Trainee High Intensity Therapist

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A health and social care organization is looking for Trainee High Intensity Therapists in Cambridgeshire. This permanent role offers high-level training in cognitive behavioral therapy. You will work with a clinical caseload, providing interventions and assessments. Candidates must have relevant health qualifications and experience in therapy practices. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential. This role provides a competitive salary and excellent supervision opportunities.

Benefits

High standard of supervision

Excellent CPD opportunities

Qualifications

• Accredited with a professional body is essential for health professionals.
• Candidates must have supervision experience in NHS Talking Therapies.
• Training in CBT and other psychological therapy modalities required.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the clinical activity of the service.
• Hold a clinical caseload and accept referrals.
• Provide high intensity interventions and clinical assessments.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Ability to work within a team

Flexibility and adaptability

Education

Professional qualification and accreditation as health professional

Training/qualification in delivering psychological therapies

Job description

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

Trainee High Intensity Therapist

The closing date is 07 December 2025

***Please note: the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date if a large volume of applications are received. ***

Due to new funding, an exciting opportunity has arisen for 6 Trainee High Intensity Therapists (HITs) to join NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Talking Therapies Service (CPTT) on a permanent contract at various team bases including:

• Chesterton Medical Centre, Chesterton, Cambridge
• Newtown Centre, Huntingdon
• City Hall, Peterborough
• Fenland Hall, March

You may specify on your application if you are interested in a specific location; however your preference is not guaranteed.

Please note interviews for this post will take place in person at Newtown Centre, Nursery Rd, Huntingdon PE29 3RJ, in December 2025 / Early January 2026.

Please email [e-mail] for more details.

Main duties of the job

You must be able to start the Post Graduate Diploma High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Training course on 23 February 2026.

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain a high-level qualification in mental health and start your career in the IAPT Programme.

Please be advised the training provider will be Charlie Waller Institute at Reading University. Training will be a blend of classroom based and online teaching. Additionally, on your clinical days you will be working from base on some days and from home working on other days.

It is essential to have a core profession that will confer eligibility to apply for BABCP accreditation following completion of the course - please read Why Work for Us document. Applicants with a background as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner will require a minimum of 24 months in post from the date of qualifying before the start of the High Intensity training programme.

Please note this post will be regraded to band 7 on successful completion of the training course.

We offer a high standard of supervision to our clinicians that far exceeds the nationally set minimum requirements within IAPT services. Monthly line management and annual appraisals are offered in addition to regular clinical supervision, and supervisors and line managers work closely together to ensure a supportive and developmental environment. We also offer excellent CPD opportunities within the service.

About us

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social Care, Research & Development.

To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share our vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under‑represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.

Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• The post holder will be expected to contribute to the clinical activity of the service.
• This will involve holding a clinical caseload, which will require a high level of organisation in order to operate efficiently.
• Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service.
• Offer clinical assessments.
• Provide high intensity interventions for cases referred to the team.
• Use evidence based psychological interventions eg. CBT.
• Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for patients.
• Adhere to all clinical policies and procedures, working within established risk protocols.
• Maintain high clinical standards in all aspects of the work.
• Ensure treatment delivery remains accessible, convenient and with minimal waiting times as agreed by senior clinicians and managers.
• Communicate, in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, to patients, family carers and others as appropriate, information that may be contentious or highly distressing concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of patients under their care.

Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county meeting strict time deadlines.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

• Professional qualification and accreditation as health professional, such as: Nursing; Social work; Occupational therapy. PWP candidates must have a minimum of two years’ fulltime qualified and supervised practice in an NHS Talking Therapies service at the point of starting the HIT training course.
• Except for PWPs, health professionals must be accredited with a professional body - registration alone is not sufficient.
• Training/qualification in delivering psychological therapies, including CBT & other modalities.

Experience

• Aptitude to undertake high level post graduate course.
• Experience of working with patients presenting with high level of distress and managing risk situations - please demonstrate this in your supporting statement.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision of others.

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling formation of networks with professionals within the Trust and from other agencies to promote effective team working with clients.
• Willingness to be flexible and adaptable.
• Ability to work within a team fostering good working relationships.
• Ability to promote psychological models with clients, carers and staff in an understandable and person‑centred way, clearly outlining goals and potential outcomes.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the IAPT programme and how it links to trust, regional and national demands.
• Formal training in psychological therapies. Introductory training in CBT.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting for prolonged periods.
• Concentrate for prolonged periods.
• Manage prolonged use of display screen equipment.
• Ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation.

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.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum, pro rata