Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist Band 8a Main area: Psychology MH Inpatients Grade Band 8a

Contract: Permanent Hours: Part-time - 18.75 hours per week Job ref: 371-MHS688-A

Site: Prospect Park Hospital Town: Reading Salary: £53,755 - £60,504 per annum, pro rata Salary period: Yearly Closing: 02/03/:59 Interview date: 14/03/2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to work on the Older Adult dementia ward in the Older Adults MH Inpatients Psychology 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, neuropsychological assessment, therapeutic interventions, and contribution to service development.

We welcome applications for this band 8a Specialist Psychologist role. 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, you will take on a clinical caseload with older adults with complex mental health presentations and dementia. 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 Psychology 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

1. Work on allocated wards - predominantly older adults (dementia)
2. Offer psychological consultation to community and hospital staff (e.g. team formulation, teaching sessions, joint working, supervision, and staff support groups).
3. Supervise Assistant Psychologist.
4. Clinical work with service users and carers involving assessment (including neuropsychological assessments and behavioural support assessments), formulation and interventions with varied and complex mental health and cognitive presentations.
5. Contribute to service improvement initiatives in a ward/community team, as well as contributing to projects arising from the Inpatients Psychology Team.

Working for our organisation Berkshire 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
• 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 site

Detailed job description and main responsibilities The 5 "must haves" for you to be considered for this role:

1. Postgraduate doctoral qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent)
2. Experience working with adults and/or older adults with complex mental health problems, dementia, or other disabilities and have excellent therapeutic and management skills.
3. Enjoy working in teams and providing psychological consultation, teaching, and supervision.
4. Calm, confident, and assertive in emotionally demanding situations, with the ability to set and maintain professional boundaries.
5. Self-motivated and confident, showing initiative and determination to support clients and their families through creative engagement.

Interviews are due to be held on 14 March 2025.

Inpatients Psychology Team overview: There are currently 14 Psychologists and an art therapist working across the hospital, where we support people experiencing a mental health crisis across seven wards: adult acute, older adult acute, older adult dementia, and Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

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 don't hesitate to call: Dr Claudia Kustner on or email: who will 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

• Postgraduate 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 British Psychological Society (BPS)
• Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist

Education/Qualifications/Training For All

• Additional training/ accreditations (willingness to undertake or working towards these) to reflect post-qualification specialism (e.g. Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, EMDR-UK, BPS).

Continuous Professional Development

• Evidence of post-qualification training and expert knowledge in multiple psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the service area.
• Training in clinical supervision.
• Commitment to continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant accrediting body.

Experience

• Experience of working in evidence-based ways with service users (and their carers/families) presenting with dementia and/or cognitive difficulties, as well as the full range of clinical severity.
• 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 a multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environment.
• Experience of providing specialist advice and consultation to MDT and multi-agency colleagues to support the psychological care of service users.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision, mentoring, or providing structured guidance to other staff.
• Experience of developing and delivering teaching to a range of staff groups.
• Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audit, evaluative research, and applying the findings.
• Experience of service evaluation and implementing change from a national and local health or social care change agenda.
• Experience of working with, and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrable knowledge, skills, and abilities in the practice of psychological/neuropsychological or psychotherapeutic assessment, formulation, and intervention, relevant to the service area.
• Knowledge of evidence base, research, policy, and legislation in relation to the service area.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
• Well-developed verbal and written communication skills enabling the sensitive communication of complex, technical and/or sensitive information to multiple stakeholders.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to support, influence, and engage with clinicians, stakeholders, and service users.
• The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals.
• Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages.

Additional Requirements

• Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required, and ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position.

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