Job summary
- Main area
- Talking Therapies Health Education England
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 371-MHS749
- Employer
- Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- University of Reading, Erlegh House
- Town
- Reading
- Salary
- £39,205 - £47,084 per annum (Incl. of HCAS for East Berkshire location only)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 18/05/2025 23:59
Employer heading
NHS Talking Therapies High Intensity Trainee
Band 6
Job overview
Interviews are due to be held on 4th June and 5th June 2025.
We are excited to offer a number of training roles within NHS Talking Therapies (previously known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)). As a trainee you will work within the NHS Berkshire Talking Therapies service providing high intensity interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training for this role. This intensive training post will equip you to provide a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) service to clients with a range of complex problems for which CBT is demonstrated to be clinically effective. The course start date will be 9th September 2025 with a service start date w/c 1st September 2025. You will work in the service for three days of the week, using your newly developed skills whilst attending the training programme for the other two days. For the first 5 weeks of the training programme you will be attending university up to 5 days a week. This cohort will be attending University of Reading in person for their training days and will be expected to work in-person from their work base one day a week. The rest of your working days will be completed remotely from home.
Main duties of the job
- Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of 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. - Assess clients for suitability for CBT. Where the problems appear to be too complex or severe to be appropriate for a trainee therapist, they will refer to manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.
- Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
- 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.
- Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (e.g. British Psychological Society, UK Council for Psychotherapy, British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies), 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).
- Apply for BABCP accreditation within 4 weeks of results being ratified by the university.
Working for our organisation
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 site
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The “must haves” for this role:
1. Relevant Honours Degree (e.g. psychology, mental health, etc.) graded at 2.2 or above.
2. Core profession as defined by the BABCP. Please see BABCP | British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies for a list of core professions and parts of KSA for identified professions. Please see: Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com).
OR
Two years post-qualification experience as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (from date on certificate) (E)
AND ability to be able to complete the relevant sections of KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes) portfolio prior to entry onto the programme Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com)
OR
A relevant professional background and experience which meets the KSA criteria (see declaration on application form) Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com)
AND ability to be able to complete a full KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes) portfolio prior to entry onto the programme.
3. Demonstrable experience of working with clients suffering with common mental health problems.
About you/you will have:
• Core profession as defined by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). Please see babcp.com for a list of core professions OR
• Relevant professional background with experience which meets the Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes (KSA) portfolio criteria, please refer to babcp.com for details
• If you are a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) or similar Health Education England (HEE)/NHS-England (NHSE) funded professional, you will have two years post-qualification experience (from the date on your PWP, or similar, certificate)
Work base:
This post is for positions within EAST and WEST Berkshire. For EAST Berkshire your work base will be in either Bracknell, Maidenhead or Slough. For WEST Berkshire your work base will be in Newbury, Reading or Wokingham. Please let us know in your supporting statement which would be your preferred location.
Before making your application please read the ‘further information sheet’ attached. Previous applicants need not apply.
Working pattern + Service operating hours:
Monday to Thursday 8am – 8pm and Friday 8am – 5pm. You will work 3 days a week in the service. Upon qualification 1 of your working days will be a late shift (12-8pm).
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.
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: Rachael Hedges on 0300 365 2000 or email: [email protected] 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.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential criteria
- Relevant Honours Degree (e.g. psychology, mental health, etc.) graded at 2.2 or above
- If a candidate has a core profession (see qualifications/training) but does not have an Honours degree or has an award of 2.2 or below, they will be asked to provide evidence of successful study at Level 6 or equivalent and be required to pass a pre-entry essay, marked at Masters level prior to acceptance on the training programme
Qualifications/Training
Essential criteria
- A. Core profession as defined by the BABCP. Please see Core Professions (babcp.com) for a list of core professions and parts of KSA for identified professions. Please see: Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com) OR
- B. Two years post-qualification experience as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (E) AND ability to be able to complete the relevant sections of KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes) portfolio prior to entry onto the programme Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com) OR
- C. A relevant professional background and experience which meets the KSA criteria (see declaration on application form) Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com) AND ability to be able to complete a full KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes) portfolio prior to entry onto the programme:
Previous Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable experience of working with clients suffering with common mental health problems
- Demonstrates high standards in written communication
- Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in Primary Care Services
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Computer literate
- Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Additional Requirements
Essential criteria
- To work flexibly within and outside of office hours
- Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
- Able to attend a two day per week course and three days per week in the service for the duration of the training
- Able to complete academic components of the course
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Rachael Hedges
- Job title
- CBT and Trainee Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 03003652000
List jobs with Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in Allied Health Professions or all sectors