Band 6 Trainee High Intensity Therapist
Job summary
H&F NHS Talking Therapies are offering several places on the London-wide NHS Talking Therapies for trainee Cognitive-Behavioural Therapists. Please note this role will involve working with the adult population.
If you are an experienced mental health or social care worker with a recognised professional qualification working in a mental health setting (see core professionals list on the BABCP website), or a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner with at least 2 years' post-qualification experience, this course gives you the training you need to become an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT Therapist) via the BABCP route.
Since launching in 2009, H&F NHS Talking Therapies has become a well-established successful NHS Talking Therapy service and is one of the three services provided by West London NHS Trust. We have an excellent track record of successfully supporting our CBT trainees through their training and preparing them for life after. We have also retained many of our trainees who have completed the training.
We recognise that the Talking Therapies training programme can be demanding, and we are careful to provide weekly individual supervision, supportive line management, and a buddy system to meet the needs and maximise the learning experience of each trainee. Please note that due to the popularity of this post, it will be closed earlier than advertised if exceeding a high volume of applications.
Main duties of the job
Applications are invited from qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologists, Mental Health Nurses, Psychotherapists, Counsellors, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners for the one-year, full-time postgraduate diploma in Talking Therapies at Royal Holloway University. Applicants without a core mental health profession (e.g.
PWPs or counsellors without UKCP/BACP accreditation) must meet the required Knowledge, Skills and Attitude (KSA) criteria. Further information is available on the Talking Therapies website. The programme involves three days working within H&F NHS Talking Therapies and two days of university-based teaching.
Trainees will normally work at least two days in the office, including one evening clinic (12pm-8pm, Monday to Thursday), with opportunities to apply their learning in clinical practice. The post is offered at NHS Band 6 starting salary, plus 20% Inner London weighting. Interview date: 1 December 2026 (via MS Teams).
IMPORTANT: This vacancy forms part of the London-wide recruitment process for the Spring 2027 Royal Holloway CBT training intake, with Hammersmith & Fulham as the placement site. Please apply only if H&F is your first or second choice of London service. Applicants who have already interviewed with another London NHS Talking Therapies service for the same intake may have their application withdrawn and may not be offered another interview.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation. Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs.
The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m. The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission.
Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'. The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Experience · Essential
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 OR Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP.
Desirable
Experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression.
Experience · Essential
Experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression. 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
Desirable
Experience of working in Primary Care Services Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
Knowledge · Essential
Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Skills · Essential
Ability to evaluate and put in place the effect of training Computer literate Excellent verbal and written communication skills 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
Desirable
Car driver and/or ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation Fluent in languages other than English Experience of working with diverse communities within a multicultural setting Other Requirements
Essential
Able to attend a two day per week course Able to complete academic components of the course (e.g. submitting recordings, completing assignments, self-study) Able to integrate training into practice
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) . From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
