A Vacancy at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Are you an innovative and forward-looking clinical / counselling psychologist or psychotherapist with post-qualification training in working with Personality Disorder, such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) or Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT)? Do you have a substantial record of working with individuals with complex emotional needs, who may find it difficult to sustain meaningful therapeutic relationships and may be engaging in risky behaviours? Do you have significant experience of successfully leading and co-ordinating psychological provision in multi-disciplinary settings?
If the above describes you - and if you’re energetic and ready for your next career move - we are looking for the right person to join the leadership of our team. This is a rare opportunity to play a lead role in supporting the delivery, continuous development, and governance of the IMPACTT team, which forms a key part of the Trust’s re-developed EUPD pathway. The team is staffed by psychological therapists and lived experiences practitioners, supported by a reliable administration team, and provides specialist assessments and evidence-based therapies (MBT and DBT). IMPACTT also incorporates an Assertive Stabilisation (ASSIST), Service User Network (SUN) and Psychologically Informed Consultation and Training (PICT) sub-teams. We take the wellbeing of our staff seriously and have regular reflective practice and team wellbeing sessions, alongside CPD opportunities.
• To lead, manage, and supervise Clinical Leads and enable all staff to deliver high quality assessments and evidence-based interventions to individuals accessing the Personality Disorder pathway, providing strategic, professional, and clinical direction
• To draw on a high level of expert knowledge and experience of evidence-based interventions of working with individuals with difficulties which may be associated with EUPD
• To draw on substantial experience of leading service delivery and service development in supporting the ongoing implementation of the pathway, across primary care and outpatient settings, and involvement of key stakeholders within and outside of Berkshire Healthcare
• To work as part of the senior management team alongside the PICT Consultant Psychologist
• To deputise for the Lead Consultant Psychologist /Head of Service and represent IMPACTT and/or psychological therapies at relevant policy and service provision meetings, locally and nationally
• To bring a personal, professional and leadership approach which is collaborative and compassionate and enables positive engagement, emotional containment, and skills-development relevant to work with the client group.
• To exercise responsibility for service improvement, quality assurance and governance of the service
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.
We value diversity and are proud to be a Stonewall Top 100 Employer. We work hard to create an inclusive environment where you’ll be supported by friendly and professional colleagues to flourish.
Our values 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.
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
If you share our values and would like to come and work for us, please submit your application as soon as possible as we'll occasionally close roles early that have a high number of applications.
The “must haves” for this role:
1. You must hold a UK recognised qualification in Clinical/Counselling psychology or Psychotherapy
2. Current UK professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council or a UKCP registration.
3. Experience in leading services and successfully managing or contributing to major change programmes.
4. Exceptional interpersonal and highly effective communication skills with the ability to support, engage and lead
5. An enhanced DBS check
6. You will be able and willing to travel between bases in Berkshire as needed.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
Please note the PayScale currently in use is Agenda for Change 2023/2024. We will update the 2024/2025 PayScale once confirmed.
Interviews are due to be held on 17 October 2024.
Working hours for this post will be Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm (flexible working requests will be considered)
Band 8c, full time or part-time (min 0.8wte), permanent post
Work base: Erlegh House, Earley Gate, Whiteknights Campus, Reading, RG6 6BZ
• You will need to travel across Berkshire at times to deliver training as part of your role
• Working from home opportunities can be discussed
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 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 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: Sorana Berry (Head of Service) on 07900 267968 or email: Sorana.Berry@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.
This advert closes on Monday 7 Oct 2024
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to
Disability Confident.
