Job Summary

Are you an enthusiastic and innovative Clinical/Counselling Psychologist looking to progress and develop your clinical and leadership skills within a thriving adult community mental health service? If so, why not join us and be on the cutting edge of transformation underway in adult mental health.

We are looking to recruit a full‑time, highly motivated Clinical/Counselling Psychologist dedicated to providing high quality, evidence‑based interventions for adults with significant mental health needs. We provide a psychological therapy service to adults living in the west of Berkshire (including Newbury and Thatcham) and across the whole of Berkshire through the centralised Community Mental Health Psychological Therapies (CMHPT) service.

Work base: Hillcroft House, Thatcham, Berkshire. Free parking on site. The postholder will work from the team’s base in Thatcham at least 3 days a week, while working from home for the remainder of the week. Travel across Berkshire for meetings and training will occasionally be required.

Main Duties

• Conduct specialist psychological assessments and develop a clear and detailed formulation of the service user’s presenting difficulties and/or the systemic issues present.
• Develop personalised treatment plans based on assessment findings and service user needs to support recovery and improve quality of life.
• Deliver evidence‑based therapeutic interventions using a range of psychological techniques and modalities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team clinicians and multi‑agency representatives to ensure the delivery of integrated and holistic client care.
• Provide supervision and mentorship to junior clinicians and trainees, contributing to their professional development and enhancing the treatment they offer.
• Regularly undertake applied research, adding to the evidence base for practice, development activities and participate in quality improvement initiatives to enhance the overall effectiveness of clinical services.
• Actively engage in the improvement and development of mental health services, implementing new treatment approaches and providing insights and expertise to enhance the overall quality of care.

About Us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we are committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we are committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Values

• Caring for and about you is our top priority.
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services.
• Working together with you to develop innovative solutions.

Benefits

• 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.

Qualifications

• Post graduate doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or who completed training overseas).
• Accreditation with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical/Counselling).
• Eligibility for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Experience

• Experience of working in evidence‑based ways with service users and carers presenting with a full range of clinical severity across settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in 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 environments.
• Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audits, evaluative research and applying findings.
• Experience of working with, and addressing, issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism and equality of access to the service.

Professional Development

• Evidence of training and/or interest and knowledge in psychological models or therapeutic approaches relevant to the post.
• Commitment to continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant accrediting body.

Equal Opportunity

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.