South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Trainee High Intensity CBT Therapist

The closing date is 12 September 2025

Job summary

Do you want to join one of our innovative services which delivers high quality assessments and treatments to people with common mental health problems?

Do you want to be part of a team described by its current staff as supportive, excellent, and amazing?

If the answer to these questions is yes, this post could be for you.

This exciting opportunity is for someone with experience of delivering psychological interventions with adults or in possession of a health-related degree to become part of the Talking Therapies workforce and deliver high intensity support to people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate must be available to commence the High Intensity Psychological Therapies CBT Diploma at Teesside University in January 2026 and will be expected to deliver interventions in a developing primary care setting and play a part in the effective development and operation of the whole of the service. Regular supervision is an important aspect of the work of the service.

High Intensity Trainees will be expected to have

  • A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, teaching, arts therapy, or within a psychological therapy or evidence using the career framework of training in mental health and experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression (Note: PWPs must have two years post qualification experience)
  • A commitment to a holistic model of mental health and working with partners to address client need.
  • Experience of working with people who experience mental health problems especially depression and anxiety.
  • Skills in assessment and interventions for clients and consultation and supervision with primary care colleagues.

About us

Please add your telephone number to your application form so we can contact you quickly if required.

One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.

We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for us. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via our Flexible Working Policy.

The Trust employs around 8,600 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Care Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements.If you use AI, and it poses a risk to the integrity of your individual recruitment process, we may withdraw your application at any stage of the process.

Details

Date posted

29 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

18 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9155-CMAHP-0825-28

Job locations

Cleadon Park Primary Care Centre

Prince Edward Road

South Shields

Tyne and Wear

NE34 8PS


Croft Surgery

Springwell Road

Wrekenton

Gateshead

Tyne And Wear

NE97BJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE.

The post holder(s) will be part of Gateshead Talking Therapies Mental Health Service, which incorporates Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). They will work with adults who have a range of common mental health problems in primary care providing high intensity interventions in a training capacity. They will use traditional and innovative treatment methods.

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 with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

To meet targets set nationally and locally for access, recovery and waiting times in line with trainee High Intensity Therapist expectations.

Once qualified (verification agreed) the High Intensity Trainee will be upgraded to a Band 7 High Intensity Therapist.

Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE.

The post holder(s) will be part of Gateshead Talking Therapies Mental Health Service, which incorporates Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). They will work with adults who have a range of common mental health problems in primary care providing high intensity interventions in a training capacity. They will use traditional and innovative treatment methods.

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 with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

To meet targets set nationally and locally for access, recovery and waiting times in line with trainee High Intensity Therapist expectations.

Once qualified (verification agreed) the High Intensity Trainee will be upgraded to a Band 7 High Intensity Therapist.

Person Specification

Training

Essential

  • Able to attend a two day per week course.
  • Able to complete academic components of the course.
  • Able to integrate training into practice.

Other Requirements

Essential

  • High level of enthusiasm and motivation.
  • Advanced communication skills
  • Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships.
  • Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively.
  • Ability to work under pressure.
  • Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
  • Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervision.

Desirable

  • Car driver with ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation.
  • Fluent in languages other than English.

Knowledge

Essential

  • Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care.
  • Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health.
  • Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
  • Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.

Qualifications

Essential

  • A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or within a psychological therapy.
  • OR
  • Evidence using the career framework of training in mental health and experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression (Note: PWPs must have two years post qualification experience).

Skills & Competencies

Essential

  • Ability to evaluate and put in place the effect of training.
  • Computer literate.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Has received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice.
  • Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients.

Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience of working in mental health services.
  • Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets.
  • Ability to manage own caseload and time.
  • Demonstrates high standards in written communication.
  • Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in Primary Care Services.
  • Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes.
Person Specification

Training

Essential

  • Able to attend a two day per week course.
  • Able to complete academic components of the course.
  • Able to integrate training into practice.

Other Requirements

Essential

  • High level of enthusiasm and motivation.
  • Advanced communication skills
  • Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships.
  • Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively.
  • Ability to work under pressure.
  • Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
  • Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervision.

Desirable

  • Car driver with ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation.
  • Fluent in languages other than English.

Knowledge

Essential

  • Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care.
  • Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health.
  • Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
  • Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.

Qualifications

Essential

  • A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or within a psychological therapy.
  • OR
  • Evidence using the career framework of training in mental health and experience working in a stepped care service for anxiety and depression (Note: PWPs must have two years post qualification experience).

Skills & Competencies

Essential

  • Ability to evaluate and put in place the effect of training.
  • Computer literate.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Has received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice.
  • Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients.

Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience of working in mental health services.
  • Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets.
  • Ability to manage own caseload and time.
  • Demonstrates high standards in written communication.
  • Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in Primary Care Services.
  • Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Cleadon Park Primary Care Centre

Prince Edward Road

South Shields

Tyne and Wear

NE34 8PS


Employer's website

https://www.stsft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Cleadon Park Primary Care Centre

Prince Edward Road

South Shields

Tyne and Wear

NE34 8PS


Employer's website

https://www.stsft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Lead

Simon Reay

simon.reay@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

29 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

18 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9155-CMAHP-0825-28

Job locations

Cleadon Park Primary Care Centre

Prince Edward Road

South Shields

Tyne and Wear

NE34 8PS


Croft Surgery

Springwell Road

Wrekenton

Gateshead

Tyne And Wear

NE97BJ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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