Trainee Psychological Therapist: Sponsorship Available

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Job Summary

We have an exciting opportunity in our Suffolk Adult Eating Disorder Service for a trainee psychological therapist to undertake CBT training (post based in Ipswich and/or Bury St Edmunds). We are seeking an experienced clinician with an existing core profession (e.g., nursing/social work/OT) who is passionate and motivated to work in a specialist ED team with adults across the age range.

This is a full-time band 6 training post, funded by HEE for 2 years at the training grade before transitioning onto a Band 7 CBT therapist role upon successful completion of the post-graduate diploma and accreditation process. The training will include broad CBT training in the first year with a specialist focus on CBT for Eating Disorders in the second year of training.

Interviews are provisionally due to take place in October. If successful, you will be contacted by email to invite you to book a time.

If you have an interest in the interface between physical and mental health, can demonstrate high quality core clinical skills and a desire to develop and learn,and are willing to go the extra mile to help make a difference to the lives of people living with eating disorder, then we would love to hear from you.

 

Main duties of the job

In Year 1, the post holder will work to provide formal psychological intervention (CBT) whilst undertaking a programme of core CBT training with UCL. This intensive training post will equip the post-holder to provide CBT to adults with a range of clinical presentations where CBT is demonstrated to be clinically effective. In the second year of training, there will be a specialist focus on CBT for Eating Disorders, allowing the post-holder to develop expertise in working with this population within our specialist services. The post-holder will work in the service for 4 days of the week using newly developed skills and contributing to broader clinical tasks of the team, whilst attending the training programme the other day.

You will need the ability to balance academic assignments alongside clinical work within your post.

There will be an expectation that any psychological therapist within the service will contribute to broader team tasks as appropriate in line with agreed job plans. This will include tasks such as triage, initial biopsychosocial assessment, developing meaningful formulations, participation in and promotion of reflective practice, and contributing to clinical discussion and intervention planning.

Clinical supervision will be provided by senior CBT therapists/8B Clinical Psychologists and management oversight will sit with the 8C Consultant Clinical Psychologist – Head of Psychological Therapies

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Post Graduate Certificate/ Diploma in Applied Systemic Theory (Intermediate Systemic Training) or equivalent
  • Professional Qualification and Registration in one of the following areas: Medicine, Social Work, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Psychology.

Desirable

  • Qualification in a core profession (medicine, social work, nursing, occupational therapy or psychology).

Experience

Essential

  • Able to demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of mental health practice from previous professional experience.

Desirable

  • Experience of delivering interventions related to own professional experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Models of assessment, screening and risk assessment and risk management
  • Knowledge of outcome measures and their use for clinical and audit purposes.

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).

Closing Date: 21 October 2025

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.