Job summary
- Main area
- Trainee High Intensity Therapist
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (Permanent on Completion subject to passing the Course)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 373-TTCR0009
- Employer
- Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Please See Service Descriptions document
- Town
- Various
- Salary
- £37,338 - £44,962 per annum (pro rata)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Trainee High Intensity Therapist
Band 6
Job overview
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) NHS Foundation Trust is hosting a centralised recruitment on behalf of all the services listed in the Services Description document.
Please note, where relevant, a completed Knowledge Skills & Attitudes (KSA) MUST be submitted no later than midnight on the day before interview to [email protected] quoting your application ID & job reference.
Important note: if you have previously attracted NHS England (NHSE) funding for a PWP role there must be two years between the date of receiving the award from the PWP training and the commencement of the trainee HIT programme in January 2026.
Applications are invited from individuals who can demonstrate a high level of skill and substantial experience of working successfully with people experiencing common mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety. You may already be working in an approved BABCP | British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies core profession such as a nurse, occupational therapist, social worker, counsellor, or psychological wellbeing practitioner (PWP).
BABCP Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes (KSA) - Information for 2025/26 HIT Trainee Applicants - https://youtu.be/tKs57_IPnaM
Main duties of the job
The role of High intensity therapist involves undertaking assessments and treating patients with depression and anxiety disorders.
You will see individuals face-to-face or remotely via video conference and provide treatment for adults from many different backgrounds, collaborating with a range of professionals in physical health, mental health and social care as well as with community organisations
Once treatment begins, you’ll meet with individuals regularly, usually weekly, to measure and review progress and tailor treatment accordingly.
This is a training role with a Talking Therapies service in Cheshire & Merseyside leading to a postgraduate diploma in High Intensity Psychological Interventions (HIPI) Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. Successful applicants will enrol with the University of Chester or the University of Cumbria.
To work as a qualified therapist, you need to undertake training in cognitive behavioural therapy and during training you will be required to be a member of BABCP (British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies).
Upon successful completion, you will be required to become accredited and maintain accreditation with BABCP.
Working for our organisation
You will work from your office base and may be based in a GP practice, healthcare centre or community venue such as a library or leisure centre. You may also work from a suitable remote location in some instances.
You will be provided with ongoing supervision to help you engage in self-reflection, seek and respond to feedback, and develop your professional knowledge and skills.
The role of a High Intensity Therapist involves the delivery of high intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) whilst undertaking a programme of intensive training. The training will equip the postholder to provide CBT to clients with a range of common mental health difficulties for which CBT is demonstrated to be clinically effective.
You must be able to demonstrate the ability to work within a high volume, performance managed service, manage your own caseload and time and be an effective communicator.
We are looking for people with a commitment to deliver high quality evidence-based assessments and interventions, a willingness to learn new skills and a desire to improve the health and wellbeing of people anxiety and/or depression disorders. Both trainee and qualified HITs play a critical role in helping shape the future direction of the Talking Therapies service.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Successful candidates will be motivated, resilient, efficient, empathic, supportive and will be required to have a good understanding of the needs of local populations and familiarise themselves with local knowledge of services. There will be extensive self-directed study outside of the working hours.
Talking Therapies Liverpool (Central, North & South), Halton, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton, Warrington, Wirral, Cheshire West and Central Cheshire are services delivering psychological therapies as part of the national Talking Therapies initiative and are working together in a collaborative approach to the recruitment of the trainee Talking Therapies workforce across Cheshire and Merseyside. Please note these services are provided by different organisations. A list of the employing services recruiting for the January 2026 cohort is provided in your application form.
Please contact the individual service(s) for more specific information to support you in your application and choice of service.
*Not all Talking Therapies services are recruiting for the Autumn training programme.
The completed application form will be shared with the Cheshire & Merseyside recruiting services and the higher education institutions providing the training. In submitting your application, you are agreeing to your information being shared.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Evidence of meeting the BABCP Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) requirements. A completed KSA will have been submitted by the required deadline.
Desirable criteria
- A recorded/registered qualification at graduate level in one of the following: Nursing, Social work, Occupational therapy, Arts therapy, Within a psychological therapy such as counselling (BACP accredited)
Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable experience of working in mental health
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in Primary Care services
- Experience of working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression
- Experience of working in a service with agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
- Experience of working with diverse communities within a multicultural setting
- Clinical experience Clinical experience within NHS Talking Therapies
- Knowledge of local communities in Cheshire and Merseyside
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care
- 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
- Knowledge of risk management, safeguarding and other relevant legislation
Desirable criteria
- Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to evaluate and put in place the effect of training
- Computer literate
- Has received training (either formal or through experience) and has the ability to conduct risk assessments and risk management, within scope of practice
- Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients
- Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
- Ability to manage own caseload and time
- Demonstrates high standards in written and verbal communication
- Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers
Desirable criteria
- Completed clinical audits within a service
- Ability to communicate in a language other than English
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
- Willingness to conduct a combination of both remote video work and face-to-face clinics
- 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 adhere to the clinical supervision contract
- 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 and willingness to travel to locations in the community and throughout the organisation, as part of the trainee HIT role
Desirable criteria
- Fluent in languages other than English
Training
Essential criteria
- Able to attend on-site training at Chester University
- Willingness to obtain membership with the BABCP prior to the commencement of training
- Able to complete academic components of the course
- Able to integrate training into practice
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Please contact individual service
- Job title
- Please contact individual service
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
We also have two upcoming virtual Q&A sessions if you’d like to hear more and ask questions:
📅Session 1 (Trainee HIT) — 10 July, 12:30–13:30 — Join the meeting now
📅Session 2 (Trainee HIT) — 10 July, 17:00–18:00 — Join the meeting nowPlease take time to read the full job advert and the job description / person specification. In your application, please include how you meet the person specification criteria you will be shortlisted against at the application stage. Within the application form you will be asked for your first, and second choice of service. The supporting information includes a description about each Talking Therapies service and their contact details.
You must be available in person for the entirety of the training course because 100% attendance is required, along with the relevant pre-employment checks.
**Please note that sponsorship is not currently available for this position, with any of the service providers. If you will require sponsorship in order to undertake this role, we will be unable to progress your application. **
For help with your application please contact the individual service – you will find their contact details in the Service Descriptions (see Supporting Documents section).
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