Job overview
We're delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a Band 8a Clinical Psychologist in Neuropsychology to join our Community Based Neuro Rehabilitation Team in Berkshire.
This specialist role offers the opportunity to work with adults living with a range of neurological conditions, including ABI, stroke, MS and functional neurological disorders, helping them maximise independence, wellbeing and quality of life.
You will join a highly regarded multidisciplinary team comprising Clinical Neuropsychologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Nurses and Rehabilitation Assistants. Working across community neurorehabilitation and Early Supported Discharge for Stroke pathways, you will provide highly specialist neuropsychological assessment, formulation and intervention, whilst contributing to service development, teaching and supervision.
Based primarily in Reading/West Berkshire, the role includes work across community settings and patients' homes, with flexibility to support services across Berkshire as required. We offer a supportive and collaborative environment with excellent opportunities for professional development, clinical supervision and continuing specialist neuropsychology training.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and innovative psychologist with a strong interest in neurological rehabilitation, and a passion for delivering person-centred care.
Main duties of the job
- Provide highly specialist neuropsychological and psychological assessment for adults with acquired brain injury, stroke, progressive neurological conditions and functional neurological disorders.
- Develop and implement evidence-based psychological and neuropsychological interventions for cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
- Provide formulations and specialist consultation to multidisciplinary colleagues to support rehabilitation planning and patient outcomes.
- Undertake risk assessment and contribute to risk management planning for patients with complex presentations.
- Work closely with patients, families, carers and partner agencies to support holistic rehabilitation and adjustment to neurological conditions.
- Deliver specialist advice regarding cognitive functioning, capacity, adjustment, emotional wellbeing and behavioural management.
- Provide supervision, consultation, teaching and training to multidisciplinary staff and trainees where appropriate.
- Lead and contribute to audit, service evaluation, research and quality improvement initiatives within the service.
- Participate in service development and support the ongoing growth and innovation of community neurorehabilitation services across Berkshire.
- Maintain high standards of clinical record keeping, governance and professional practice in accordance with HCPC, BPS and Trust standards.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The “must haves” for this role:
- Post-graduate doctoral qualification in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent qualification recognised by the BPS).
- HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and intervention with adults with complex health or neurological conditions.
- Excellent communication, consultation and multidisciplinary working skills.
- Experience of working autonomously whilst contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and commitment to evidence-based practice.
- In order to meet the criterion of being able to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position, the post holder will be required to be a car driver with a full licence and access to a car for work purposes
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’re 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 call the team on 0118 904 3440 or email CBNRT.Admin@berkshire.nhs.uk, who will be delighted to help.
If you feel you meet you the majority of the requirements for this role and you would like to discuss your position further please do contact us. E.g. you are moving from a band 7 to an 8a role currently
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.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Person specification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable post qualification experience working as a qualified specialist practitioner in the area of specialism
- 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 delivering interventions across different modalities (e.g. individual, group and systemic-based approaches)
- Experience of working effectively in multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environments
- Experience of providing specialist advice and consultation to multi-disciplinary and multi-agency colleagues to support the psychological care of service users
- Experience of providing effective clinical supervision, mentoring and leadership to junior staff
- Experience of developing and delivering teaching to a range of staff groups
- Experience of carrying out clinical audit, evaluative research and applying the findings
- Experience of service evaluation, quality improvement work and of implementing change from this and from a national and local health or social care change agenda that impacts across services and professions
- Experience of working with and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service
Desirable
- Experience of line managing staff (including junior psychological roles)
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required
- Ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of highly specialised assessment, formulation and intervention, relevant to the specialist modality and service area
- Up to date knowledge of evidence, theory, research, policy and legislation in relation to the service area
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- Well-developed verbal and written communication skills enabling the sensitive communication of complex, technical and/or sensitive information to multiple stakeholders 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 positive relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of the service within 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)
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Post graduate doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas)
- Registered as a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- (Eligibility for) Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Clinical supervision training for doctorate psychology trainees (BPS Registered course) and other qualified clinicians
Desirable
- Additional training and accreditations (or working towards these) in relevant therapeutic approaches or psychological models to reflect post qualification interests/ specialism (e.g., specific therapy models, Health Psychology, Neuropsychology etc.) 1
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of post-qualification training and expert knowledge in multiple psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the post and service area. Comprehensive and up to date knowledge of the current evidence-base and developments within the area of specialism
- Training, and where relevant, accreditation in clinical supervision
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 8 Psychology roles in Reading
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist (CBNRT) with Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in Community Based Neuro Rehab Team, 57-59 Bath Road Reading RG30 2BA. It is listed as a Band 8 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £57,528 - £64,750 per annum, pro rata. The contract type is 10 months (Fixed term end date will be determined after pre-employment checks have been completed). The application deadline is 23 Aug 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (14 Aug 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.