Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified Systemic Family Practitioner (SFP) to be part of an expanding Specialist Perinatal Service, working collaboratively to deliver the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan in Greater Manchester. This includes expansion of psychological therapies to include couples' and family interventions to women/ families referred to the service.
We have opportunities for 3 full-time (37.5 hours/week) Systemic Family Practitioners (SFP) to work in our service in Greater Manchester (across 3 clusters)
-Cluster 1 (Central and South Manchester, Trafford and Stockport) based at Laureate House
-Cluster 2 (Bury, Bolton, Salford and Wigan) based at Hexagon Tower
-Cluster 3 (North Manchester, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside and Glossop) based at Central Park
Our service provides specialist assessment and intervention for women/birthing people and their families experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties during pregnancy and the first post-natal year.
Our service recognises that perinatal mental health challenges exist within relational and systemic contexts, and your expertise will be integral to our clinical approach.
We are looking for caring, family-focused and dynamic clinicians who aspire to or have experience of working with women and their families during the perinatal period.
Main duties of the job
The primary purpose of this role is to provide systemic assessment, formulation and intervention to women and their families, and to provide systemic guidance to the MDT under supervision from a Family and Couples and Systemic Psychotherapist. You will be a specialist resource and contribute to the team's systemic knowledge and clinical practice via training and upskilling.
This role offers the opportunity to practice thoughtfully and creatively and to make a meaningful difference to families at a particularly vulnerable time.
The position offers excellent professional development opportunities within a supportive and collaborative clinical environment including comprehensive induction, individual clinical supervision with an experienced Couples and Families Systemic Psychotherapist, reflective practice, access to continuing professional development and a supportive multidisciplinary team.
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
Clinical
- To undertake thorough specialist systemic assessments of women referred to the team. This includes the gathering of appropriate information from the family, utilising a range of systemic methodologies (e.g. interactional patterns, levels of context) and from other professionals and agencies.
- To provide a specialist level of systemic assessment, formulation and intervention with women in the perinatal period and their families. This includes delivery of a range of systemic skills and techniques to individuals, couples, and families, in the context of professional and wider social systems.
- To undertake risk assessment and the management of risk following an act or intent of deliberate self-harm.
- To hold a complex caseload and to exercise autonomy within supervisory and managerial structures for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.
- Following assessment, in conjunction with the patient and family when appropriate to derive a clinical formulation and treatment plan and communicate this in writing to the referrer and other professions within limits of confidentiality.
- To implement directly a variety of systemic skills as appropriate to client needs and to the level of systemic qualification held including couples, co-parenting and family interventions.
- To provide advice, guidance, and consultation to other team members as appropriate in groups or on an individual basis, drawing upon systemic theory, knowledge and evidence base as in line with the level of systemic qualification held and core professional qualification.
- To provide systemic intervention under the supervision of a clinical Family and Systemic Psychotherapist supervisor and to work in ways which are sensitive to the needs of families from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds.
- To identify and respond appropriately to child protection issues within procedures set down by trust and local child protection committee.
- To observe professional confidentiality in all matters relating to your work.
- Establish and maintain good relationships and clear communication with other local agencies [e.g. Social Services, Midwives, Health Visitors and GP].
- To facilitate collaboration and joint working with other relevant professionals.
Teaching, training and support
- To participate in service and team reviews, in line with Trust, Directorate Needs.
- To participate in appropriate training courses, talks and seminars to other disciplines and organisations, statutory and non-statutory.
- To participate in regular systemic clinical supervision from a qualified Family Therapist and other relevant supervision from senior professional colleagues including the team clinical psychologist, team social worker.
- To keep up-to-date with current developments and research-based practice in perinatal mental health and systemic practices.
- To participate in and undertake individual performance review and to maintain professional standards and be involved in personal / professional development and update as necessary or required.
- Co-operating with management in the formulation of, and adherence to, procedures relating to Health and Safety Policy.
- To provide consultation, advice and training as appropriate to professionals outside of the team as in line with the level of systemic qualification held and core professional qualification.
Administration
- To maintain up-to-date comprehensive clinical notes and prepare formal documents such as letters, reports and summaries.
- To record and submit statistical information as required by the service. Statistical information will be to both local for team information or to the Trust data collection system.
- To ensure administrative tasks are completed within the time scales set down in service protocols.
- To attend and participate in team referral meetings, business meetings, supervision and support meetings.
- To contribute to the formulation and evaluation of policies and the development of ideas for changing policies as appropriate.
Clinical governance
- To participate in team evaluations, team reviews and risk assessments
- To participate in audit meetings as set down by team, to contribute to team projects such as audit, evidence-based practice, research.
- To assist in ensuring that all practice is both clinically safe and can show evidence of evidence-based practice.
- To assist in any research projects running or set up within local team, directorate or Trust.
- To participate in team initiatives to ensure quality of service e.g. client satisfaction questionnaires.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- To undertake thorough specialist systemic assessments of women referred to the team. This includes the gathering of appropriate information from the family, utilising a range of systemic methodologies (e.g. interactional patterns, levels of context) and from other professionals and agencies.
- To provide a specialist level of systemic assessment, formulation and intervention with women in the perinatal period and their families. This includes delivery of a range of systemic skills and techniques to individuals, couples, and families, in the context of professional and wider social systems.
- To undertake risk assessment and the management of risk following an act or intent of deliberate self-harm.
- To hold a complex caseload and to exercise autonomy within supervisory and managerial structures for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.
- Following assessment, in conjunction with the patient and family when appropriate to derive a clinical formulation and treatment plan and communicate this in writing to the referrer and other professions within limits of confidentiality.
- To implement directly a variety of systemic skills as appropriate to client needs and to the level of systemic qualification held including couples, co-parenting and family interventions.
- To provide advice, guidance, and consultation to other team members as appropriate in groups or on an individual basis, drawing upon systemic theory, knowledge and evidence base as in line with the level of systemic qualification held and core professional qualification.
- To provide systemic intervention under the supervision of a clinical Family and Systemic Psychotherapist supervisor and to work in ways which are sensitive to the needs of families from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds.
- To identify and respond appropriately to child protection issues within procedures set down by trust and local child protection committee.
- To observe professional confidentiality in all matters relating to your work.
- Establish and maintain good relationships and clear communication with other local agencies [e.g. Social Services, Midwives, Health Visitors and GP].
- To facilitate collaboration and joint working with other relevant professionals.
Teaching, training and support
- To participate in service and team reviews, in line with Trust, Directorate Needs.
- To participate in appropriate training courses, talks and seminars to other disciplines and organisations, statutory and non-statutory.
- To participate in regular systemic clinical supervision from a qualified Family Therapist and other relevant supervision from senior professional colleagues including the team clinical psychologist, team social worker.
- To keep up-to-date with current developments and research-based practice in perinatal mental health and systemic practices.
- To participate in and undertake individual performance review and to maintain professional standards and be involved in personal / professional development and update as necessary or required.
- Co-operating with management in the formulation of, and adherence to, procedures relating to Health and Safety Policy.
- To provide consultation, advice and training as appropriate to professionals outside of the team as in line with the level of systemic qualification held and core professional qualification.
Administration
- To maintain up-to-date comprehensive clinical notes and prepare formal documents such as letters, reports and summaries.
- To record and submit statistical information as required by the service. Statistical information will be to both local for team information or to the Trust data collection system.
- To ensure administrative tasks are completed within the time scales set down in service protocols.
- To attend and participate in team referral meetings, business meetings, supervision and support meetings.
- To contribute to the formulation and evaluation of policies and the development of ideas for changing policies as appropriate.
Clinical governance
- To participate in team evaluations, team reviews and risk assessments
- To participate in audit meetings as set down by team, to contribute to team projects such as audit, evidence-based practice, research.
- To assist in ensuring that all practice is both clinically safe and can show evidence of evidence-based practice.
- To assist in any research projects running or set up within local team, directorate or Trust.
- To participate in team initiatives to ensure quality of service e.g. client satisfaction questionnaires.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to diploma/degree level and registered with an appropriate body (i.e. Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Work, Registered General Nurse, OT, Psychology etc. An AFT (Association Family Therapy & Systemic Practice) accredited - Level 2 Intermediate Systemic Training or an accredited CYP-IAPT Training in Systemic Family Practice. Membership of AFT
Desirable
- Supervision qualification
Experience
Essential
- Generic and discipline specific mental health assessments and treatments of parents and families across a range of ages
- Formulating and devising treatment plans for a range of presentations. Including both short and long-term treatment approaches
- Working autonomously with families providing an assessment and treatment service
- Knowledge and skill of using variety of systemic approaches e.g. social constructionist, narrative, solution focussed
- Contributing to multidisciplinary team meetings and co-working assessments and treatment within clinic-based settings
- Ability to offer advice, guidance, consultation and training to other professionals
Desirable
- 2 years' experience in either Adult or Child mental health
- Experience of providing a culturally competent service
- Working autonomously within community settings
Skills
Essential
- Skills in working systemically with individuals, couples, family, and groups
- Skills in systemic practice / family assessment, formulation and intervention
- Ability to form good working relationships and work flexibly with others in a multidisciplinary and multi-agency setting
- Able to work flexibly and both case manage and work therapeutically.
- Have respect for different disciplines and therapeutic approaches.
Desirable
- Interest and ability to contribute to service development
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of multi-media materials suitable for presentations with clients and /or professionals
Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of MDT working
- Understanding of Adult/Child safeguarding issues
- Competent in use of IT packages such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
- Demonstrate the ability to work in highly demanding environment
- Evidence of diplomacy and negotiation skills
- Able to demonstrate imaginative and effective use of resources
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of family and systemic psychotherapy
- Knowledge and Skills of a range of models in the assessment and treatment of mental health including specific family and systemic theories and evidence base
- Knowledge and skills in effective communication, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Knowledge of the relevant clinical research literature and ability to apply it to field of child mental health
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health, education and the children Act and Child protection
Desirable
- Know about different models of family work and evidence base for family therapy
- Working knowledge of the theory and practice of at least one other specialist psychological therapy
- Attachment theory and relevance to parent / infant mental health
- Knowledge and experience of working with women and families in the perinatal period
- Have an interest in academic links and research
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to diploma/degree level and registered with an appropriate body (i.e. Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Work, Registered General Nurse, OT, Psychology etc. An AFT (Association Family Therapy & Systemic Practice) accredited - Level 2 Intermediate Systemic Training or an accredited CYP-IAPT Training in Systemic Family Practice. Membership of AFT
Desirable
- Supervision qualification
Experience
Essential
- Generic and discipline specific mental health assessments and treatments of parents and families across a range of ages
- Formulating and devising treatment plans for a range of presentations. Including both short and long-term treatment approaches
- Working autonomously with families providing an assessment and treatment service
- Knowledge and skill of using variety of systemic approaches e.g. social constructionist, narrative, solution focussed
- Contributing to multidisciplinary team meetings and co-working assessments and treatment within clinic-based settings
- Ability to offer advice, guidance, consultation and training to other professionals
Desirable
- 2 years' experience in either Adult or Child mental health
- Experience of providing a culturally competent service
- Working autonomously within community settings
Skills
Essential
- Skills in working systemically with individuals, couples, family, and groups
- Skills in systemic practice / family assessment, formulation and intervention
- Ability to form good working relationships and work flexibly with others in a multidisciplinary and multi-agency setting
- Able to work flexibly and both case manage and work therapeutically.
- Have respect for different disciplines and therapeutic approaches.
Desirable
- Interest and ability to contribute to service development
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of multi-media materials suitable for presentations with clients and /or professionals
Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of MDT working
- Understanding of Adult/Child safeguarding issues
- Competent in use of IT packages such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
- Demonstrate the ability to work in highly demanding environment
- Evidence of diplomacy and negotiation skills
- Able to demonstrate imaginative and effective use of resources
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of family and systemic psychotherapy
- Knowledge and Skills of a range of models in the assessment and treatment of mental health including specific family and systemic theories and evidence base
- Knowledge and skills in effective communication, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Knowledge of the relevant clinical research literature and ability to apply it to field of child mental health
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health, education and the children Act and Child protection
Desirable
- Know about different models of family work and evidence base for family therapy
- Working knowledge of the theory and practice of at least one other specialist psychological therapy
- Attachment theory and relevance to parent / infant mental health
- Knowledge and experience of working with women and families in the perinatal period
- Have an interest in academic links and research
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 (Specialist Perinatal Service)
Wythenshawe Hospital, Laureate House
Southmoor Road
M23 9LT
Employer's website
https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
