Job summary
Are you ready to do something different, as part of an innovative and exciting service? Are you looking to develop your skills working alongside a supportive, multi-disciplinary team?
Due to the current postholder having secured a place on a DClin course, we have a very exciting opportunity for a Senior Assistant Psychologist to join our Adult Eating Disorders team working in our early intervention FREED Pathway.
The role will be split between St Marks Hospital in Maidenhead and Erlegh House in Reading where you will work closely with a dynamic team to provide a countywide service to people with eating disorders. You might be required to complete visits in the community.
In the role you will be engaging primarily with people aged 16-25 who are eligible for the FREED pathway to offer early assessments and treatments, although you were also work with people across all ages as part of our wider team.
The working pattern for the role is 9:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday with some room for home working.
Interview will be held on 25th July 2025
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 Viviane Guys, Clinical Team Lead via email: Viviane.ghuys@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.
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 Viviane Guys, Clinical Team Lead via email: Viviane.ghuys@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.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- An upper second class (2:1) honours degree or higher in psychology or an equivalent qualification, which confers eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Entitled to graduate membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Undertaken additional training (e.g. practice-based training and workshops) in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, neuropsychology, health and social care practice and/or research design and analysis
- Evidence of an interest in pursuing a career in psychological therapies
Desirable
- Completed the NIHR Good Clinical Practice training course
Previous Experience
Essential
- Previous experience working as an Assistant Psychologist working with people with any of the following: mental health difficulties; neurological difficulties, complex needs and learning disabilities or equivalent
- Previous experience of understanding and working with risk in the context of clinical presentations
- Experience of clinical audits/service evaluations or other forms of research
- Experience of group work with people with mental health problems
Desirable
- Experience of working with people within in-patient settings
- Experience within a range of different clinical settings
- Experience of delivering direct psychological interventions (e.g., offering psychoeducation, group work)
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Awareness of evidence-based psychological interventions as relevant to this role
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be emotionally charged
- Appreciation of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health difficulties, neurological difficulties and learning disabilities
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge within mental health and/or learning disabilities context or equivalent
- Ability to communicate sensitively and effectively verbally and in writing highly complex and sensitive information in a manner appropriate to a range of settings and audiences
- Excellent IT skills including knowledge of Microsoft Office including high standard of letter and report writing and expertise in using statistical packages for evaluation and research
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Ability to interact and engage with people who may be experiencing mental health difficulties, neurological difficulties and learning disabilities
- Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently to deliver work as agreed and managed at regular intervals
- Ability to recognise the limits of own competencies and to seek supervision and support as required to practice safely and within professional guidelines
- Able to work flexibly as required and to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- An upper second class (2:1) honours degree or higher in psychology or an equivalent qualification, which confers eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Entitled to graduate membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Undertaken additional training (e.g. practice-based training and workshops) in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, neuropsychology, health and social care practice and/or research design and analysis
- Evidence of an interest in pursuing a career in psychological therapies
Desirable
- Completed the NIHR Good Clinical Practice training course
Previous Experience
Essential
- Previous experience working as an Assistant Psychologist working with people with any of the following: mental health difficulties; neurological difficulties, complex needs and learning disabilities or equivalent
- Previous experience of understanding and working with risk in the context of clinical presentations
- Experience of clinical audits/service evaluations or other forms of research
- Experience of group work with people with mental health problems
Desirable
- Experience of working with people within in-patient settings
- Experience within a range of different clinical settings
- Experience of delivering direct psychological interventions (e.g., offering psychoeducation, group work)
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Awareness of evidence-based psychological interventions as relevant to this role
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be emotionally charged
- Appreciation of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health difficulties, neurological difficulties and learning disabilities
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge within mental health and/or learning disabilities context or equivalent
- Ability to communicate sensitively and effectively verbally and in writing highly complex and sensitive information in a manner appropriate to a range of settings and audiences
- Excellent IT skills including knowledge of Microsoft Office including high standard of letter and report writing and expertise in using statistical packages for evaluation and research
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Ability to interact and engage with people who may be experiencing mental health difficulties, neurological difficulties and learning disabilities
- Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently to deliver work as agreed and managed at regular intervals
- Ability to recognise the limits of own competencies and to seek supervision and support as required to practice safely and within professional guidelines
- Able to work flexibly as required 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.
