Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health Research
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Secondment: 18 months (0.2 WTE)
- Hours
- Part time - 7.5 hours per week (Happy to discuss flexible working)
- Job ref
- 437-7399673-A
- Employer
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Central Park/ GMMH footprint
- Town
- MANCHESTER
- Salary
- £55,690 - £62,682 Pro rata per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Trial Therapist
Band 8a
Job overview
Relational Approach to Working with Young People who Self-Harm (RELATE-YP) is an National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded feasibility randomised controlled trial, evaluating Cognitive Analytic Therapy as a treatment for young people (13-17) who self-harm. Self-harm is a significant clinical concern given the association with distress, and subsequent risk of emotional difficulties and suicide. Self-harm often has its onset in adolescence and is very prevalent in this population. Despite this, current services, and support for young people who self-harm is lacking. Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is a widely used relational approach that has real potential as an intervention for young people who self-harm. It is a trans-diagnostic model that can be delivered in a brief 8 session format. Whilst research so far supports CAT as a treatment for a variety of mental health difficulties, research into its suitability for young people who self-harm is lacking. A key next step is to ascertain whether larger clinical trials of CAT for adults who self-harm could be feasibly undertaken.
Secondment opportunities will be considered.
Main duties of the job
The primary aim of this project is to ascertain the feasibility of evaluating an 8-session CAT intervention for young people (13-17) who self-harm within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). The project will be taking place across three sites: Pennine Care NHS Foundation trust, Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation NHS Trust (GMMH), Rotherham, Doncaster, and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDASH).
We are looking for a Trial therapist for the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) site of the trial. The therapist should have completed the CAT practitioner training, though applicants in their second year of CAT training will be considered. They should also have experience working with young people.
The trial therapist will receive further training and supervision in the trial therapy and work alongside other trial therapists to deliver high quality therapies in line with therapy protocols. The post holder will also be expected to contribute to study processes including maintaining research records and participating in qualitative research conducted alongside the RCT.
The post holder will need to travel to different study sites and to the University of Manchester to attend meetings, training, and supervision.
Working for our organisation
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.
Detailed job description and main 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
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Postgraduate level training in applied psychology (Clinical/ Forensic/ Counselling Psychology) as approved by an appropriate accrediting body (HCPC, BABCP).
- To have completed the first year of Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) practitioner training. The training provider must be recognised by the Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT). This may include applicants who completed the first year of CAT training as part of a Clinical Psychology Doctoral programme (where year 1 CAT training is an embedded part of the programme).
Desirable criteria
- To have fully completed Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) practitioner training. The training provider must be recognised by the Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT).
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of young people within a mental health setting.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of working therapeutically with clients who have experienced self-harm
Desirable criteria
- Experience of using CAT or CAT-informed approaches with clients experiencing self-harm
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Shows evidence of knowledge and expertise into the issues of providing psychological therapy to young people who self-harm
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Evidence of high level of general clinical skills
- Ability to prepare and present research reports and presentations
- Good IT skills
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr. Peter Taylor
- Job title
- Chief Investigator
- Email address
- [email protected]
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