Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Leeds; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare trust in the United Kingdom is looking for an experienced Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist to join the Leeds Liaison Psychiatry Outpatient Service. This role involves providing specialist psychological therapy, working in a multidisciplinary team to treat service users with complex conditions. The ideal candidate will have a postgraduate qualification in CBT, accreditation with a professional body, and significant experience in trauma-focused therapy. A competitive salary and opportunities for professional development are offered.

Benefits

27 – 33 days annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

NHS Pension Scheme

Employee wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Specialist training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and EMDR.
• Experience of working with complex trauma and long-term conditions.
• Proven ability to supervise and train healthcare professionals.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist cognitive behavioural assessments and therapy.
• Deliver trauma-focused therapies to service users.
• Supervise staff within the Leeds Liaison Psychiatry service.

Skills

Cognitive behavioural therapy

Trauma-focused therapy

Clinical supervision

Collaboration in multidisciplinary teams

Education

Postgraduate qualification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Accreditation with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy

Qualification in EMDR

Job description

Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist

The closing date is 01 January 2026

We are excited to offer an opportunity for an experienced and innovative Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist to join the Leeds Liaison Psychiatry Outpatient Service. In this role, you will provide specialist psychological therapy to service users across our Outpatient Service, the National Inpatient Centre for Psychological Medicine (NICPM), and a 2‑year community pilot connecting both services. This position offers the chance to work with complex and varied presentations, develop innovative approaches, and contribute to integrated care pathways across inpatient, outpatient, and community settings.

The postholder will primarily work within the Leeds Liaison Psychiatry Outpatient Service. This is a well‑established service and is one of the largest liaison psychiatry services in the UK. The service works with service users who present with complex persistent physical symptoms and long‑term conditions. The Liaison Psychiatry Outpatient Service focus is upon the biopsychosocial model and treatment by the multidisciplinary team.

The National Inpatient Centre for Psychological Medicine (NICPM) provides specialist, multidisciplinary care for service users with complex psychological and physical health needs, including trauma‑focused and cognitive behavioural interventions to support recovery and improve functioning.

Main duties of the job

The Liaison Psychiatry Outpatient Service, in conjunction with the NICPM, is currently running a 2‑year pilot allowing service users under the care of Outpatients and/or NICPM to receive treatment and therapy in the community. This approach aims to provide continuity of care, reduce length of stay, facilitate early discharge, and prevent unnecessary admissions.

As an integral member of the team, the postholder will provide specialist cognitive behavioural therapy to service users in the Outpatient Service, the community, and the NICPM. Trauma‑focused therapy is a key intervention across all settings, with strong multidisciplinary support for working with people with complex trauma. The 2‑year pilot offers opportunities to work in innovative ways and gain experience with complex and unusual presentations. Working alongside the consultant psychiatrist, psychotherapists also guide and supervise the team in psychological interventions, ensuring continuity of progress throughout the service user’s journey.

In return, we offer a comprehensive induction, robust support structures, regular management and clinical supervision, and a strong focus on leadership and professional development.

About us

The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.

There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 – 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.

We also have a bank department, offering variety of roles in nursing, allied health professions, healthcare support work and administration clerical. Permanent employees are automatically added to bank.

Applicants should be aware that individuals requiring a visa to work in the UK, the Trust only provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles(this does not include Healthcare Support Workers). This is an essential requirement, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you do not meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Job responsibilities

The Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist will work as an autonomous clinician providing specialist cognitive behavioural assessments, formulation and treatment to service users experiencing concurrent physical and psychological problems within a ward‑based setting, the community and an outpatient service.

They will provide trauma‑focussed therapies (trauma‑focussed CBT or EMDR) when clinically indicated.

The post holder will provide supervision, consultation and advice to staff within the ward and wider Leeds Liaison Psychiatry service. There will also be scope to assist in the delivery of specialist training to other professional groups.

To take an active role in the development and implementation of the 2‑year pilot taking a lead where needed.

To offer psychological therapies to service users in their own home/community setting when indicated.

• To provide specialist cognitive behavioural assessments, formulation and treatment to service users experiencing concurrent physical and psychological problems within a ward‑based setting, the community and the outpatient service.
• To work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team (MDT) consisting of Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Professionals, to provide joint treatment for service users in a specialist inpatient and outpatient setting.
• To lead the psychological aspects of the formulation and treatment of patients within NICPM and the outpatient service (alongside the MDT), and contribute to the overall biopsychosocial formulation.
• To liaise with the heads of psychological services across the West Yorkshire footprint to establish a service user’s previous therapy and to organise continuation of psychological therapy after discharge from Liaison Psychiatry.
• The post holder will be a member of the Liaison Psychiatry CBT team and is required to work closely with CBT colleagues in providing CBT services to the wider department. This will include regular meetings to plan and develop the delivery of the service including clinical, supervisory and teaching responsibilities.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Specialist postgraduate qualification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Postgraduate Diploma or MSc).
• Accreditation with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy.
• Holds a recognised qualification in EMDR and has significant experience in providing trauma‑focused therapy to service users who have experienced complex trauma.

Experience

• Experience of working with ME/CFS, Persistent Physical Symptoms and Long‑Term Conditions.
• Has attended and holds a recognised certificate in clinical supervision and has experience of delivering CBT supervision to a range of healthcare professionals.

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.

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

£55,690 to £62,682 a year Per Annum Pro Rata