Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner

This is your opportunity to develop your skills to improve the lives of people within Surrey. We are looking for up to five caring and committed Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners to join our team.

Successful applicants will start the course by attending the University of Reading two days per week (a hybrid of online and face-to-face teaching days) and will have a number of self-guided study days. The remaining days are spent in-service completing client work. As the course progresses, trainees work towards five days a week in service.

The post-holder will work within the DHC Talking Therapies Step 2 Team conducting assessments and providing high-volume, low intensity CBT interventions to clients with mild to moderate anxiety and depression via face-to-face, telephone and video, as well as workshops and CBT.

Following successful completion of your training, you will receive a Postgraduate or Undergraduate certificate of Advance Practice in Psychological Wellbeing and will be able to work as a qualified

PWP. You will also be able to apply for PWP registration with the BABCP or BPS. You will be unable to apply for another NHSE funded course until you are two years' post-qualification.

The role is likely to start around 1st September 2026. Interviews will be held between 22-26th June 2026. Representatives from DHC Talking Therapies and the University of Reading will be present.

Job description

Number of positions: Up to 5

Working Pattern and Contract Type: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week, 1-year fixed-term contract.

JOB SUMMARY

This is a training role within the Talking Therapies service (previously IAPT). The post-holder will work within DHC Talking Therapies, providing high-volume low-intensity interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training for this role. The training post will equip the post holder to provide a range of low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based self-management interventions to clients with mild to moderate anxiety and depression-related difficulties. The post holder will attend all taught and self-study days required by the education provider, as specified within the National Low Intensity curriculum and work in the service for the remaining days of the week using their newly developed skills. The post holder will work with people from different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities. The post holder will be working remotely (from home) and on-site (from one of our hub locations: Oxted, Dorking, Epsom, Guildford, Woking, Walton-on-Thames). The post-holder will work a minimum of 2 days a week on-site.

The post-holder must be available to start the week commencing the 1st September 2026.

The post-holder must hold a visa which grants them indefinite leave to remain in the UK. We are not able to provide sponsorships.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST

CLINICAL

Person specification

Training

Essential

• Able to attend a two-day per week course.
• Able to complete academic components of the course.
• Willingness to study and learn and apply learning into practice.

Desirable

• Experience of training or studying whilst simultaneously applying learning into practice.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience working in a caring/helping profession
• e.g. healthcare roles, social care roles.
• Understanding the processes of assessing peoples needs.
• Knowledge and understanding of common mental health problems.
• Capacity to work holistically with clients in a way that promotes recovery and respects diversity.

Desirable

• Experience of working with people who have experienced mental health challenges within mental health settings.
• Trained and experienced in carrying out risk assessments.
• Experience in delivering and treating clients with common mental health problems.
• An understanding of CBT guided self-help.
• Knowledge of medications used in anxiety and depression, and other common mental health problems.
• Experience meeting agreed targets and demonstrating positive clinical outcomes.

Question 1 and 2:

Essential

• CANDIDATES MUST CLEARLY ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IF THESE QUESTIONS ARE NOT CLEARLY ANSWERED:
• Why do you want to be a trainee PWP? (Max 250 words).
• What do you anticipate will be the challenges of the training year and what skills do you have to manage these? (Max 250 words)

Qualifications

Essential

• Undergraduate route:
• Level 3 qualifications e.g. 3 A-Levels, Level 3 diplomas, Level 3 NVQs.
• Level 4 qualifications 120 FHEQ credits e.g. Certificate of higher education, Level 4 diplomas, Level 4 NVQs.
• Level 5 qualifications 120 FHEQ credits e.g. Foundation degree, Level 5 diplomas, Level 5 NVQs.
• An academic essay will be required to demonstrate the ability to
• study at an undergraduate level and apply for recognition of prior
• experience. Please contact us for more details.
• Postgraduate route:
• 2.1degree or Masters degree, or postgraduate certificate.
• 2.2degree, Level 6 diploma, Level 6 NVQs. An academic essay will be required to demonstrate the ability to study at a postgraduate level. You do not need to complete this essay if your highest qualification is a 2:1 undergraduate degree or higher.

Desirable

• Training/knowledge in CBT low-intensity interventions.
• Qualifications and training in a healthcare field e.g. nursing, social work, occupational therapy, counselling or within a psychological therapy.
• A psychology or other health-related undergraduate degree.

Question 3 and 4:

Essential

• CANDIDATES MUST CLEARLY ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IF THESE QUESTIONS ARE NOT CLEARLY ANSWERED:
• Write about a time in which you have used skills such as empathy, warmth, effective communication/questioning, or normalising and what you learnt from this experience? (Max 250 words).
• What experience and other attributes make you an ideal candidate for this role? E.g. training, personal qualities etc. (Max 250 words)

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Demonstrates excellent IT skills, including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrates high standards in written and verbal communication, including telephone skills.
• Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in one's own personal and professional development and in supervision.
• Demonstrates compassion and motivation for a career supporting individuals struggling with their mental health.
• Ability to work as a reliable member of a team and foster good working relationships.
• Ability to write clear reports and letters.
• Ability to organise and prioritise when managing competing/ conflicting demands.

Desirable

• Experience of working with electronic record systems in healthcare/caring settings.
• Experience of providing support through different formats e.g. face-to-face, video or telephone.
• Experience using clinical supervision to aid safe practice and skills development.
• Fluent in languages other than English.

About the employer

DHC is a GP Federation dedicated to supporting general practice in Surrey by providing high-quality healthcare. By working together, we develop health services that help our patients stay well, are efficient and meet the needs of our local stakeholders. We place people at the centre of everything we do. We provide a wide range of quality healthcare services, including elective care, Talking Therapies, and community healthcare, which we integrate and coordinate with primary care. We are registered with the CQC (Care Quality Commission) and are an accredited AQP (Any Qualified Provider). DHC is working at the centre of the local health system and Neighbourhoods to evolve and deliver integrated care that requires strong partnerships with many organisations. In all of our services, we aim to put the patients at the centre of their care, make sure our services are easy to access by local patients and reduce waiting times for patients. We are well placed to influence the wider system in making good choices for our population

Benefits