MHST Service Lead | Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in Sale

MFT Mental Health Support Teams have three core functions:

• Delivering evidence-based interventions for mild to moderate mental health presentations.
• Supporting the mental health leads in each school/college to support a whole school approach to wellbeing and mental health.
• Providing timely advice and guidance to education staff and liaising with specialist services to support children and young people to receive effective support to remain in education.

Trafford MHST works flexibly in several educational settings, working alongside education colleagues to develop and provide preventive and early help support to meet the needs of their pupils experiencing low intensity mental health issues, mainly anxiety, low mood and emotional regulation. We have the opportunity to reach children and young people at the earliest stages possible when their difficulties have first been identified ensuring schools, families, professionals and mental health practitioners work collaboratively to acknowledge the voice of the young person and provide effective interventions in a dynamic and innovative way.

The team currently consists of a service lead, senior clinicians, supervisors, Education Mental Health Practitioners, Children and Young People’s Wellbeing Practitioners and administrative support. The Service Lead will be accountable for ensuring the effective management and delivery of services in their particular service area. You will ensure the key functions of the role are undertaken through effective management and leadership, collaborative working, supporting the delivery of performance targets, contracted activity levels, quality standards and quality of services.

This role is predominately concerned with being a key member of a Clinical Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Head of Early Intervention and Prevention. You will be leading innovation and specific projects, as well as creating frameworks for the enhancing of Mental Health Support Teams. Whilst the primary focus of the post will be the clinical leadership of the team, you will be encouraged to foster Greater Manchester links in the overall interests of furthering knowledge and best practice. The role will promote excellence in clinical practice and communicate this to internal and external partners. You will have advanced clinical skills and be expected to spend an agreed amount of your time in clinical practice. You will also be required to liaise and collaborate with colleagues of all disciplines involved in children and young people’s mental health. There is an expectation that an agreed amount of time will be dedicated to training and development.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is a leading centre of clinical excellence, renowned for pioneering patient care, advanced medical research, and a collaborative multi-speciality environment. We are the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester is the largest health academic campus in Europe – a great place to progress your career. With over 30,000 employees, a turnover exceeding £3 billion, and 10 hospital and community services, join our team to help us deliver outstanding healthcare to our diverse communities.

We offer an engaging and supportive environment, with access to state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology. Research and Innovation are at the heart of our work, offering opportunities to lead research that shapes the future of medicine, working alongside experts, advancing clinical practice, and improving patient outcomes. At MFT, we foster a culture where every colleague is valued and empowered to thrive. Your expertise is recognised, your ambitions are supported, and your impact is felt at every level. Whether you want to develop your clinical skills, pursue research interests, or seek leadership opportunities, MFT provides the ideal environment to achieve your medical or professional aspirations.

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Supporting Documents’ heading. We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity Matters: MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application: Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU—for our patients, our communities, and each other. As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application—especially personal statements and responses to role-specific questions—be written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.