Job requirements
Essential
27 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Demonstrable post qualification experience working as a qualified specialist practitioner in the area of specialism
- Experience
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
Experience of dealing with highly distressing or emotional circumstances, such as serious mental illness, child and sexual abuse, exploitation, and complex family dynamics
- Experience
Experience of delivering interventions across different modalities (e.g. individual, group and systemic-based approaches)
- Experience
Experience of working effectively in multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environments
- Experience
Experience of providing specialist advice and consultation to multi-disciplinary and multi-agency colleagues to support the psychological care of service users
- Experience
Experience of providing effective clinical supervision, mentoring and leadership to junior staff
- Experience
Experience of developing and delivering teaching to a range of staff groups
- Experience
Experience of carrying out clinical audit, evaluative research and applying the findings
- Experience
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
Experience of working with and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service
- Additional Requirements
Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required
- Additional Requirements
Ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of highly specialised assessment, formulation and intervention, relevant to the specialist modality and service area
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Up to date knowledge of evidence, theory, research, policy and legislation in relation to the service area
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
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
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
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
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to support, influence and engage with clinicians, stakeholders and service users to create change and improvement.
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
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
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
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
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)
- Education/Qualifications/Training
Registered as a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Education/Qualifications/Training
(Eligibility for) Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Education/Qualifications/Training
Clinical supervision training for doctorate psychology trainees (BPS Registered course) and other qualified clinicians
- Continuous Professional Development
Evidence of post-qualification training and expert knowledge in multiple psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the post and service area.
- Continuous Professional Development
Comprehensive and up to date knowledge of the current evidence-base and developments within the area of specialism
- Continuous Professional Development
Training, and where relevant, accreditation in clinical supervision
Desirable
2 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Experience
Experience of line managing staff (including junior psychological roles)
- Education/Qualifications/Training
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.)
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to work on an adult acute psychiatric inpatient ward as part of the Mental Health Inpatients Psychological Therapies Team at Prospect Park Hospital in Reading. This role would suit a candidate who is keen to apply a broad range of psychological skills, which would include consultation, formulation, behavioural support, therapeutic interventions, and contribution to service development.
We are also advertising this as a band 7 developmental post. There are opportunities for flexible working patterns which would include face-to-face clinical work as well as home working. We are also flexible in accommodating requests for part-time working days.
Job satisfaction can come from numerous areas in this diverse role. Under supervision of a Principal Psychologist you will take on a clinical caseload with adults with complex mental health presentations. You will provide regular input to the multi-disciplinary team on your ward in the form of consultation, team formulation sessions, teaching and joint working. You will be part of the Inpatients Psychological Therapies team, supervise the Assistant Psychologist on your ward, and also receive peer support from the other ward Clinical/Counselling Psychologists. You will contribute to and/or lead on service development projects
Main duties of the job
Work on allocated adult acute mental health ward
Offer psychological consultation to hospital staff (e.g. team formulation, teaching sessions, joint working, supervision and staff support groups).
Supervise Assistant Psychologist.
Clinical work with service users and carers involving assessment (including behavioural support assessments), formulation and interventions with varied and complex mental health presentations.
Contribute to service improvement initiatives in a ward/community team, as well as contributing to projects arising from the Inpatients Psychological Therapies Team.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The 5 “must haves” for you to be considered for this role:
Postgraduate doctoral qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent)
You will have experience working with adults and/or older adults with complex mental health problems and have excellent therapeutic and management skills.
You will enjoy working in teams and providing psychological consultation, teaching and supervision.
Calm, confident and assertive in emotionally demanding situations, you will be astute at setting and maintaining professional boundaries and will be efficient at dealing with distressing or hostile situations and behaviour.
Self-motivated and confident, you will show initiative and a determination to support clients and their families through creative engagement. This includes an ability to work integratively in your clinical work.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses given in your supporting statement genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey.
In addition to explaining how you meet the person specification, you must complete your employment history for at least the last five years. Any experience, skills or responsibilities referenced in your supporting statement should be evidenced within your employment history. Applications that do not include sufficient employment history to support the experience claimed may not be 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: Stonewall Proud Employer, 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: Catherine Evans-Jones on 0118 9605186 or email: catherine.evansjones@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.
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.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist with Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in Wokingham, England. 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 Permanent. The application deadline is 26 Oct 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 (19 Oct 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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