High Intensity Trainee Cognitive Behavioural Therapist

Haringey GP Federation; Farnborough; Hybrid; GBP 38,000; Full time

Job description

High Intensity Trainee Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT)

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 be completing at the University of Southampton as part of this role, is a Level 2 accredited course with BABCP, starting in September 2025. This means that upon completion of the course trainees will meet criteria to apply for practitioner accreditation as a CBT therapist with the BABCP.

Main duties of the job

1. Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service.
2. 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.
3. Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the department's referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent, as necessary.
4. Formulate, implement, and evaluate CBT treatment plans for clients.
5. Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying CBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.
6. 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.
7. Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
8. Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.
9. Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
10. 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.

This is not an exhaustive list of duties, please refer to the Job Description for the full list of duties and responsibilities of this role.

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 (NEHF) and Surrey Heath places which are part of the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB and Frimley ICB respectively. We also provide Urgent Treatment Centres at the front doors of both Basingstoke and 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 provides 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.

Job responsibilities

Post Title: High Intensity Trainee Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT)

Reports to: Line Manager Senior HI Therapist/Clinical Director

Key Relationships: NHS Talking Therapies Team, Primary Care teams

Location: The Meads Business Centre, Farnborough (Base) and surrounding areas in North-East Hampshire and Farnham. The usual working pattern at the time of advert is a blended model of office based and remote working.

Salary Range: £37,338 per annum (Increase on successful completion of the course will be outlined in the offer letter)

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or within a psychological therapy.
• OR
• Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner and relevant mental health experience.
• AND
• Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP.
• Experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression.

Training

• Able to attend a two day per week course.
• Able to complete academic components of the course.
• Ability to evaluate and put in place the effect of training.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Has received training (either formal or through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice.
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients.

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of working in mental health services.
• Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets.
• Ability to manage own caseload and time.
• Demonstrates high standards in written communication.
• Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers.
• Experience of working in Primary Care Services.
• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes.

Knowledge

• Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care.
• Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health.
• Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.

Other Requirements

• High level of enthusiasm and motivation.
• Advanced communication skills.
• Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships.
• Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
• Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervision.
• Ability to travel to locations within locality.
• Fluent in languages other than English.
• Experience of working with diverse communities within a multicultural setting.