Principal Psychotherapist | Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Our innovative Psychologically Informed Consultation and Training Team (PICT) has been established to support the delivery of great care for individuals who have difficulties which may be associated with a diagnosis of Personality Disorder.

This is a stimulating role in a compassionate and enthusiastic team of Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Lived Experience Practitioners delivering specialist training and consultation to staff working with people who have difficulties associated with personality disorder. The post holder will provide support to different parts of the system including staff in Berkshire Healthcare (inpatient and outpatient settings), local Primary Care Networks and key partner agencies.

Key to the role is to support the development, delivery and governance of high quality, psychologically-informed and evidence-based care. This includes provision of supervision, line management and expertise to junior staff, other professionals (e.g. SCM practitioners), and sub-teams in the Personality Disorder pathway, such as Service User Network (SUN) and Assertive Interventions & Stabilisation Team (ASSIST).

This role can be filled by either a Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or an Principal Psychotherapist. If you are a Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist, please use this link to apply: https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9371-26-0342

This is a hybrid role with opportunities for work online and in person. The post holder will bring a personal and professional approach and leadership style that enables positive engagement, containment, and skills development.

Supervision,

Consultation and Advice

Offer expert clinical supervision, consultation, and advice to individuals and teams delivering care to people with difficulties which may be associated with a diagnosis of Personality Disorder.

Training and Teaching

Deliver training and teaching to increase skills and confidence across the workforce when working with individuals who may have a diagnosis of Personality Disorder. This will include local NHS staff and the wider system such as those working in Primary Care Networks, emergency services, and the voluntary sector.

Assessment,

Formulation and Intervention

Provide expert clinical assessments, psychological formulation, and evidence-based intervention within the area of specialism.

Clinical leadership

Ensure the systematic provision of high-quality psychological services for individuals and their families/ carers within the area of responsibility.

Governance

Work autonomously within professional and local guidelines and policies and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service.

Research and Audit

Utilise research and audit skills to inform service and policy development.

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
• 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

The Psychologically Informed Consultation and Training Team (PICT) is a subteam within the Intensive Management of Personality Disorder and Clinical Therapies Team (IMPACTT). IMPACTT is a specialist service delivering assessments and evidence-based interventions (MBT, DBT), hosts a Service User Network (SUN), Carer’s programme, and an alternative to admission team known as the Assertive Intervention and Stabilisation Team (ASSIST).

The “must haves” for this role in

PICT

• Be an innovative and forward-looking Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or Psychotherapist
• Have post-qualification training and clinical expertise in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT), and/ or Structured Clinical Management (SCM)
• Have a substantial record of working within multi-disciplinary settings with people with complex needs often associated with a diagnosis of personality disorder and high risk presentations.
• Be someone who enjoys working with colleagues and systems to enable people with a diagnosis of personality disorder to achieve positive outcomes.
• Have a record of developing and delivering training, supervision and consultation to others to effectively share skills and understanding and enhance outcomes.
• Be someone who believes in the vision of changing the culture around how people with difficulties associated with personality disorder are supported within mental health services and are excited by the challenges of enabling and supporting this.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

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 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 call

Dr Chloe Forster (PICT Consultant Psychologist ) on 07825 121382 or chloe.forster@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 Tuesday 26 May 2026

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.