Specialist CBT Therapist/Clinical or Counselling Psychologist

Job summary

We are looking for a Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) Therapist to join our compassionate and high performing team to provide therapy for primarily for adults (18+) that have difficulties with anxiety and depression.

Since launching in 2009, Back on Track has become a well-established successful NHS Talking Therapy service and is one of the three services provided by West London NHS Trust. Our main base is in the heart of Hammersmith near the vibrant market of Lyric Square.

We offer all NHS Talking Therapy-approved treatments. This is predominantly CBT, but also EMDR, DIT, IPT, and BCT. We have close links with our neighbouring services (Ealing and Hounslow) and share training events with them.

As a qualified CBT high-intensity therapist, you will benefit from weekly clinical supervision and regular line management. Our team is designed to welcome CBT therapists at any stage of their career, whether you have recently qualified or if you are further along in your career. As well as supporting the service to offer therapy to the community, we arrange away days and social events throughout the year to unwind together.

We also offer Inner London waiting as part of the salary package.

For more information about our service and what we offer, please visit our website on www.backontrack.nhs.uk and our Twitter page on https://twitter.com/backontracknhs

Main duties of the job

A typical week for a full-time CBT therapist involves working at least one evening clinic (12pm-8pm Monday to Thursday), and at least 2 days in the office. Our current caseload is the equivalent of 22 booked, clinical contacts per week. As part of these clinical contacts (i.e. treatment and assessment), there are opportunities for several other roles to support the team. We aim to create an environment where clinicians develop project management, leadership and supervision skills alongside mastering their clinical competence. You will need experience of risk management and assessment, formulation and treatment of Talking Therapies appropriate disorders (including depression and anxiety disorders). We are keen to fill any gaps in experience through our comprehensive CPD and supervision programme. We welcome applications from clinicians from diverse backgrounds as we are keen to ensure the workforce closely mirrors all communities, especially in relation to heritage.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as \’Good\’ overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as \’Outstanding\’.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed

Job description
Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical or counseling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS and professional registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). or Post graduate training in another Core Profession (e.g. nursing, occupational therapy) or Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes (KSA) accreditation plus a Post graduate diploma or higher degree in CBT.
• To be accredited by the BABCP as a provisionally or fully accredited practitioner, or to be able to achieve provisional practitioner accreditation with the BABCP within six months of starting in post. This includes completing the provisional accreditation form within 3 months of completing the Level II CBT training course.

Desirable

• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
• Fully accredited with the BABCP.
• In addition to CBT qualification, qualifications in DIT, EMDR, CAT, IPT and BCT.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients within an Talking Therapies service.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups and presenting problems that reflect a range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.

Desirable

• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
• Experience of the application of CBT in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across a range of care settings including outpatient, community, and primary care settings.

Knowledge

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. Experience at working with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy/ at a specialist level.
• High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Knowledge of issues relating to primary and secondary care psychological therapies services.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
• Knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Self-motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence.
• Be aware of the limitations in own competencies and seek appropriate senior advice.

Person Specification
Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical or counseling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS and professional registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). or Post graduate training in another Core Profession (e.g. nursing, occupational therapy) or Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes (KSA) accreditation plus a Post graduate diploma or higher degree in CBT.
• To be accredited by the BABCP as a provisionally or fully accredited practitioner, or to be able to achieve provisional practitioner accreditation with the BABCP within six months of starting in post. This includes completing the provisional accreditation form within 3 months of completing the Level II CBT training course.

Desirable

• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
• Fully accredited with the BABCP.
• In addition to CBT qualification, qualifications in DIT, EMDR, CAT, IPT and BCT.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients within an Talking Therapies service.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups and presenting problems that reflect a range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.

Desirable

• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
• Experience of the application of CBT in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across a range of care settings including outpatient, community, and primary care settings.

Knowledge

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. Experience at working with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy/ at a specialist level.
• High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Knowledge of issues relating to primary and secondary care psychological therapies services.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
• Knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Self-motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence.
• Be aware of the limitations in own competencies and seek appropriate senior advice.

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.
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Additional information
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.
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Employer details

Employer name

West London NHS Trust
Address

Gloucester House

London

W6 7DJ

Employer\’s website #J-18808-Ljbffr