Trainee High Intensity CBT Therapist in Surrey

Have you considered training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)? DHC Talking Therapies in partnership with Reading University are looking to recruit and train Trainee High Intensity CBT Therapists as part of the NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression programme. We train individuals to deliver evidence-based psychological therapy on a one-year full-time Postgraduate Diploma in Psychological Intervention (CBT) starting September 2026.

The post-holder will work within the DHC Talking Therapies Step 3 Team, conducting assessments and providing high-volume CBT interventions to patients with anxiety and depression via face-to-face, telephone and video. We are looking to recruit motivated and passionate professionals to work as part of our expanding service. We will ensure you have a committed team to work with and support you, including a Duty Manager/Senior clinician, a peer group of CBT therapists, counsellors, employment support workers and a dedicated management structure. We are a dynamic, supportive and creative service who provide a high level of training and supervision to clinical practitioners at all levels.

Please be aware that by applying for this position, your application information will be shared between the education provider (Reading University) and DHC Talking Therapies.

Main duties of the job

If you do not hold a recognised Core Profession, you are required to complete a Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) portfolio. This portfolio provides evidence that you have equivalent training and experience to meet the role requirements. You can find the approved list for core professions here: Core Professions List. The University of Reading (UoR) website has information to support you in completing your KSA, including a screencast, templates, top tips and FAQs. Please use these documents to compile your KSA alongside the advice from the BABCP on their BABCP KSA page.

If you plan to submit a condensed KSA, please review the condensed KSA criteria carefully here: Condensed KSA Criteria to ensure you meet the criteria and have the relevant documents to evidence your eligibility for a condensed KSA. Please be aware that this guidance was updated by the BABCP on 27th March 2026. Please also advise your referees of the reference guidance and ensure your references meet the criteria. If your application is successful and you are invited to interview, your completed KSA portfolio must be submitted prior to the interview to The Charlie Waller Institute, University of Reading by 1st June. If you are shortlisted for interview, you will receive instructions on how to submit the KSA portfolio in the invite to interview.

About us

DHC is a GP Federation dedicated to supporting general practice in Surrey by providing high-quality healthcare. By working together, we develop health services that help our patients stay well, are efficient and meet the needs of our local stakeholders. We place people at the centre of everything we do. We provide a wide range of quality healthcare services, including elective care, Talking Therapies, and community healthcare, which we integrate and coordinate with primary care. We are registered with the CQC (Care Quality Commission) and are an accredited AQP (Any Qualified Provider). We value our team and provide strong leadership with great professional development, in a fun and friendly environment. DHC is working at the centre of the local health system and Neighbourhoods, to evolve and deliver integrated care which requires strong partnerships with many organisations. In all of our services, we aim to put the patient at the centre of their care, make sure our services are easy to access by local patients and reduce waiting times for patients. We are well placed to influence the wider system in making good choices for our population.

27-33 days annual leave plus bank holidays. Opportunity to buy or sell leave. Training and career development opportunities. DHC actively encourages and promotes diversity, ensures all voices are heard and included and is committed to equal opportunities for all.

Job responsibilities

Job Location: Across Surrey. Number of positions: 5. Full-time - fixed-term 14-month contract starting from September 2026. Any license/professional registration required? Core Profession documentation or your BABCP KSA documents depending on which route you are eligible to apply. Prior to this interview, you must have completed self-statements for the KSA criterion required based on your experience. Please also be aware, if you have completed previous Health Education England funded training (e.g., PWP training), you cannot attend High Intensity training until 2 full years after your previous training's exam boards proof of this time period is required prior to interview if you completed PWP training in 2024.

The role requires working in service and attendance of University, with a mix of remote and in-person work, including travel to Reading University for teaching and onsite days in service across Surrey.

We’re looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively
• Self-reflection in personal, professional development, and supervision
• Flexibility to manage academic training and a fast-paced work environment
• Passion for supporting the mental health of Surrey residents and being a reliable team member

We can only appoint candidates without a core profession once your KSA has been marked and passed. The KSA portfolios are expected to be marked within two weeks of the interview. Please note that we are unable to give feedback on the KSA if you are not successful at the interview.

Job Summary

This is a training role within the Talking Therapies and the University of Reading. The post-holder will work within the talking therapies service, providing high-intensity interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training for this role at the University of Reading. This intensive training post will equip the post-holder to provide a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) service to clients with a range of complex problems for which CBT is demonstrated to be clinically effective. The post-holder will work full-time in service, but will be released to attend all University days (Currently 2 days a week in term time and some block teaching weeks). You will be expected to be in service 3 days a week; this will involve a combination of remote and in-person work. You would be expected to travel to Reading for in-person teaching. Please note that this is subject to change. Please do not apply for this position if you are unable to travel between Surrey and Reading. The post holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

Key Working Relationships

• Therapists and other medical staff
• Administration staff
• Service Manager
• General Manager
• Social services

NB: This list is not exhaustive as the Post Holder is required to communicate with a wide range of external/internal departments and agencies at all levels.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Post

1. Clinical

• Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service.
• Assess clients for suitability for primary care. Where the problems appear to be too complex or severe to be appropriate for a trainee therapist to refer to a manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.
• Make decisions on the suitability of new referrals, adhering to service protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary.
• Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients.
• Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying CBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.
• Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
• Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.
• Keep timely and coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
• Work closely with other members of the team, ensuring appropriate step-up and step-down arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach.
• Assess and integrate issues surrounding work and employment into the overall therapy process.
• Demonstrate competencies set out by Roth and Pillings framework.

2. Training and Supervision

• Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post.
• Apply learning from the training programme in practice.
• Attend supervision from educational providers in relation to coursework to meet the required standards.
• Attend supervision in service to review all service cases regularly.
• Review client safety in supervision regularly, and adhere to the supervision policy.
• Use supervision to reflect on practice via case discussions, session recordings and role play.
• Be receptive to feedback and open to self-reflection and self-practice.

3. Professional

• Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (e.g. BABCP), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the Department of Health (e.g. NHS plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Clinical Excellence).
• Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.
• Be aware of, and keep up to date with, advances in the spheres of CBT.
• Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
• Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with the Manager.
• Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
• Work in line with service KPIs.
• Keep up to date all records in relation to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and ensure the personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of the latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
• Attend relevant conferences/workshops in line with identified professional objectives.

4. General

• Contribute to the development of best practice within the service.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services.
• All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (1998) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.
• It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.

NB: This Job Description does not provide an exhaustive list of duties and may be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder in light of service development.

5. Information

• Manage and maintain comprehensive office systems, including bringing forward systems (e.g. reminders) and prompt access to information.
• Manage and maintain electronic systems clinical reporting, containing patient-related information, analysing as required.

Work Setting and Review

• To manage own workload efficiently and effectively on a daily basis.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Make decisions pertaining to the smooth and efficient running of the department, acting independently but, where necessary, referring problems to management or the appropriate consultant via the quickest route possible.
• Be able to work with a degree of autonomy, which comes from experience.
• Work to objectives as set by the Service Manager, Clinical Lead, Supervisor and Senior team.

Individual Responsibilities

• Adhere to DHC policies and procedures and relevant legislation, including the requirements of any professional bodies, and attend mandatory training as identified by the DHC.
• Apply and adhere to agreed policies, procedures, and protocols, including national initiatives and propose changes for improvements to departmental working practices.
• Participate in reflection, self-evaluation and continuous professional development, including performance review.
• Ensure mandatory training is up-to-date at all times.
• Contribute to ongoing projects as required.
• Undertake other administrative duties as required, which are commensurate with the nature of the post.

NB: This job description represents an outline of the responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties or tasks. It will change and develop in line with organisational needs and may be amended following agreement with the post-holder.

Confidentiality

The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and DHC business in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and Caldicott principles.

Health and Safety

All Managers have a general accountability for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of the employees under their direction at work. Each employee is responsible for taking reasonable care for his or her own acts or omissions and the effect that these may have upon the safety of themselves or any other person. All employees are under a duty to familiarise themselves with the Risk Management/Fire, Health.