Job Description
The role of a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner is demanding and fast-paced. During your training, you will be supported to develop skills enabling you to conduct assessments of people with mild to severe mental health difficulties, complete risk assessments, and deliver evidence-based interventions to people with mild to moderate depression and anxiety and other common mental health problems.
Trainees are expected to progress to working autonomously, with high volume caseloads including individual and group work; the role is well supported with weekly clinical and case management supervision from qualified clinicians. In addition to clinical contact, the roles will include data collection, data management, analysis and note writing.
We are hoping to attract people who have experience of working in mental health, or experience of a setting where they have contact with people at increased risk of experiencing mental health difficulties (this can be either paid or voluntary work in a variety of roles). We are also keen to have applications from people who have lived or personal experience of mental health difficulties (either as an individual or as a carer).
This is a developmental post and suitable candidates are provided with intensive training and supervision to work in the NHS Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT) PWP role and will study on the Postgraduate Certificate in Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner with the University of Essex. Expected start date for the training is beginning of October, 2023. Three days per week will be spent in service gaining invaluable experience assessing and working with people from local communities, with one day at university and one scheduled study day. This may be a combination of in person and remote learning.
Therapy For You is an NHS Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT) service based in NE and SE Essex delivering a range of services including self-help psycho educational courses, therapy groups, online/digital therapeutic services and individual therapies The service works with adults (16+ years) presenting with mild, moderate and severe anxiety and depression.
We are committed to providing an out of hours service to the community and this involves working an evening or Saturdays, typically 6-9pm or 9am-1pm respectively. A hybrid model of working will be adopted during training with clients seen remotely via telephone and video conferencing and face to face in GP surgeries and health centres.
Within 6 months of qualification, all will apply for individual registration with a professional body either the British Psychological Society (BPS) or the British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
PLEASE NOTE: should we have a high volume of applications we may close the vacancy early.
Those without a valid permit to work and study in the UK are not eligible to apply for this position.
Duties & Responsibilities Include:
- Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service.
- Assess and supports people with a common mental health problem in the self management of their recovery.
- Undertakes patient-centred interviews which identify areas where the person wishes to see change and or recovery and makes an accurate assessment of risk to self and others
- Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the department’s referral protocols, refers unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary or steps-up the person’s treatment to high intensity psychological therapy.
- Provide a range of information and support for evidence based high-volume low-intensity psychological treatments. This may include guided self-help computerised CBT, information about pharmacological treatments. This work may be face to face, telephone or via other media.
- Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating bodies, and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. NHS Long Term Plan, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)