Job summaryAre you an experienced Clinical / Counselling Psychologist looking for a new and exciting role within a multi disciplinary team?
Are you someone who enjoys project work and wants the opportunity to be involved in shaping a service?
We are looking for a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to join our Berkshire CAMHS West Specialist Community Team (SCT) and are open to both full and part time applicant.
Our 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 to provide assessments, care-coordination, and evidence-based psychological interventions to young people and their families. As a senior member of the team, you will be supporting and supervising less experienced and junior members of the team. You will be supported through regular clinical and management supervision as well as receiving support and guidance through the MDT approach.
The ideal clinician will be thoughtful and reflective, and a team player. We are an experienced team and as a Service we can provide a supportive structure and a safe, working environment with protected and manageable caseloads.
Previous applicants need not apply.Main duties of the job- Provide comprehensive assessments and therapeutic interventions to young people and their families, as appropriate.
- Provide care co-ordination for young people open to the service where appropriate.
- Independently manage an appropriately sized caseload.
- Use supervision effectively.
- Offer supervision and training to junior colleagues and other agencies as appropriate.
- Work with colleagues to support the clinical leadership of the team.
- Work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and within a multi agency system.
- Work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice.
- Contribute to audit, service development and research, as appropriate.
- Maintain own continuing professional development and contribute to team professional development initiatives.
About usBerkshire 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
DetailsDate posted: 05 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £59,798 to £67,020 a year
per annum ( Incl of HCAS)
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 371-TAP-CFS738
Job locations: Erlegh House, University of Reading , Earley Gate, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6BZ
Reading
RG6 6BZ
United Kingdom
Job responsibilitiesThe must haves for this role:
- HCPC accredited clinical or counselling Psychologist .
- Experience in Childrens Mental Health services.
- The ability to manage complexity.
- To work as part of a team.
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 do not 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.
Person SpecificationEducation/Qualifications/TrainingEssential- For Clinical/Counselling Psychologist: 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
- (Eligibility for) Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
- 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.)
- Clinical supervision training for doctorate psychology trainees (BPS Registered course) and other qualified clinicians
Continuous Professional DevelopmentEssential- 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
ExperienceEssential- 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
Knowledge, Skills & AbilitiesEssential- 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)
Additional RequirementsEssential- 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
Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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.
Certificate of SponsorshipApplications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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. 
