Job summary
Interview will be held on 22nd May 2025
We are a warm,innovative and forward-thinking psychology service in a compassionate and highly rated Mental Health and Community Trust. We are passionate about improving the lives of people with learning disabilities and are looking for someone who shares these values.
Are you an innovative and forward-looking clinical / counselling psychologist with a background of working in psychology services for people with learning disabilities? Do you have experience of successfully leading psychological services, managing strategic projects, and of working effectively in multi-disciplinary settings?
If the above describes you, and if you're energetic and ready for your next career move, we are looking for the right person to join the leadership of our service. This is a rare opportunity to join a well-established psychology service where psychologists work closely with other multi-disciplinary professionals to offer high-quality care to adults with learning disabilities both in a community setting and in an inpatient unit. This is a great time to become involved to support, lead and progress this work. If successful you will be supported to develop your clinical leadership and change management skills, while continuing to use your supervision, consultation, training and governance skills to enhance client and staff well-being.
Main duties of the job
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To lead, manage, and supervise the psychological workforce to enable all staff to deliver high quality assessments and evidence-based interventions to adults with learning disabilities referred to the service.
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To bring a personal, professional and leadership approach which is collaborative and compassionate and enables positive engagement, emotional containment, and skills-development relevant to work with the client group.
Location: Based in Reading, with Trust-wide responsibilities.
Flexibility: Opportunities for home and flexible working arrangements - although travelling to sites in Berkshire will be required at times.
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust sites
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to contact: Dr Sarah Walden, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on sarah.walden@berkshire.nhs.uk or in 0118 904 7197, 07890 395584 who will be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to contact: Dr Sarah Walden, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on sarah.walden@berkshire.nhs.uk or in 0118 904 7197, 07890 395584 who will be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- For Clinical/Counselling Psychologist Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical/counselling psychology (or approved equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas) which provides eligibility for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) or UKCP/BPC
- Additional accreditations to reflect post qualification specialist training (e.g., BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, BACP, BPS/ACT, EMDR-UK).
- Evidence of post-qualification specialist training to accreditable level in at least two areas of psychological practice in the area of learning disability OR Evidence of extensive post-qualification training, experience and expert knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches with an evidence base in the area of learning disability.
- Clinical supervision qualification and accreditation.
- Professional leadership qualification or equivalent level of substantial experience
- Training and/or proven ability in providing effective education, consultation and coaching to develop and support others.
Previous Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience working as a qualified Principal clinical/counselling psychologist, including demonstrable post qualification experience at a highly specialist level in the related specialisms.
- Substantial experience of working in evidence-based ways with service users (and their carers and families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of care settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and threatening behaviour.
- Extensive experience of managing highly complex situations concerning safeguarding, risk management, clinical governance, complaints and investigations.
- Demonstrable experience of applying professional expertise when leading multidisciplinary teams / in multi-agency environments in a relevant clinical setting.
- Extensive experience of leading services and teams with complex caseloads requiring the application of evidence-based psychological methods, assessments, formulation, and interventions.
- Extensive experience of teaching and professional/clinical supervision as well as experience of developing training and supervisory models
- Evidence of successfully holding responsibility for, delivering and being accountable for services that meet local and national targets
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Able to manage a demanding and complex caseload while supporting junior colleagues.
- High level and well-developed ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within the Trust and across the system.
- Extensive experience of successfully managing complex and challenging discussions with system partners, including where there may be disagreement about responsibility for care.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Teaching and group facilitation skills
- Exceptional and highly effective interpersonal communication skills with the ability to support, engage and lead patients, clinicians and other stakeholder groups in change, development and improvement
- Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO outlook, databases, MS office and the internet)
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
Additional requirements
Essential
- Demonstrates the ability to respond to people's needs sensitively particularly regarding all aspects of diversity
- Able to work flexibly as required (including on call where relevant) and to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- For Clinical/Counselling Psychologist Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical/counselling psychology (or approved equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas) which provides eligibility for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) or UKCP/BPC
- Additional accreditations to reflect post qualification specialist training (e.g., BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, BACP, BPS/ACT, EMDR-UK).
- Evidence of post-qualification specialist training to accreditable level in at least two areas of psychological practice in the area of learning disability OR Evidence of extensive post-qualification training, experience and expert knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches with an evidence base in the area of learning disability.
- Clinical supervision qualification and accreditation.
- Professional leadership qualification or equivalent level of substantial experience
- Training and/or proven ability in providing effective education, consultation and coaching to develop and support others.
Previous Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience working as a qualified Principal clinical/counselling psychologist, including demonstrable post qualification experience at a highly specialist level in the related specialisms.
- Substantial experience of working in evidence-based ways with service users (and their carers and families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of care settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and threatening behaviour.
- Extensive experience of managing highly complex situations concerning safeguarding, risk management, clinical governance, complaints and investigations.
- Demonstrable experience of applying professional expertise when leading multidisciplinary teams / in multi-agency environments in a relevant clinical setting.
- Extensive experience of leading services and teams with complex caseloads requiring the application of evidence-based psychological methods, assessments, formulation, and interventions.
- Extensive experience of teaching and professional/clinical supervision as well as experience of developing training and supervisory models
- Evidence of successfully holding responsibility for, delivering and being accountable for services that meet local and national targets
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Able to manage a demanding and complex caseload while supporting junior colleagues.
- High level and well-developed ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within the Trust and across the system.
- Extensive experience of successfully managing complex and challenging discussions with system partners, including where there may be disagreement about responsibility for care.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Teaching and group facilitation skills
- Exceptional and highly effective interpersonal communication skills with the ability to support, engage and lead patients, clinicians and other stakeholder groups in change, development and improvement
- Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO outlook, databases, MS office and the internet)
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
Additional requirements
Essential
- Demonstrates the ability to respond to people's needs sensitively particularly regarding all aspects of diversity
- Able to work flexibly as required (including on call where relevant) and to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position.
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).
