Senior Assistant Psychologist in Reading inReading PUBLISHED WED 12 NOV 2025 Jump to job information section
Band 5: £31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum
PERMANENT
Job description
Job summary
Senior Assistant Psychologist
Salary
: Band 51WTE 37.5 hoursPain Clinic, The Royal Berkshire Hospital (main site)We are seeking a motivated and compassionate Senior Assistant Psychologist, with an interest in supporting people with long term pain conditions, to join our Clinical Health Psychology Service.This challenging and rewarding role will provide the opportunity to work alongside a highly specialist clinical psychologist and other members of the multidisciplinary team in delivering our specialist services at The Royal Berkshire Hospital (main site).This exciting post is jointly commissioned by Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will contribute to multi-disciplinary service delivery, offering a psychological perspective on long term pain
Experience
s, under the supervision of a Registered Practitioner Psychologist within the Clinical Health Psychology Service (CHPS) at Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust. They will work directly (in-person and virtually) with service users, as well as their carers and families, to provide evidence-based psychoeducational interventions. This role co-ordinates and leads the delivery of group and one to one education. They will attend weekly CHPS meetings, including CPD and complex case discussions.
About us
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 priorityCommitted to providing good quality, safe servicesWorking Together with you to develop innovative solutionsYour wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:Flexible working options to support work-life balance27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sellGenerous NHS pension schemeExcellent learning and career development opportunities'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehiclesAccess to a range of wellbeing tools and servicesDiscounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurantsStaff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equalityGenerous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leaveFree parking across Trust sites
Details
Date posted
12 November 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for changeBandBand 5
Salary
£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
371-CHS1063-A
Job location
sRoyal Berkshire HospitalCraven RoadReadingRG1 5AN
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:An upper second class (2:1) honours degree or higher in psychology or equivalent, which confers eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS)Entitlement to graduate membership of British Psychological SocietyEvidence of an interest in pursuing a career in psychological therapies within a physical health settingPrevious
Experience
working as an Assistant Psychologist with people who have
Experience
d physical and mental health difficulties or neurological difficultiesCan demonstrate additional physical health related
Experience
and/or learning as well as familiarity with mental health practice.
Experience
of delivering group and one-to-one information.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.Were 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.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.
Job description
Job description
and
Person Specification
Education/
Qualifications
/TrainingEssentialAn upper second class (2:1) honours degree or higher in psychology or an equivalent qualification, which confers eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS)Entitlement to graduate membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)Continuous Professional DevelopmentEssentialUndertaken additional training (e.g. practice-based training and workshops) in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, neuropsychology health and social care practice and/or research design and analysisEvidence of an interest in pursuing a career in psychological therapiesDesirableCompleted the NIHR Good Clinical Practice training coursePrevious
Experience
EssentialPrevious
Experience
working as an Assistant Psychologist working with people with any of the following: mental health difficulties; neurological difficulties, complex needs and learning disabilities or equivalentPrevious
Experience
of understanding and working with risk in the context of clinical presentations
Experience
of clinical audits/service evaluations or other forms of research
Experience
of delivering direct psychological interventions (e.g., offering psychoeducation, group work)
Experience
of group and one-to-one work within a physical or mental health settingDesirable
Experience
of working with people within in-patient settings
Experience
within a range of different clinical settingsKnowledge, Skills & AbilitiesEssentialAwareness of evidence-based psychological interventions as relevant to this roleHigh level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be emotionally chargedAppreciation of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health difficulties, neurological difficulties and learning disabilitiesAbility to apply existing psychological knowledge within a mental health and/or learning disabilities context or equivalentAbility to communicate sensitively and effectively verbally and in writing highly complex and sensitive information in a manner appropriate to a range of settings and audiencesExcellent IT skills including knowledge of Microsoft Office including high standard of letter and report writing and expertise in using statistical packages for evaluation and research.Additional RequirementsEssentialAbility to interact and engage with people who may be experiencing mental health difficulties, neurological difficulties and learning disabilitiesAbility to work independently, reliably, and consistently to deliver work as agreed and managed at regular intervalsAbility to recognise the limits of own competencies and to seek supervision and support as required to practice safely and within professional guidelinesAble to work flexibly as required and to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position
Person Specification
Education/
Experience
EssentialPrevious
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This 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.Employer
Details
Senior Assistant Psychologist
Salary
: Band 51WTE 37.5 hoursPain Clinic, The Royal Berkshire Hospital (main site)We are seeking a motivated and compassionate Senior Assistant Psychologist, with an interest in supporting people with long term pain conditions, to join our Clinical Health Psychology Service.This challenging and rewarding role will provide the opportunity to work alongside a highly specialist clinical psychologist and other members of the multidisciplinary team in delivering our specialist services at The Royal Berkshire Hospital (main site).This exciting post is jointly commissioned by Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will contribute to multi-disciplinary service delivery, offering a psychological perspective on long term pain
Experience
s, under the supervision of a Registered Practitioner Psychologist within the Clinical Health Psychology Service (CHPS) at Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust. They will work directly (in-person and virtually) with service users, as well as their carers and families, to provide evidence-based psychoeducational interventions. This role co-ordinates and leads the delivery of group and one to one education. They will attend weekly CHPS meetings, including CPD and complex case discussions.
About us
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 priorityCommitted to providing good quality, safe servicesWorking Together with you to develop innovative solutionsYour wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:Flexible working options to support work-life balance27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sellGenerous NHS pension schemeExcellent learning and career development opportunities'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehiclesAccess to a range of wellbeing tools and servicesDiscounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurantsStaff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equalityGenerous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leaveFree parking across Trust sites
Details
Date posted
12 November 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for changeBandBand 5
Salary
£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
371-CHS1063-A
Job location
sRoyal Berkshire HospitalCraven RoadReadingRG1 5AN
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:An upper second class (2:1) honours degree or higher in psychology or equivalent, which confers eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS)Entitlement to graduate membership of British Psychological SocietyEvidence of an interest in pursuing a career in psychological therapies within a physical health settingPrevious
Experience
working as an Assistant Psychologist with people who have
Experience
d physical and mental health difficulties or neurological difficultiesCan demonstrate additional physical health related
Experience
and/or learning as well as familiarity with mental health practice.
Experience
of delivering group and one-to-one information.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.Were 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.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.
Job description
Job description
and
Person Specification
Education/
Qualifications
/TrainingEssentialAn upper second class (2:1) honours degree or higher in psychology or an equivalent qualification, which confers eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS)Entitlement to graduate membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)Continuous Professional DevelopmentEssentialUndertaken additional training (e.g. practice-based training and workshops) in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, neuropsychology health and social care practice and/or research design and analysisEvidence of an interest in pursuing a career in psychological therapiesDesirableCompleted the NIHR Good Clinical Practice training coursePrevious
Experience
EssentialPrevious
Experience
working as an Assistant Psychologist working with people with any of the following: mental health difficulties; neurological difficulties, complex needs and learning disabilities or equivalentPrevious
Experience
of understanding and working with risk in the context of clinical presentations
Experience
of clinical audits/service evaluations or other forms of research
Experience
of delivering direct psychological interventions (e.g., offering psychoeducation, group work)
Experience
of group and one-to-one work within a physical or mental health settingDesirable
Experience
of working with people within in-patient settings
Experience
within a range of different clinical settingsKnowledge, Skills & AbilitiesEssentialAwareness of evidence-based psychological interventions as relevant to this roleHigh level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be emotionally chargedAppreciation of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health difficulties, neurological difficulties and learning disabilitiesAbility to apply existing psychological knowledge within a mental health and/or learning disabilities context or equivalentAbility to communicate sensitively and effectively verbally and in writing highly complex and sensitive information in a manner appropriate to a range of settings and audiencesExcellent IT skills including knowledge of Microsoft Office including high standard of letter and report writing and expertise in using statistical packages for evaluation and research.Additional RequirementsEssentialAbility to interact and engage with people who may be experiencing mental health difficulties, neurological difficulties and learning disabilitiesAbility to work independently, reliably, and consistently to deliver work as agreed and managed at regular intervalsAbility to recognise the limits of own competencies and to seek supervision and support as required to practice safely and within professional guidelinesAble to work flexibly as required and to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position
Person Specification
Education/
Experience
EssentialPrevious
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This 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.Employer
Details
Not sure?
If you're interested in this role but you have questions or you're not yet ready to apply, then please book a quick call with us and we'd be happy to answer any questions you have and tell you more about the role.
If you're interested in this role but you have questions or you're not yet ready to apply, then please book a quick call with us and we'd be happy to answer any questions you have and tell you more about the role.
Requirements
See the job description for full role requirements.
Benefits
Benefits are provided by the employer and will be confirmed during your application.
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More information related to this job opportunity, from jobsincare:
Useful skills for a Senior Assistant Psychologist:
Click to view
To work as a Senior Assistant Psychologist in the UK, you will typically need a combination of relevant educational qualifications, practical experience, and specific skills. Here are the key skills and qualifications that are generally required:
Educational Qualifications
1. Degree in Psychology: A good (usually 2:1 or above) undergraduate degree in psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
2. Relevant Experience: Previous experience as an Assistant Psychologist or in a related role in a healthcare or clinical setting is often required.
3. Postgraduate Qualifications: A master’s degree in psychology or a related field may be beneficial, particularly for more competitive positions.
Essential Skills
1. Clinical Skills: Understanding psychological theories, assessment techniques, and therapeutic methods. Ability to conduct psychological assessments and interpret results is crucial.
2. Research Skills: Ability to design and conduct psychological research, analyze data, and contribute to academic publications may be required.
3. Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to interact with clients and multidisciplinary teams, as well as to prepare reports and documentation.
4. Interpersonal Skills: Strong skills in building rapport and working with clients, families, and professionals in health and social care settings.
5. Teamwork: Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, understanding the roles and contributions of different professionals.
6. Organizational Skills: Strong time management and organizational abilities to manage caseloads, inventory, and administrative tasks effectively.
7. Emotional Resilience: Ability to manage stress and respond to challenging situations with professionalism and care.
8. Ethics and Professionalism: Strong understanding of professional ethics in psychology and commitment to maintaining confidentiality and professional boundaries.
Additional Skills
1. Analytical Skills: Ability to critically evaluate research and clinical outcomes and apply evidence-based practices.
2. IT Skills: Proficiency in using software for data analysis, report writing, and managing electronic patient records.
3. Supervisory Skills: Experience or skills in mentoring and supervising junior staff or students may be beneficial, particularly in senior roles.
4. Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to think critically and devise solutions for complex psychological issues.
Professional Development
- Continuous professional development (CPD) is important in psychology to stay updated on the latest research, techniques, and ethical standards.
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