Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Psychotherapeutic Counsellor (Foundation Trainee)

The closing date is 26 August 2025

Job summary

This is a training role within the NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression Programme (NHS TTad).

Trainees will work in NHS-commissioned services, undertake the NHS TTad national curriculum for High Intensity Psychotherapeutic Counsellors, and deliver a portion of the service's high-intensity interventions under close supervision.

Each trainee will be trained in and deliver therapy in one of the following approved modalities, based on their specific pathway:

Couple Therapy for Depression (CTfD)

Brief Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT)

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression (IPT)

Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression (PCE-CfD)

The training includes a Foundation stage, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma (Level 7). Upon successful completion, trainees will be qualified to practise as High Intensity Therapists.

Recruitment is open to graduates or individuals with equivalent professional/academic experience, who demonstrate commitment to the NHS TTad model.

The combined training and service experience equips the trainee with the knowledge, skills, and professional values needed to deliver inclusive, person-centred care. Trainees are expected to:

Attend all required taught and self-directed study days

Work in the service on remaining days, applying developing skills

Engage in regular supervision and reflective practice

Main duties of the job

  • Assess and support individuals with mild to moderate depression under supervision.
  • Conduct assessments to identify goals for change/recovery and assess risk to self or others.

  • Determine referral suitability.

  • Following assessment, agree a contract and focus for time-limited counselling.

  • Deliver counselling sessions in accordance with the NHS TTad Manual and evidence base, using face-to-face, video, or telephone formats.

  • Meet required levels of clinical activity to reduce waiting times and support timely access to therapy.

  • Complete all required data collection using approved electronic systems.

  • Maintain accurate and coherent clinical records and use outcome data in clinical decision-making.

  • Work closely with colleagues to ensure effective and integrated care.

  • Attend multidisciplinary meetings related to clients where appropriate.

  • Establish clear confidentiality boundaries in line with ethical and organisational standards.

  • Conduct and act on risk assessments, breaching confidentiality only where legally or ethically required.

  • Manage a caseload.

  • Involve family members or carers in treatment where clinically appropriate.

  • Address issues related to work and employment as part of the therapeutic process.

  • Practise from an inclusive values base, promoting recovery and respecting diversity

About us

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

  • We're Kind
  • We're Fair
  • We Listen
  • We Care

Details

Date posted

12 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£35,763 to £43,466 a year pa inc

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

277-7404157-CMH

Job locations

Bungalow 3

Wensley Close London

Eltham

SE9 5AB


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post including practical, academic and practice based assessments.
  • Apply learning from the training programme in practice
  • Receive supervision from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
  • Prepare and present clinical information for all patients on their caseload to clinical case management supervisors within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis, in order to ensure safe practice and the clinical governance obligations of the trainee, supervisor and service are delivered.
  • Respond to and implement supervision suggestions by supervisors in clinical practice.
  • Engage in and respond to clinical skills development supervision to improve competences and clinical practice.
  • Attend organisational mandatory training as required by the employer,relevant to your role.
  • Undertake training and continued professional development as appropriate to the role.
  • Trainees will be required to complete a minimum of 50 hours of personal therapy over the three years, commencing in Year 1 prior to starting work with service users. Therapy undertaken prior to the commencement of training may not be counted towards this requirement. The therapy must be in the overarching theoretical orientation of the training (i.e. humanistic/person-centred or psychoanalytic/psychodynamic).

Professional

  • Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the NHS TTad manual, the employer and any regulating bodies, and keep up to date on policy/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. NHS Long Term Plan, National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines).
  • To liaise with other NHS professionals and colleagues working in psychological therapies, primary care, secondary care, statutory and non-statutory agencies to ensure that appropriate referrals are made in agreement with the patient, in order to build good collegiate relationships which supports appropriate psychological interventions.
  • Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times, within the limits required by policy.
  • Be aware of, and keep up to date with advances in the treatment for common mental health problems.
  • Ensure clear objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
  • Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
  • Keep up to date all records in relation to Continuous Professional Development and ensure a personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
  • Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives.

General

  • To contribute to the development of best practice within the service, aligned to the NHS TTad Manual.
  • To 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 duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health of safety of colleagues, patients and the general public.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post including practical, academic and practice based assessments.
  • Apply learning from the training programme in practice
  • Receive supervision from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
  • Prepare and present clinical information for all patients on their caseload to clinical case management supervisors within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis, in order to ensure safe practice and the clinical governance obligations of the trainee, supervisor and service are delivered.
  • Respond to and implement supervision suggestions by supervisors in clinical practice.
  • Engage in and respond to clinical skills development supervision to improve competences and clinical practice.
  • Attend organisational mandatory training as required by the employer,relevant to your role.
  • Undertake training and continued professional development as appropriate to the role.
  • Trainees will be required to complete a minimum of 50 hours of personal therapy over the three years, commencing in Year 1 prior to starting work with service users. Therapy undertaken prior to the commencement of training may not be counted towards this requirement. The therapy must be in the overarching theoretical orientation of the training (i.e. humanistic/person-centred or psychoanalytic/psychodynamic).

Professional

  • Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the NHS TTad manual, the employer and any regulating bodies, and keep up to date on policy/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. NHS Long Term Plan, National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines).
  • To liaise with other NHS professionals and colleagues working in psychological therapies, primary care, secondary care, statutory and non-statutory agencies to ensure that appropriate referrals are made in agreement with the patient, in order to build good collegiate relationships which supports appropriate psychological interventions.
  • Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times, within the limits required by policy.
  • Be aware of, and keep up to date with advances in the treatment for common mental health problems.
  • Ensure clear objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
  • Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
  • Keep up to date all records in relation to Continuous Professional Development and ensure a personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
  • Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives.

General

  • To contribute to the development of best practice within the service, aligned to the NHS TTad Manual.
  • To 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 duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health of safety of colleagues, patients and the general public.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Recognised degree at 2:2 or above in any relevant subject, or equivalent, or Demonstrates competency via a portfolio of evidence, which meets specified academic equivalence requirements
  • Completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, (minimum of 10 days or 60 hours of face-to-face tuition at level 2 or level 3). Note: Online courses are not acceptable. L2 Award, Helping Skills and Introductory courses are not acceptable

Experience

Essential

  • Show a commitment to working with people with common mental health problems
  • Demonstrable interpersonal skills and values consistent with providing hopeful, person-centred care within the NHS TTad stepped model of careApplication/ Interview Evidence of working within a team environmentApplication/ Interview

Skills and competencies

Essential

  • Demonstrates warmth, kindness, compassion, empathy
  • Able to develop good therapeutic relationships and maintain professional boundaries
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Recognised degree at 2:2 or above in any relevant subject, or equivalent, or Demonstrates competency via a portfolio of evidence, which meets specified academic equivalence requirements
  • Completed a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, (minimum of 10 days or 60 hours of face-to-face tuition at level 2 or level 3). Note: Online courses are not acceptable. L2 Award, Helping Skills and Introductory courses are not acceptable

Experience

Essential

  • Show a commitment to working with people with common mental health problems
  • Demonstrable interpersonal skills and values consistent with providing hopeful, person-centred care within the NHS TTad stepped model of careApplication/ Interview Evidence of working within a team environmentApplication/ Interview

Skills and competencies

Essential

  • Demonstrates warmth, kindness, compassion, empathy
  • Able to develop good therapeutic relationships and maintain professional boundaries

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

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bungalow 3

Wensley Close London

Eltham

SE9 5AB


Employer's website

http://oxleas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bungalow 3

Wensley Close London

Eltham

SE9 5AB


Employer's website

http://oxleas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Psychologist

Clayton Thompson

clayton.thompson@nhs.net

07741235018

Details

Date posted

12 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£35,763 to £43,466 a year pa inc

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

277-7404157-CMH

Job locations

Bungalow 3

Wensley Close London

Eltham

SE9 5AB


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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