Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (Low-Intensity)

Job overview

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest providers of Talking Therapies services in the country. We are currently seeking to recruit our next cohort of Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, who will qualify within one year and go on to join our service in substantive roles.

This is a particularly positive time to join us, following contract renewal, as the service moves to a data-led, Place-based model, taking provision closer to the local population that it serves while developing an already broad portfolio of clinical specialisms, including perinatal, trauma and long-term conditions. Recent innovations have included the implementation of SilverCloud, implementing a self-referral Chat-bot and the production of a short film for new fathers.

Norfolk and Waveney Talking Therapies is research active and is working closely with the University of East Anglia, as a research partner as we build our portfolio of projects. Our current training provider for this course is University of Essex. We are also working with local acute healthcare providers to this end, embedding our therapeutic staff within wider systems of health. The service has excellent access to ongoing training and specialist supervision.

We are committed to quality through external scrutiny and have recently joined the Accreditation Programme for Psychological Therapies (APPTS), part of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, College Centre for Quality Improvement assurance programme.

Main duties of the job

Our psychological therapies are delivered face to face, as well as online and by telephone, depending upon the needs of service users. Though hybrid working is part of the role, all staff are expected to attend team hubs and other delivery sites to work with colleagues and see people as required, and to participate in a range of training and service activities.  For clinical delivery at Step 2 it is expected that a minimum of 3 days will be delivered face-to-face.

All staff are expected to participate in regular clinical supervision to ensure the quality of delivery and maintain professional development and wellbeing.

It is an expectation that staff will contribute to the ongoing programme of development and improvement, including clinical audit, service evaluation and personal performance appraisal.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

NHS Talking Therapies Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP)

Do you want to feel valued with the opportunity to develop within a service where you are respected as an individual?

This position offers you a chance to make a positive difference to people’s lives. You will study for a Post Graduate Certificate in Low Intensity Psychological Interventions (PGCert LIPI) , putting your learning into practice working with patients experiencing common mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression. Your work will be fully supported by a comprehensive programme of clinical supervision, robust line management supervision and support from the leadership of the service.

This Band 4 post moves to Band 5 upon successful completion of training and BABCP Accreditation.

Joining us means you become part of an established NHS Talking Therapies service that is benchmarked nationally as a service with excellent outcomes for our communities.  You will provide a range of NICE compliant Low Intensity CBT informed treatments, alongside PTs, MHP’s, Counsellors, Employment Advisors and our newly developed Access & Inclusion Team.

Main duties of the job

The position includes undertaking the PG Certificate in Low Intensity Psychological Interventions at the University of Essex, over one academic year. Three days per week will be spent in service gaining invaluable experience assessing and working with people from the local community, with one day studying with the University and one directed learning day. Both training and clinical work will be a combination of remote and in person.

The course requires self-directed study and so the ability to integrate study with clinical practice is important. We work closely with the University to ensure a joined-up approach to training. Taking up this post requires you to sign a learning agreement with NHS Talking Therapies / Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.

You will provide Low Intensity CBT informed treatment to people with common mental health problems including anxiety, depression and PTSD and once qualified you will be expected to provide 18 attended clinical contacts per week, in line with the national requirement for all NHS Talking Therapies services.

NHS Talking Therapies has Key Performance Indicators which all clinicians are expected to achieve, with support from your Supervisor and Clinical Team Leader.

Working for our organisation

NHS Talking Therapies is commissioned from age 16 upwards, for people who want help with common mental health problems of anxiety and low mood. The service is delivered via a partnership between Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT), East London NHS Foundation Trust, N&WMind and Relate.

The service is commissioned to deliver from 8:00am – 8:00pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am – 2:00pm on Saturdays.  You will be expected to work within these hours across the week. Currently our Saturday service is delivered by external partners, however this is under review.

You will join a service that supports everyone in their roles and in line with Trust values: We are a Team: We build strong relationships within and across teams and work closely with service users, carers and families. We are Accountable: We are answerable for our actions, behaviour and performance and take pride in our work. We Learn and Improve: We take every opportunity to learn and improve and provide feedback which is helpful, sincere and genuine. We are Kind: We act with kindness, and we treat everyone with respect and dignity.

Working for us means you can enjoy being based in the beautiful county of Norfolk with the historic city of Norwich, the Norfolk Broads and stunning coastline.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Minimum Qualifications Required

Trainee PWP jobs are open to people who have the relevant qualifications, please only apply if you meet the minimum requirements. If you are unsure if you meet these please get in contact with us.

Entry requirements:

• (Post Graduate training Route) : Applicants must hold a degree or higher qualification.
• Or (Undergraduate Training Route): Applicants must have a minimum one year of relevant care experience (such as care worker, support worker, healthcare assistant, healthcare administration, Support, Time & Recovery workers etc.) and be able to demonstrate an ability to have worked at the standards of academic Level 5

- If you are invited to an interview, you must bring your documents and any academic qualifications, certificates and evidence you hold (as applicable) for them to scanned on the day. Offers cannot be made without this information

Service vision

• Our vision for Norfolk and Waveney is to improve the lives of the 210,000 people who suffer with anxiety and depression, promoting sustained recovery and wellbeing in line with Talking Therapies Manual.
• Together with partners we will reduce the differentials in access, treatment and outcomes from Talking Therapies that those who experience inequalities face in our communities.
• Our approach brings together VCSE and statutory organisations at System, Place and community levels, aligning physical health and mental health pathways with networks of social and community support.

We want our communities and staff to recommend our organisation as a place where they would be happy for their friends and family to be treated. You can help us do this by bringing your skills, experience and commitment to Norfolk and Waveney NHS Talking Therapies. There is a strong emphasis on clinical leadership and the development of our staff is important to us. You will receive clinical and case management supervision within the service as well as in service training and CPD days that ensure your continued learning and development. We are a research-friendly service currently involved in several projects focusing on improving outcomes for our service users, and ways of improving the support offered to therapists to improve therapeutic skills. We are also passionate about technology, utilising digital platforms and other innovations where these aid therapy and improve the experience for our service users.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is an equal opportunities employer, and our workforce is currently under-represented from people from Black and Minority Ethnic and disabled communities. We would welcome applications from people from these communities as we want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve.

Locations

All applicants need to be able to deliver therapy across Norfolk and Waveney. We support a hybrid model of working ie. face-to-face on site(s) and from home.  The service is required to deliver face-to-face treatment to our communities within a 10-mile radius of their home or work, whichever is preferred.  If you are successful in your application you will be aligned to our place-based model, in line with service need and you must have the ability to travel independently as required across Norfolk and Waveney.

Our main locality hubs are based in Norwich, Dereham, Great Yarmouth, North Walsham, Kings Lynn and Heacham. These trainee roles will be based in King’s Lynn.

Training will be delivered via both face-to-face and remote teaching.

To find out more about this role and our NHS Talking Therapies Service visit our website by searching for www.nandwtalkingtherapies.org.uk and then clicking on the working for us section under Norfolk.

Applying and Interviews

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification. This is an exciting opportunity to progress and enhance your skills.  The post is a Band 4 during training that moves to a Band 5 post upon successful completion of training and gaining BABCP/ BPS Accreditation, we therefore are not expecting successful candidates to have all skills as outlined on the Job Description and Person Specification, but a commitment to achieving them.  If you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted via email to arrange your interview these will be held in person in Norwich. These emails may go to your SPAM, so please keep checking all your emails if applying.