Honorary Psychotherapist in Training (Un-paid)

Job overview

We are offering the rare opportunity to work as an Honorary Psychotherapist in training in an NHS Adult Mental Health Psychological Service, as part of your Psychodynamic Psychotherapy training.

The post is un-paid. We understand that applicants may need to undertake paid work, alongside their training requirements and personal therapy and so the hours are therefore negotiable. We require a minimum commitment of at least one day a week (to see at least 2-4 patients for psychotherapy which includes your training patient, and 1 assessment per month, depending on your clinical experience) over at least a 12-month period.

We are offering this honorary position to applicants who are seeking experience as part of their psychotherapy studies. The role will involve working closely alongside 3 psychodynamic psychotherapists (across North and South Bucks), a group analyst and colleagues from a range of therapeutic disciplines including clinical psychologists, CBT therapists, systemic therapists and others. This provides many opportunities to gain a broader understanding of psychological therapies within the NHS.

Main duties of the job

According to your own availability there may be the opportunity to join other areas of the service for observation for example, pre-therapy or psychoeducational groups. The successful applicant will benefit from exposure to a range of therapeutic approaches.

You will receive regular supervision from a qualified psychodynamic psychotherapist.

The placement is with South Buckinghamshire Psychological Therapies, a friendly team of psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists, based at Saffron House, South Bucks Community Mental Health Hub, High Wycombe, alongside a variety of multidisciplinary

clinicians working in adults and older adults mental health, as well as other services such as our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, The Early Intervention Team for Psychosis, The Crisis Team, Older Adult Mental Health Services and The Community Mental Health Team. There is also the possibility of working in our smaller Amersham Health Centre that serves the South East of the county.

The successful applicant will be enthusiastic, self-motivated, well organised, and keen to contribute to the service. Ideally, we are looking for applicants with prior experience of working with patients as our service is specialist, working with complex, longstanding and enduring difficulties. They will also have good IT skills and be able to work autonomously under supervision.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

What you will gain:

• An opportunity to gain valuable experience of providing psychotherapy and working within a Psychological Therapies team in the NHS.
• Experience collating clinical background information and history from electronic health records, and utilising this in patient care.
• Develop skills in drafting Assessment and Clinical Reports and recommendations and where appropriate, conducting initial suitability assessments.
• Opportunity to contribute to audit and quality improvement where appropriate.

For further information and to apply, please email to Esther Jackson, Psychodynamic Psychotherapist esther.jackson1@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

If you’re applying for the role, please include your c.v. and your supporting statement for why you’re interested in the role and why you would be a good fit for it. We will interview all candidates before appointment on a chronological basis. If you are successful, you will be given an honorary contract with Oxford Health. An appropriate person will be appointed once we have found the right fit, so encourage early application.

To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, we are unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application.

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.