of research design and methodology consistent with systemic practice to at least Masters level or equivalent.
Person Specification
Educations/Qualifications
Essential
- Core professional/graduate qualification in a relevant field of mental health or social welfare e.g., nursing, social work, psychology, and demonstrable practice over a minimum of four years or equivalent experience
- Masters or equivalent level qualification as a Systemic and Family Psychotherapist
- Up to date Professional Registration (to be maintained) - UKCP registration: meeting CPD requirements including relevant short and long training events.
- Training in systemic supervision to the level of being a AFSP approved supervisor or willingness to undertake training within 2 years of appointment of post
Desirable
- A relevant management qualification and or training.
- AFT Approved Clinical Supervisor
- Hold a recognised qualification in teaching
Experience
Essential
- A minimum of 4 years post qualification experience as a systemic psychotherapist or equivalent experience including multi disciplinary experience of working with children, adolescents, families, and groups; some leadership experience and experience working across different services
- Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of teaching and training systemic psychotherapy in multiple contexts
Desirable
- Experience of representing a team or the profession at a local level and Trust level
- Experience of professional management of staff and/or managing budgets
- Experience in the field of perinatal mental health
Skills
Essential
- Advanced knowledge and skills in using the complete range of approaches within systemic practice as required to meet the needs of different patients and settings
- Ability to take full clinical responsibility for patient care and treatment
- Ability to work within a culturally diversive community in a wide variety of contexts
- Interpersonal skills of the highest level to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in order to convey complex and clinically sensitive information to family members of all ages and to a wide range of lay and professional persons, within and outside of the NHS
- Ability to demonstrate leadership and management skills and to articulate the value added by systemic psychotherapy services to multi disciplinary work
- Advanced knowledge and skills in providing consultation to other professionals and non professional groups.
- Information technology and management skills using word processing, spreadsheets, database and presentation software.
- Advanced skills in the use of videotape and other multi-media materials suitable for presentations in public, professional and academic settings
Desirable
- High level of knowledge and/or training and other psychological therapies
Knowledge
Essential
- Advanced level of knowledge of the mental health needs of women, partners and families in the perinatal period
- Knowledge of legislation and strategic frameworks and their implications for both clinical practice and professional management
- Knowledge of research design and methodology consistent with systemic practice to at least Masters level or equivalent.
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.
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.
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 NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Cluster 1, 2 or 3 of the Specialist Perinatal Service
Central Park
Manchester
M40 5BP
Employer's website
https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
