Cognitive Behaviour Therapy NHS Talking Therapies: Anxiety & Depression

The formal aims of the programme are as follows:

To provide high quality training in the core therapy skills relevant to cognitive and behaviour therapies for students aiming to work with clients with disorders of anxiety and depression. It aims to do this by presenting the relevant theoretical bases of the therapies alongside research evidence of their effectiveness. It endeavours to enable students to develop an understanding of the links between research in the relevant areas of psychological science and practical applications of these therapies.

To provide training consistent with all key governmental objectives, including training in ‘evidence-based practice’ and the provision of ‘lifelong learning’. As the Post Graduate Diploma is a post-qualification programme suitable for health, mental health and social care professionals with suitable knowledge and experience, the programme aims to develop and extend professional competence in all relevant professions.

Specifically, the programme aims to be consistent with the National Department of Health priorities for mental health; to create a pool of suitably qualified graduates, trained to standards meeting with the provision of services as specified by the National Service Framework for Mental Health (National Health Service Executive). The National Service Framework promotes the training of staff in cognitive and behaviour therapies and the need for the increased provision of evidence-based psychotherapy to service users. This programme supports the national NHS Talking Therapies: Anxiety & Depression programmes which aims significantly to increase the number of people in the workforces delivering evidence based psychological therapies.

The programme also aims to provide practical support, guidance and supervision in the practice of therapies delivered to clients with the disorders of anxiety and depression, and to help programme participants to develop the clinical skills necessary for working with this client group.

The programme aims to ensure that all graduates of the programme meet recognised minimum clinical competence standards in working using CBT with clients with the anxiety and depression, consistent with the relevant competencies’ framework for psychological interventions with people with anxiety and depression developed by Roth & Pilling (2007).

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/research/clinical-educational-and-health-psychology/research-groups/core/competence-frameworks-2

The programme aims to equip participants with the knowledge necessary to go on to develop skills in the application of cognitive behavioural theory and therapy to a broader range of clinical presentations.

You cannot apply directly to the training centre for this course.

Applicants will be predominantly qualified members of the main mental health professions (Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatric Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Social Workers, Occupational Therapists in Mental Health, Accredited Counsellors).  Please consult the following link for a list of all health, Mental health and social care professions currently accepted by BABCP as a recognised core profession, which will be accepted as entry criteria: Core Professions (babcp.com)

Applicants without one of these recognised core professions will be considered for eligibility via the Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) framework based on that developed by the BABCP. The KSA requirements for this training programme will be sent out to applicants.  An example of KSA requirements can be found on the BABCP website Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (babcp.com)

The route into this programme is via application for advertised posts as NHS Talking Therapies High Intensity Trainees on NHS jobs. There are a number of training programmes around the country, and each employer will be attached to a specific training provider, in a collaborative partnership. Recruitment is a joint process with our collaborative partners. Successful candidates will have some existing knowledge of cognitive and/or behavioural theory and some experience of the practice of cognitive behaviour therapy.

Please be aware that this is not just a training programme, if successful you will be required to give up your current job to take on this role.

The training component is in the form of lectures, workshops and supervision of clinical practice. Following the initial 5 day induction week, attendance is weekly, on two days per week (in some weeks the second day will be a study day or a day of tutorials), over three 12 week terms. The training day on a Monday will be comprised of supervision in the morning and a skills workshop in the afternoon. When Tuesday is a teaching day it will be a full day.

During term 3, there will be full day Masterclasses on some Mondays or Tuesdays, facilitated by national and international leaders in the development of CBT. On these weeks, supervision will be provided on the other of the two days. On Bank Holiday weeks in term 3, teaching and supervision will be on a Tuesday, and there will be no second day.

The NHS Talking Therapies High Intensity Trainee roles will be advertised on NHS Jobs any time between April to August *. 

* Please note this is an approximate timescale as these trainee posts are advertised by the recruiting services and at the training centre we have no control over this.

To get an alert when this trainee post is advertised, you need to be registered with NHS Jobs. There you can create a search for this role in My Searches.

We are happy to answer questions related to the course itself, but unfortunately are unable to provide any general career advice.