Trainee High Intensity Therapist - High Wycombe

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In return, we offer you a thorough training in CBT based at the University of Reading (UoR), clinical experience through Bucks Talking Therapies, and a supportive supervisor team, at both University and on placement, throughout your training.

The training programme is scheduled to start in March 2025 and ideally people will start work with the service in early February to complete induction and other duties. Applicants must be able and willing to travel to Reading regularly for their training year (university supervision is blended and teaching is held in person).

You will attend the UoR Post Graduate Diploma in Evidence Based Psychological Treatments for two days a week from March 2025. You will receive clinical supervision (CBT) from the UoR and Bucks Talking Therapies BABCP accredited clinicians, as well as managerial supervision in service.

Please note: for those applicants who already hold a psychological therapist qualification (e.g. clinical, counselling or health psychologists or core profession) these posts will be a Band 7 during and post training. Please mention this during your interview if you think you may be eligible to be paid at Band 7 during training.  For all other applicants, the post will be a Band 6 during training, moving to a Band 7 once the training course has been passed and competencies have been achieved.

Following completion of the course, moving to a qualified Band 7 post will be contingent on meeting a number of strict criteria related to the roles and performance of a HI therapist. These will be regularly assessed over the first 6 months post qualification and all these need to be fulfilled to meet the full requirements of a HI therapist.  

PWP’s are eligible to apply when they have completed a minimum of 2 years of employment as a PWP after passing all PWP course requirements at internal exam board. The only exception to this 2 year rule is if a PWP holds a previous core professional qualification recognised by the BABCP.

You will have an understanding and experience of cognitive behaviour therapy and wish to complete a BABCP accredited training in CBT. The training prepares you to meet BABCP accreditation requirements in order to work in Talking Therapies services. This is an excellent, but demanding course and candidates are expected to complete all its requirements within 12 months of starting the training.

The course you will be completing at the University of Reading as part of this role is a Level 2 accredited course with BABCP. This means that upon completion trainees will meet criteria to apply for accreditation as a CBT therapist with the BABCP. To apply, you must meet the criteria for CBT training and also have a BABCP-recognised professional background in mental health or related areas. This means having a recognised Core Profession. ​If you do not have a Core Profession, you must complete a portfolio of evidence to show that you have equivalent training and experience. This is known as the Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes portfolio (KSA). You can find out more on the KSA portfolio here: https://babcp.com/Accreditation/Provisional-Accreditation/Knowledge-Skills-and-Attitudes

​If your application is successful and you are invited for an interview, you should have completed your KSA.  You will be asked for a copy of you self-statement for KSA criterion 4 in the interview. Please see the BABCP website for guidance and exemplars.

Please also be aware, if you have completed previous Health Education England funded training (e.g. PWP training), you cannot attend High Intensity training until 2 full years after your previous training’s exam boards – we will require proof of this time period prior to interview if you completed any NHS England funded psychological therapies training before 23rd February 2023. The completion date will usually be the date of your qualifications certificate. If you are uncertain, please contact your awarding institution.  As the training course will begin on 24^th February 2025, any NHS E (formally Health Education England) funded training certificates must be dated two full calendar years before this.

Please be advised that we intend on holding interviews on 18th, 19th and 20th November 2024.

The 2-year psychological professions funding rule policy was implemented from 1^st April 2022 and applies to any person starting on one of the NHS-E funded psychological professions training programmes from 1^st April 2022.  For further information about the policy, FAQs and the affected training programmes visit NHS-E’s website. NHS funding for psychological professions training programmes | NHS England | Workforce, training and education (hee.nhs.uk)