Job summary
An excellent opportunity has become available for a Band 7 Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to join the Berkshire CAMHS West Specialist Community Team (SCT) covering Reading, Wokingham and Newbury localities.
The Specialist Community Teams provide assessments, therapeutic interventions, and care coordination for children and young people who are experiencing moderate to severe complex mental health difficulties. We work as a close and supportive multidisciplinary team and in partnership with other CAMHS teams and external agencies to provide high quality and holistic mental health care to young people.
The post will involve joining a team of clinicians within our Specialist Community Team to provide assessments, care-coordination, and evidence-based psychological interventions to young people and their families. As a newly qualified member of the team, you will be supported through regular clinical and management supervision as well as receiving support and guidance through the MDT.
Staff wellbeing and development is a priority for the team, there is dedicated time for reflective case discussion and team formulation, wellbeing activities and support.
The ideal clinician will be thoughtful and reflective, and someone who is a team player. We are an experienced team and as a Service we are able to provide a supportive structure and a safe, working environment with protected and manageable caseloads.
Main duties of the job
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 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 don't hesitate to contact: Christina Subrai by email on christina.subrai@berkshire.nhs.uk who'll 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.
Interview will be held on 22nd July 2025
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 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 don't hesitate to contact: Christina Subrai by email on christina.subrai@berkshire.nhs.uk who'll 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.
Interview will be held on 22nd July 2025
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas) which provides eligibility for Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Additional training/ accreditations to reflect post qualification interest/ specialism (e.g., Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, BPS).
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of training and/or interest and knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the post.
- Commitment to continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant accrediting body
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in evidence-based ways with services users (and their carers/families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of settings, 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 dealing with highly distressing or emotional circumstances, such as serious mental illness, child and sexual abuse, exploitation, and complex family dynamics
- Experience of working effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environment
- Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audit, evaluative research and applying the findings
- Experience of working with, and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of psychological/neuropsychological or psychotherapeutic assessment, formulation and intervention, relevant to the service area.
- Knowledge and understanding of service evaluation, audit and research and completing this in the NHS.
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, technical and/or sensitive information to service users, their carers/families and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS
- Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to support, influence and engage with clinicians, stakeholders and service users to create change and improvement
- The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system.
- Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO, Outlook, databases, MS office/Teams, One Consultation and the internet).
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required, and ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas) which provides eligibility for Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Additional training/ accreditations to reflect post qualification interest/ specialism (e.g., Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, BPS).
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of training and/or interest and knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the post.
- Commitment to continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant accrediting body
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in evidence-based ways with services users (and their carers/families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of settings, 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 dealing with highly distressing or emotional circumstances, such as serious mental illness, child and sexual abuse, exploitation, and complex family dynamics
- Experience of working effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environment
- Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audit, evaluative research and applying the findings
- Experience of working with, and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of psychological/neuropsychological or psychotherapeutic assessment, formulation and intervention, relevant to the service area.
- Knowledge and understanding of service evaluation, audit and research and completing this in the NHS.
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, technical and/or sensitive information to service users, their carers/families and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS
- Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to support, influence and engage with clinicians, stakeholders and service users to create change and improvement
- The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system.
- Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO, Outlook, databases, MS office/Teams, One Consultation and the internet).
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required, and ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire 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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
