Apprentice Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner in Chester

Job Summary

Do you have compassion for others and work well with people? Would you like to support people with their mental health challenges? Perhaps you have experience of working in a mental health setting or your own lived experience of mental health? Do you have excellent communication skills and are able to work in a fast‑paced environment, there are opportunities to train as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner on a Level 6 degree apprenticeship for individuals without a degree in the West Cheshire NHS Talking Therapies Services in Chester.

PWPs help people who are experiencing a range of difficulties such as stress, anxiety and low mood, including those related to relationships and employment, by providing short‑term, evidence‑based treatments in line with NICE guidance to help people make positive changes and improve their wellbeing and quality of life.

This post is fixed term for 15 months and on successful completion of the course candidates will move to a permanent band 5 position.

Planned short‑listing will take place 19th December.

Main duties of the job

The role is fast‑paced, varied and constantly evolving to meet new guidance and evidence‑based treatments. A wide range of treatments are provided by the PWP, including telephone and online treatment on a one‑to‑one basis or in groups.

The PWP role is integral to the NHS Talking Therapies service and offers opportunities to work with specific groups such as older adults, perinatal mental health, working with BAME communities or supporting people who manage long‑term health conditions such as diabetes.

The PWP apprenticeship programme is a 15‑month course delivered by Liverpool John Moore\’s University. The course will start in March 2026. The programme combines academic and work‑based learning. Successful applicants will need to demonstrate commitment to the academic requirements of the course and assessments.

It is a programme requirement that apprentices must provide evidence of achievement of GCSE Maths and English grade C or above or grade 4 and above, or equivalent qualifications. This course is not appropriate for graduates.

About Us

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all‑age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire. We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport. Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person‑centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.

As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcomes applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services. All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.

Details

• Date posted: 28 November 2025
• Band: Band 4
• Salary: £27,485 to £30,162 a year
• Contract: Apprenticeship
• Duration: 15 months
• Working pattern: Full‑time
• Reference number: 373‑SMH2517
• Job location: Bowmere Hospital, Liverpool Road, Chester, CH2 1BQ

Person Specification

Essential qualifications

• GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in Maths and English.
• Academic ability to complete the course and demonstrate learning.

Essential knowledge and expertise

• Understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in primary care.
• Understanding of the need to use evidence‑based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.
• Knowledge and understanding of the IAPT model and its application to treating common mental health conditions.

Desirable knowledge and expertise

• Knowledge of work‑related mental health issues and the impact of physical conditions.
• Knowledge of local communities in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Essential experience

• Working or volunteering in a health/social care setting with people who have experienced a mental health problem.
• Transferable skills through employment or life experience, and ability to apply them to supporting people with mental health problems.
• Experience delivering interventions to people with mental health issues.
• Experience evaluating outcomes of interventions used in the role.

Desirable experience

• Experience working in primary care services.
• Experience working in a service with agreed targets and demonstrating clinical outcomes.
• Experience presenting in a group setting.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a DBS check.

Employer details

Employer name: Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Bowmere Hospital, Liverpool Road, Chester, CH2 1BQ

Website: https://www.cwp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/

Recruitment Notes

Applicants with a disability that meets the Equality Act 2010 definition, and who can meet the essential criteria, should answer YES to the question: “Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?”
Applicants with special support needs should inform the team.
Armed forces applicants are encouraged through the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

Applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check; costs are deducted from salary following appointment. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

Applicants are advised to apply early; the vacancy may be closed prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!