Job summary
- Main area
- Oxfordshire Mental Health Services
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (part time hours available upon qualification)
- Job ref
- 267-OA7184113
- Employer
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Slade, Abell House
- Town
- Oxford
- Salary
- £37,338 - £44,962 per annum/pro-rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/05/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Trainee High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapist - Oxford
Band 6
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
We are a responsive and innovative Foundation Trust that places our values of Caring, Safe and Excellent at the heart of everything we do. We take great pride in our staff and believe that investing in you is key to us achieving our vision of outstanding care delivered by outstanding people.
We work with a wide range of partner organisations to deliver care and support to people in their own homes and from a number of hospitals and community bases. We focus on delivering care as close to home as possible for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
We actively support anti-racism, equality, diversity, and inclusion so, if you’re excited about this job opportunity and you meet our Trust values, but feel unsure about applying, then please get in touch and we will be happy to have a conversation with you.
We are also committed to increasing diversity in the workforce, that is why we actively encourage applications from those groups of people who are currently under-represented, which include amongst others: people with disabilities; men from all socio-economic backgrounds; people from diverse ethnic backgrounds; and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Good luck and we hope to hear from you.
Job overview
Are you an individual with experience in psychological therapy and mental health?
Are you seeking a progressive, challenging role providing support to a range of individuals?
The NHS Talking Therapies programme is driving forward the expansion of its delivery of psychological interventions. This is an excellent opportunity to join a large and innovative NHS Foundation trust in which NHS Oxford Talking Therapies has a strong track record for supporting the development of psychological therapy services.
The Trainee High-Intensity Therapist will be a core member of the Service, undertaking training to provide high-intensity interventions – initially Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), whilst working in a training role working with clients who have a range of anxiety and depression-related problems.
We are looking for people who have the enthusiasm and skills to join our service and who are committed to making a difference within primary care and the wider community, and who will support a developing workforce and service delivery model in primary care.
Main duties of the job
The post involves providing psychological assessments and evidence-based interventions for people with common mental health problems and people living with long term physical health conditions (on the telephone and in an individual and group setting). Some of your role can be provided from home and you will also work out of TalkingSpace Plus venues within Oxfordshire.
The responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to:
- Assess clients for suitability for CBT or refer to manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.
- To evaluate and make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the service referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary.
- Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients.
- Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying CBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
- Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For more information about this exciting opportunity, please refer to the job description.
All successful candidates will undertake an intensive one-year Post-Graduate Diploma IAPT: High-Intensity Psychological Therapies at the University of Reading (please visit the University of Reading website for further information on course registration requirements). Post-holders must be able to attend all university training as required. Most teaching will be 2 days per week in conjunction with a minimum period of high-intensity CBT clinical practice per week working within the service. You will also receive clinical supervision from the University and TalkingSpace Plus from BABCP accredited supervisors.
After completion of the PG diploma in CBT course, you will then have an opportunity to develop your CBT skills further by delivering CBT groups, offering consultations to other staff and starting training in working with patients with Long term physical health conditions. Post holders will then progress to a band 7 position, typically within 6 months of completion of the course at the University of Reading.
Person specification
Knowledge requirements
Essential criteria
- Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care
- Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- 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.
- Evidence using the career framework of training in mental health and experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression
Experience
Essential criteria
- Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
- Ability to manage own caseload and time
- Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers
- Demonstrable experience of delivering CBT based interventions under supervision
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in Primary Care Services
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to evaluate and put in place the effect of training
- Computer literate
- Has received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice
Contract/other requirements
Essential criteria
- Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
- Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively
- Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
- Able to attend other Trust and community premises for work and training purposes
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
- Liam Cuttell
- Job title
- Team Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01865 901222
- Additional information
At Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust we want to employ people not just with experience, but with the aptitude and motivation to succeed and whose values resonate with our own.
Therefore, if you don’t meet all the requirements of the role and are unsure about applying but are excited about the opportunity, please do get in touch. We will be happy to discuss the requirements in more detail ahead of making a written application.
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