Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner - High Wycombe

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Want to know what it’s like to work for Bucks Talking Therapies? Open the ‘What it’s like to work for Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies’ pdf to see what our team members have to say! 

We are a nationally recognized, high-performing, and innovative Talking Therapies service. Visit our website (Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies - BuckinghamshireNHS Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies (oxfordhealth.nhs.uk)) to find out how we support over 12,000 adults to manage their common mental health difficulties. 

Staff wellbeing is a top priority - We have a very active, award winning, in- service wellbeing team and take a pride in our supportive, collaborative, and productive culture. 

The Trust hosts the Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research and the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre. Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies is actively involved in research, and the service benefits from being a member of the Oxford Academic Health Science Network – Anxiety and Depression Network led by Professor David Clark. 

The Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies service follows a hybrid working pattern. Until successful completion of module 1 (approximately weeks 12-13), your learning will be in person 3 days a week in Oxford for your Apprenticeship teaching days and 2 days in person at your allocated office base. Following this, the apprenticeship learning will be 1 day a week in person and then an office base for 3 days per week. At this stage, you will have the opportunity to work from home one day a week. Upon completion of the course, you will be entitled to the same hybrid working opportunities as the rest of the qualified staff.

Our two main bases are centrally located within Aylesbury and High Wycombe, and we use additional clinic space around the county. Ability and willingness to travel for work purposes is essential. There are currently vacancies for trainee PWPs in both High Wycombe and Aylesbury.  If you wish to be considered for both locations, you only need to apply once but please make it clear in your personal statement that you wish to be considered for either base. 

Apprenticeship Course Eligibility

To apply for this role you must ensure that you meet the requirements for the accompanying apprenticeship programme.

The eligibility requirements for the apprenticeship programme are as follows:

• Right to work in the UK.
• Resident in the UK for the previous 3 years. If you are not a UK citizen, all of this 3 year period must not have been for full-time education.
• Level 2 maths & English qualifications (i.e. GCSE grade C or 4 and above, or Functional Skills level 2, or equivalent). Please note: if you do not hold these qualifications, you may be able to undertake these alongside the apprenticeship – this will be reviewed on an individual basis during the recruitment process.   
• Minimum level 5 qualification (or evidence of ability and commitment to study at level 6).
• Not undertaking any other courses/programmes during the period of the apprenticeship.   
• Have not started an NHS-funded psychological professions training programme within the previous 2 years.

Please note, your eligibility will be checked during the shortlisting process. You will be emailed with an eligibility checklist which you will need to complete and return, alongside accompanying documentation, within 3 working days so that your eligibility for the apprenticeship can be reviewed.  

In order to apply for the course, we need to ensure that you have met the criteria, please see attached link for information about right to work / remain in UK and residency status.  Please can you read through this to ensure that you meet the criteria before applying for the post.

 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1155957/Apprenticeship_funding_rules_2324_Version_1.pdf

Please be aware as a part of our recruitment and onboarding there will be an eligibility screening process which will involve a form being sent to you for us to evaluate and ensure you meet the criteria for funding. If you have any questions regarding the funding criteria, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

On successful completion of the programme, apprentices will be equipped with the knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, and behaviours relevant to employment as a qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner within an Adult Talking Therapies service.  

Upon qualification, PWPs will be expected to comply with the national requirement, for PWP registration with the British Psychological Society (BPS) or the British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP).  Registration must be maintained annually, at the practitioner’s expense. Receipt of registration will enable you to progress from a Band 4 Trainee PWP contract to a permanent Band 5 Qualified PWP contract. 

Please note that this advert will close early if a high number of applications are received. 

If shortlisted, we are hoping to have in-person interviews on the 10th December 2024, date and location to be confirmed.