Trainee High Intensity Therapist

Role overview

Cheshire & Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is coordinating a centralised hiring process for the services listed in the accompanying service information. This is a training post within a Talking Therapies service in Cheshire and Merseyside that leads to a postgraduate diploma in High Intensity Psychological Interventions and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Successful candidates will enrol with the University of Chester.

The position is designed for people who can show strong capability and significant experience supporting individuals with common mental health conditions, especially anxiety and depression. Suitable applicants may already work in a BABCP-recognised core profession such as nursing, occupational therapy, social work, counselling, or as a psychological wellbeing practitioner.

What the role involves

As a High Intensity Therapist trainee, you will assess and treat people living with depression and anxiety disorders. You will deliver support in person or through video consultations, work with adults from varied backgrounds, and collaborate with colleagues across physical health, mental health, social care, and community organisations.

Once treatment starts, you will usually meet service users weekly to monitor progress, review outcomes, and adapt interventions accordingly. The role includes delivering high-intensity CBT while completing an intensive training programme that prepares you to work with a range of common mental health difficulties where CBT is clinically effective.

Work setting and support

You will be based from an office and may also work from a GP practice, healthcare centre, or community venue such as a library or leisure centre. In some cases, a suitable remote location may also be used.

Ongoing supervision will be provided to support reflection, feedback, professional development, and growth in knowledge and skills.

Training, accreditation and membership

To qualify as a therapist, you must complete CBT training. During the training period, membership of BABCP (British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies) is required. After successful completion of the programme, you will need to gain and maintain BABCP accreditation.

Candidate profile

The trust is seeking people who can work effectively in a high-volume, performance-managed environment, manage their own caseload and time, and communicate well with others. A strong commitment to delivering evidence-based assessments and interventions, openness to learning, and a desire to improve the wellbeing of people with anxiety and/or depression are essential.

Trainee and qualified High Intensity Therapists both contribute to the future development of the Talking Therapies service.

Application and recruitment notes

Where applicable, a completed Knowledge Skills & Attitudes (KSA) form must be submitted no later than midnight on the day before interview to KSA@chester.ac.uk, quoting your application ID and job reference.

If you have previously received NHS England funding for a PWP role, there must be a gap of two years between the date you received the award for PWP training and the start of the trainee HIT programme in January 2027.

Please review the full advert and job description/person specification carefully before applying. In your application, explain clearly how you meet the person specification criteria that will be used at shortlist stage. You will also be asked to provide your first and second choice of service, and the supporting information includes details and contact information for each Talking Therapies service.

You must be available in person for the full duration of the training course, as 100% attendance is required. Relevant pre-employment checks must also be completed.

For queries about the application process, contact the individual service using the details in the service descriptions.

Additional information

Sponsorship is not available for this role through any of the service providers. If you require sponsorship to take up the post, your application cannot be progressed.

For informal enquiries, please use the contact details provided for the relevant individual service. The general contact email listed for assistance is cwp.talkingtherapieswsdhub@nhs.net.