Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Focus as a Trainee High Intensity CBT Therapist. This is a full-time training contract comprising of three days per week in service and two days per week of training at the University of Hull. Successful completion of the course will lead to a Post Graduate Diploma in High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and a permanent contract with Focus as a High Intensity CBT Therapist.
The starting salary is NHS Band 6 rising to NHS Band 7 on successful completion of the qualification.
Shortlisting will conclude on Monday 2nd December, and successfully shortlisted candidates will be invited to a Welcome & Information session online on Thursday 5th December. Interviews will take place on Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th December.
Successful candidates will start in service on Monday 10th March 2025 and at the University of Hull the following Monday 17th March 2025.
Main duties of the job
To be eligible to apply, you must have a first degree in an allied discipline, usually Psychology, in order to be considered. If you come from a PWP background, you must have been qualified as a PWP for more than two years by the course start date in order to meet national expectations.
Please note, you will be unable to progress through the recruitment process if you are already registered on a Health Education England (HEE) funded programme.
Repetition of training is not supported if you have completed a funded training programme and failed.
Candidates who have previously withdrawn from a funded course will be considered only upon receipt of an academic reference from the original University. This reference must indicate that the individuals withdrawal was due to clear extenuating circumstances which would suggest that a repetition of training would be good use of public money.
Shortlisted candidates who have previously withdrawn from a funded CBT course should bring the following information to the interview:
- Name of the institution attended
- Name of the course
- Departmental name/ contact number and email for the course
About us
Since 1997, Focus has been a proud provider of talking therapies, counselling and training services to a wide range of public and private sector organisations across the Yorkshire and Humber region. We are a trusted provider of NHS Talking Therapies and help thousands of people each year to make positive changes in their lives and improve their health and wellbeing.
Our mission is simple - to change lives for the better. We strive for this in every interaction we have with each other, our patients, their families, communities and our business partners.
Our vision is a world inspired by human connection. We are a relationally-driven company and we believe that great relationships are central to a meaningful and fulfilling life and career.
Everything we do is underpinned by our values - integrity, compassion, purpose, dedication and innovation.
Join Focus and enjoy the following benefits:
- Competitive salary
- 28 days annual leave plus statutory bank holidays
- Company pension scheme
- Company health scheme
- Blue Light Card
- 30% discount on Nuffield Health gym memberships
- Flexible and hybrid working
- Company sick pay
- Company laptop and phone
- Access to ongoing career development and training opportunities
- Company social events
If you share our mission, vision and values, we'd love to hear from you!
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- Accept referrals via agreed service protocols
- Assess clients for suitability for CBT. Where problems appear too complex and/or severe to be appropriate for trainee therapists, refer to the Senior Therapist or Clinical Director for further advice
- Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy for patients according to agreed guidelines
- Adhere to agreed guidelines with regards to waiting times, number and frequency of sessions, review and discharge
- Attend clinical and/or multi-disciplinary meetings as required by the service
- Adhere to all requirements regarding data collection within the service
- Keep coherent records in line with service requirements
Training & Supervision
- Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post
- Apply learning from the training programme into clinical practice within the service
- Attend supervision sessions as required
Performance & Quality
- Ensure interventions are delivered in-line with key performance indicators, including but not limited to recovery rates, patient choice and patient experience
- Keep up to date with changes in policy, good practice and legislation in relation to mental health and the delivery of NHS Talking Therapies services
- Be aware of, and keep up to date with developments and advances in the field of CBT
- Contribute to the development of best practice within the service
- Attend line-management meetings, including supervision and appraisal, in accordance with Focus policy
General
- Maintain a clean and tidy work environment
- Work with the highest regard to Focus policies and procedures, including health and safety, escalating issues and concerns as appropriate
- Maintaining accurate, confidential records in-line with Focus policy and statutory guidance
- Undertake any additional duties as deemed appropriate
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- Accept referrals via agreed service protocols
- Assess clients for suitability for CBT. Where problems appear too complex and/or severe to be appropriate for trainee therapists, refer to the Senior Therapist or Clinical Director for further advice
- Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy for patients according to agreed guidelines
- Adhere to agreed guidelines with regards to waiting times, number and frequency of sessions, review and discharge
- Attend clinical and/or multi-disciplinary meetings as required by the service
- Adhere to all requirements regarding data collection within the service
- Keep coherent records in line with service requirements
Training & Supervision
- Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post
- Apply learning from the training programme into clinical practice within the service
- Attend supervision sessions as required
Performance & Quality
- Ensure interventions are delivered in-line with key performance indicators, including but not limited to recovery rates, patient choice and patient experience
- Keep up to date with changes in policy, good practice and legislation in relation to mental health and the delivery of NHS Talking Therapies services
- Be aware of, and keep up to date with developments and advances in the field of CBT
- Contribute to the development of best practice within the service
- Attend line-management meetings, including supervision and appraisal, in accordance with Focus policy
General
- Maintain a clean and tidy work environment
- Work with the highest regard to Focus policies and procedures, including health and safety, escalating issues and concerns as appropriate
- Maintaining accurate, confidential records in-line with Focus policy and statutory guidance
- Undertake any additional duties as deemed appropriate
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Candidates must either meet one of the following BABCP core mental health profession requirements OR complete a KSA (see below):
- Arts Therapists - Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered
- Counselling - Accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP Accred), Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP), Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA), Federation of Drug and Alcohol Professionals National Counsellor Accreditation Certificate (FDAP NCAC) or National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (previously National Counselling Society) - Accredited Professional Registrant (PNCPS Accred)
- Medicine - Psychiatrist or General Practitioner, MBChB or MBBS, and usually PG training with membership of MRCGP, MRCP or MRCPsych
- Nurse - NMC Registered Mental Health Nurse, or NMC Registered Learning Disability Nurse
- Occupational Therapy - BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, MSc Occupational Therapy, or Diploma of the College of Occupational Therapists (DipCOT) and HCPC Registered
- Psychotherapy/ Psychotherapeutic Counselling - United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) Registered
- Social Work - Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW), Diploma in Social Work (DipSW), MA Social Work, or BA/BSc Hons Social Work. Registered with one of four UK regulators - Social Work England (SWE), Social Care Wales (SCW), Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) *or previously registered with HCPC
- Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology - Post-graduate doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology and HCPC Registered as Practitioner Psychologist
- Educational Psychology - Doctorate or Qualification in Educational Psychology Stage 2 (QEPS) - must have BPS Chartership (CPsychol) and HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist
- Health Psychology - Qualification in Health Psychology Stage 2 (QHP) - must have BPS Chartership (CPsychol) and HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist
- Forensic Psychology - Qualification in Forensic Psychology Stage 2 (QFP) - must have BPS Chartership (CPsychol) and HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist
- Applicants who hold a core profession will need to provide evidence of this at the interview.
- Applicants who do not have a core profession must complete a KSA portfolio by the end of the first module. A partially completed portfolio should be presented prior to interview with statements included for all sections. Supporting evidence and signatures will not be required at interview.
- The partially completed KSA portfolio should be made available to the university prior to the interview and the successful applicant will receive feedback to assist with the portfolio completion after interview.
- Candidates will be eligible to apply for BABCP provisional practitioner accreditation 12 months after meeting all of the KSA requirements.
- Further details regarding KSA can be found here:
- https://babcp.com/Accreditation/Cognitive-Behavioural-Psychotherapist-Accreditation/Knowledge-Skills-and-Attitudes/KSA-Guidelines
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working in a mental health setting or equivalent, including an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in primary care
- Ability to undertake study at postgraduate level
- Ability to work under pressure, including prioritising workload, excellent time-management skills and the ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances
- Excellent communication skills including verbal, written and electronic
- Ability to reflect upon feedback and apply learning into practice
- Car driver and/or ability to work across all locations within the service
Desirable
- Previous experience of working in an NHS Talking Therapies setting
- Previous experience of delivering low and/or high intensity interventions
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Candidates must either meet one of the following BABCP core mental health profession requirements OR complete a KSA (see below):
- Arts Therapists - Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered
- Counselling - Accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP Accred), Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP), Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA), Federation of Drug and Alcohol Professionals National Counsellor Accreditation Certificate (FDAP NCAC) or National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (previously National Counselling Society) - Accredited Professional Registrant (PNCPS Accred)
- Medicine - Psychiatrist or General Practitioner, MBChB or MBBS, and usually PG training with membership of MRCGP, MRCP or MRCPsych
- Nurse - NMC Registered Mental Health Nurse, or NMC Registered Learning Disability Nurse
- Occupational Therapy - BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, MSc Occupational Therapy, or Diploma of the College of Occupational Therapists (DipCOT) and HCPC Registered
- Psychotherapy/ Psychotherapeutic Counselling - United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) Registered
- Social Work - Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW), Diploma in Social Work (DipSW), MA Social Work, or BA/BSc Hons Social Work. Registered with one of four UK regulators - Social Work England (SWE), Social Care Wales (SCW), Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) *or previously registered with HCPC
- Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology - Post-graduate doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology and HCPC Registered as Practitioner Psychologist
- Educational Psychology - Doctorate or Qualification in Educational Psychology Stage 2 (QEPS) - must have BPS Chartership (CPsychol) and HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist
- Health Psychology - Qualification in Health Psychology Stage 2 (QHP) - must have BPS Chartership (CPsychol) and HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist
- Forensic Psychology - Qualification in Forensic Psychology Stage 2 (QFP) - must have BPS Chartership (CPsychol) and HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist
- Applicants who hold a core profession will need to provide evidence of this at the interview.
- Applicants who do not have a core profession must complete a KSA portfolio by the end of the first module. A partially completed portfolio should be presented prior to interview with statements included for all sections. Supporting evidence and signatures will not be required at interview.
- The partially completed KSA portfolio should be made available to the university prior to the interview and the successful applicant will receive feedback to assist with the portfolio completion after interview.
- Candidates will be eligible to apply for BABCP provisional practitioner accreditation 12 months after meeting all of the KSA requirements.
- Further details regarding KSA can be found here:
- https://babcp.com/Accreditation/Cognitive-Behavioural-Psychotherapist-Accreditation/Knowledge-Skills-and-Attitudes/KSA-Guidelines
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working in a mental health setting or equivalent, including an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in primary care
- Ability to undertake study at postgraduate level
- Ability to work under pressure, including prioritising workload, excellent time-management skills and the ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances
- Excellent communication skills including verbal, written and electronic
- Ability to reflect upon feedback and apply learning into practice
- Car driver and/or ability to work across all locations within the service
Desirable
- Previous experience of working in an NHS Talking Therapies setting
- Previous experience of delivering low and/or high intensity interventions
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
