Principal Clinical / Counselling Psychologist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The "must haves" for this role:

1. Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical psychology (or equivalent).
2. Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) or UKCP/BPC.
3. Evidence of post-doctoral specialist training to accreditable level in at least 2 areas of psychological practice directly related to the clinical requirements of this post.
4. Leadership experience and a successful track record in leading service delivery and contributing to service transformation.

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 have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and 'Other' Ethnic Groups.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to contact Dr Jo Cocksey, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on 0786 678 7757 or Mel Jarvis Service Manager on 0779 536 6676 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 criteria

• For Clinical/Counselling Psychologist: Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas) which provides eligibility for Chartered Membership of the BPS (British Psychological Society).
• For Clinical/Counselling Psychologist: Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• For Psychotherapist: Recognised master's level qualification in psychodynamic psychotherapy or equivalent.
• For Psychotherapist: Registered and accredited with UKCP as a psychotherapist or with the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC).
• For Clinical Neuropsychology: Registered with the HCPC as a Clinical Psychologist or Practitioner Psychologist (with additional qualifications in Neuropsychology) and eligible for Chartered Membership status with the BPS.
• For Clinical Neuropsychology: Completion of (or working towards/willing to undertake) the Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology (QiCN).
• Family and Systemic Psychotherapist: Post graduate qualification in relevant mental health or social care related discipline or equivalent. (E.G. Clinical psychology registered with HCPC, or Registered Mental Health Nurse (NMC), or Occupational Therapy degree level and registered with HCPC, or Registered Social Worker registered with HCPC or qualified Psychotherapist registered with professional body ACP or equivalent).
• Family and Systemic Psychotherapist: Master's level qualification or equivalent in family and systemic psychotherapy or equivalent qualification accredited by AFT.
• Family and Systemic Psychotherapist: Registered as a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist with the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
• Family and Systemic Psychotherapist: Post-graduate qualification in systemic supervision and registered as an AFT-approved systemic supervisor.
• Additional accreditations (or working towards these) to reflect post qualification specialist training (e.g., BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, BPS).
• Proven ability in teaching and formal training in professional/clinical supervision.

Continuous Professional Development

Essential criteria

• Evidence of substantial post-doctoral training, experience and expert knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches with an evidence base within the area of specialism OR Evidence of post qualification or specialist training to accreditable level in at least two areas of psychological/psychotherapy practice directly related to the clinical requirements of this post and clinical supervision.
• Clinical supervision training for psychological therapy trainees and qualified staff or a nationally recognised psychotherapy training (UKCP - PP section or BPC) with supervision training for psychotherapy trainees on placement.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant experience working as a qualified clinical/counselling psychologist/psychotherapist/family systemic therapist, neuropsychologist, including demonstrable post qualification experience at a highly specialist level in the related specialisms.
• Significant experience of working in evidence-based ways with service users (and their carers/ families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of care 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 teaching and professional/clinical supervision, as well as experience of developing and leading the delivery of training programmes and supervision.
• Experience of service evaluation and implementing change 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 services.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential criteria

• Able to manage a demanding and complex caseload while supporting junior colleagues.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers, and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS.
• Detailed and advanced knowledge of a range of evidence-based assessments and therapeutic interventions within designated clinical area.
• Exceptional interpersonal and highly effective communication skills with the ability to support, engage and lead patients, clinicians and other stakeholder groups in change, development, and improvement.
• Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO, Outlook, databases, MS office/Teams, and the internet).

Additional requirements

Essential criteria

• Demonstrates the ability to respond to people's needs sensitively, particularly with reference to all aspects of diversity.
• Able to work flexibly as required and to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position.

These are the values that we live by at Berkshire Healthcare:

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

We welcome people who share these values to come and work for us.

Please find attached the behaviour framework that underpins these values for this job role.

At Berkshire Healthcare, we foster an inclusive workplace where everyone belongs.

Watch our careers video to learn more.

We welcome talent from all backgrounds and offer guaranteed interviews to disabled applicants and armed forces community members who meet the minimum criteria.

Please note we may close positions before the advertised date.

If you need help with your application, please contact us on recruitment.enquiries@berkshire.nhs.uk.

Once you have applied, please check your email regularly for updates. All appointments are subject to NHS Employment Checks, and false information may result in withdrawal of offers. For information on how we store your information, please review our privacy statement.

No agencies, please.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Documents to download

• Job Description & Person Specification (PDF, 232.4KB)
• Values & Behaviour Summary (PDF, 454.2KB)
• Working for us (PDF, 766.8KB)
• Please Read - Help with your application form (PDF, 280.8KB)