Job Summary
This is a training role within the eating disorder service. This role is a 22-month fixed term appointment leading to a permanent Psychological Therapist post at the end of this period if the postgraduate diploma programme is completed successfully. The post-holder will work within the service providing formal psychological interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training for this role. 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 in the service for -4 days of the week using the newly developed skills whilst attending the training programme for the other day.
The post holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities
Main duties of the job
- Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service
- Make decisions on suitability of new referrals
- Assess clients for suitability for CBT.
- Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients.
- Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying CBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.
- To be responsible for implementing interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis.
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options, taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors.
- Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times.
- Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
- To liaise with other clinicians involved in the patient’s care.
- Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols
- To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients.
- To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in mental health or learning disability nursing, social work, counselling (accredited level), occupational therapy, arts therapy, medicine (psychiatry / general practice), psychological therapy (UKCP registered), Psychology (clinical, counselling, forensic or health). Please see the BABCP website for more detail of accepted qualifications. OR ? Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP
Desirable
- Experience working in a service for severe mental health problems
Knowledge/ 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 Eating Disorder Services
- Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
Skills and 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
Knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrates an understanding of a range of mental health difficulties and how it may present in Secondary Care
- Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health
- Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Desirable
- Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other mental health problems
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.
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: 02 October 2025
