An exciting opportunity has arisen for a number of motivated individuals with a core profession and an interest in developing a career in psychological therapy to train as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist within a primary care setting in North Staffordshire covering Newcastle-under-Lyme and Leek Moorlands area. The posts provide an opportunity to complete a 12-month Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at Staffordshire University with a clinical placement in the Staffordshire and Stoke Wellbeing service (IAPT) in North Staffordshire. During the postgraduate training programme you will be offered a 12-month Band 6 fixed-term contract and upon successful completion of the course you will be offered a substantive Band 7 post within the service.

We are an extremely friendly team who prioritise staff wellbeing activities and supportive group events to maximise connectivity and promote a positive inclusive culture.

You will ideally hold a registered qualification at graduate level as a mental health nurse, social worker, occupational therapist or within another psychological therapy. Candidates from a PWP background must have been qualified and practising as a PWP for at least two years at the start date of the course (from the date of the qualifying exam board) in order to meet national expectations, with a completed KSA portfolio.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will provide Cognitive Behavioural interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training which commences in January 2023 in collaboration with Staffordshire University. This training post will equip you to provide Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to clients with a range of common mental health problems in primary care, for which CBT is demonstrated to be clinically effective. You will receive clinical supervision with an experienced Cognitive Behavioural Therapist on a weekly basis to support your learning. You will attend taught and self-study days provided by Staffordshire University one to two days a week. For the remainder of the week you will work within the Wellbeing Service fulfilling the service based aspect of the training programme. The post will require a blend of remote and face to face attendance.

About us

As one of the best performing IAPT teams in the Midlands, we have a proven track record in excellence, fuelled by our commitment to the CBT evidence base and NICE/IAPT guidance. Our focus on clinical excellence ensures that our staff are not managed through targets but through regular, supportive clinical supervision and training and development. We are a centre for research as well as clinical practice working in partnership with Staffordshire and Keele Universities to publish studies in high impact clinical journals. All therapists contribute to ongoing clinical research projects, and are actively encouraged to pursue their own research interests.

As a centre of excellence in the delivery of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for anxiety disorders and depression, the North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Wellbeing Service are committed to supporting our staff by offering flexible and blended working practices that enable therapists to retain the convenience of home working and working in primary care settings across North Staffordshire. Once qualified, we prioritise professional development for our therapists who are each allocated an annual training budget with travel and accommodation expenses, to allow attendance at a wide range of specialist workshops

Job description Job responsibilities

• The post-holder will work within the IAPT service providing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and will deliver treatment to a small caseload of mild to moderate common mental health problems through NICE recommended treatment protocols while undertaking the Diploma in CBT at Staffordshire University.
• The post holder will learn to formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients in line with the Roth and Pilling competency framework.
• Develop highly effective communication skills in working with people to understand their personal and often very sensitive difficulties.

• Begin to exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the treatment of clients in line with the service and university principles.
• Work as part of a team to deliver treatment within a stepped care model.
• Liaise with other professionals from a range of agencies where appropriate

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Entry level requirements for Diploma in CBT

Desirable

• Qualification in a Core Profession in one of the following - nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or a psychological therapy or a minimum of two years post qualification experience working as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner in an IAPT service

Experience Essential

• Demonstrable experience of working in mental health services
• Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
• Ability to manage own caseload and time
• Demonstrates high standards in written communication. Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers
• Experience with routine outcome monitoring

Desirable

• Experience of working in Primary Care Services
• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes

Knowledge and skills Essential

• Computer literate
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
• Has received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients
• 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

Desirable

• Knowledge of the full range of skills and competencies as laid out in the competence framework for CBT (Roth and Pilling 2007)

Other Essential

• 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 personal development positively and effectively
• Ability to work under pressure

Desirable

• Car driver and/or ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

232-STO-4520247