Trainee High Intensity TherapistNHS

Job summary

TalkPlus is recruiting a High Intensity Trainee CBT Therapist within our NHS Talking Therapies service.

This is a training role combining clinical practice with academic study. The successful candidate will undertake a BABCP-accredited Level 2 High Intensity CBT course at the University of Reading whilst working within the service to provide high intensity interventions to clients experiencing common mental health difficulties.

The role includes two days per week at university and three days per week in clinical practice, including participation in an out-of-hours clinic. The post holder will work with people from diverse backgrounds and be committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Successful completion of the programme will enable you to meet the training requirements to apply for BABCP accreditation as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist.

Applicants must either hold a BABCP recognised Core Profession or meet BABCP Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) requirements. KSA applicants must have completed the required portfolio before interview.

Applicants who have previously completed NHS-funded PWP training, must meet current NHS England eligibility requirements. A minimum of two years must have elapsed since the exam board date of any previous NHS funded training. Applicants who completed PWP training in 2025 must provide their exam board date within their application. To be eligible for this intake, the exam board date must be on or before 23 February 2025.

Main duties of the job

Please refer to the person specification and BABCP guidance for full eligibility requirements.

• Assess clients referred to the NHS Talking Therapies service and determine their suitability for High Intensity CBT interventions.
• Deliver evidence-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to adults experiencing anxiety, depression and related common mental health difficulties.
• Develop, implement and review treatment plans, monitoring client progress and outcomes throughout treatment.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and contribute to service outcome measures and data collection requirements.
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, supporting stepped-care pathways and appropriate referrals.
• Attend and successfully complete the University of Reading High Intensity CBT training programme, applying learning directly within clinical practice.
• Participate in regular clinical supervision, training and continuing professional development activities.
• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion, providing person-centred care to individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and quality improvement of the NHS Talking Therapies service.

Please refer to the JD for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

Job description

Role Summary:

This is a training role within the NHS Talking Therapies Service (Formerly, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme - IAPT). The post-holder will work within the NHS Talking Therapies service providing high intensity interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training for this role. This intensive training post will equip the post-holder to provide a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) service to clients with a range of problems for which CBT is demonstrated to be clinically effective. The post-holder will work in the service for 3 days of the week (inclusive of an out of hours clinic) using the newly developed skills, whilst attending the training programme for the other two days.

The post holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

The course you will complete at the University of Reading as part of this role is a BABCP-accredited Level 2 programme. On successful completion of the course, you will meet the training requirements to apply for accreditation as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT Therapist) with the BABCP.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical

Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service

Assess clients for suitability for CBT. Where the problems appear to be too complex or severe to be appropriate for a trainee therapist to refer to manager / supervisor for advice on how to manage the case

Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the departments referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent, as necessary.

Formulate, implement, and evaluate CBT treatment plans for clients

Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying CBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language

Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.

Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.

Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.

Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols

Work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate step- up and step-down arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach

Assess and integrate issues surrounding work and employment into the overall therapy process

Training and Supervision

Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training course for the post

Apply learning from the training programme in practice

Receive supervision from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.

Professional

Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (BABCP), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g NHS plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Clinical Excellence).

Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.

Be aware of, and keep up to date with advances in the spheres of CBT

Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development

Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with Manager.

Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.

Keep up to date all records in relation to Continuous Professional Development and ensure personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments

Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives.

General

To contribute to the development of best practice within the service.

To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services.

All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health and safety of colleagues, patients and the general public.

All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (2018) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.

It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.

This Job Description does not provide an exhaustive list of duties and may be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder in light of service development

About us

NHUC is a not-for-profit Community Benefit Society, working in partnership with the NHS. NHUC provides services through two divisions, Same Day Care (SDC) and TalkPlus.

SDC provides services through the Integrated Urgent Care (IUC) contract which covers the in Hours Clinical Assessment Service (CAS) and Out of Hours (OOH) provision for North Hampshire, North East Hampshire and Farnham & Surrey Heath places which are part of the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB and Surrey & Sussex ICB respectively. We also provide an Urgent Treatment Centre at the front door of Frimley Park Hospital whilst also holding some smaller contacts supporting Community Hospitals OOH and Flu response. Finally, SDC has a virtual care arm supporting patients at home.

TalkPlus provide NHS Talking Therapies, supporting people with common mental health problems in Northeast Hampshire and Farnham place. TalkPlus offers a range of treatments to people who are experiencing symptoms of stress, anxiety, low mood, depression, panic, phobias or OCD. TalkPlus has care pathways to provide timely treatment for perinatal and military veteran referrals.

NHUC is a Disability Confident registered organisation and are proud to support the Armed Forces community as a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant.

NHUC is not currently a licensed sponsorship employer. As such, we are only able to progress candidates who can demonstrate an existing right to work in the UK at the time of application.