Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (09:00 - 17:00 Mon -Fri (occasional work outside these hours may be required))
- Job ref
- 437-7869159
- Employer
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Bolton, Salford, Wigan
- Town
- Salford, Wigan, Bolton
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 21/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
CERN Senior Clinical Practitioner - Inpatients
NHS AfC: Band 7
Job overview
GMMH are expanding and developing Senior Practitioner for Complex Emotional and Relational Needs (CERN) roles across the trust, specifically in the adult inpatient wards.
The Senior Practitioner roles deliver high-quality, person-centred care to individuals experiencing acute mental health crisis. You will provide psychologically and relationally informed therapeutic interventions, support trauma-informed care approaches, and contribute to the development of staff expertise in working with Complex Emotional and Relational Needs (CERN).
You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), offering consultation, supervision, and training to enhance staff confidence in managing emotional intensity, relational difficulties, and crisis behaviours. Your leadership will ensure a compassionate, recovery-focused environment, improving patient experiences and outcomes.
The Senior Practitioner for CERN roles will form part of the wider CERN/psychological workforce in the trust and will be closely aligned with CERN colleagues in the community care group.
The Senior Practitioner posts are being recruited for the Bolton, Wigan and Salford localities.
Main duties of the job
• Provide specialist assessment and interventions for individuals with complex emotional and relational needs.
• Support inpatient teams in delivering trauma-informed, psychologically informed care.
• Offer clinical supervision, consultation, and training to enhance staff skills and resilience.
• Lead on service development initiatives, ensuring best practices in relational and emotional needs care.
• Work collaboratively with MDTs, urgent care and community teams, as well as external agencies to facilitate safe and effective transitions of care.
• Contribute to risk management, crisis intervention, and de-escalation strategies.
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
- 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
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with people who have Complex Emotional and Relational Needs
- Experience of working within inpatient, community or urgent care care mental health services
- Professional healthcare registration.
- Practical experience in the management of risk to self and others and reducing restrictive practice.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of clinical leadership
- Experience of working in CERN specific services
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Evidence of post qualifying training relevant to CERN
- Knowledge and application of therapeutic interventions for CERN
- Knowledge of the principles and application of trauma informed care
Desirable criteria
- Accredited training specific to CERN
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
- Ben Ottiwell
- Job title
- Operational & Clinical Lead-Inpatient CERN Pathway
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07778521479
List jobs with Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust in Allied Health Professions or all sectors








