Job summary
- Main area
- Operations, Adults East
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent: Part-time
- Hours
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 150-KB2013-CC
- Employer
- Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Moulsecoomb Health Centre
- Town
- Brighton
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 07/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
NHS AfC: Band 6
Job overview
A Specialist Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner working within the innovative Diabetes Care For You (DCFY) service, providing high volume, low-intensity talking therapy to people living with diabetes. Holistic care and treatment and multi-disciplinary team (MDT) working are embedded within the service.
As part of the small psychotherapy team within the service, provide assessments and interventions for people living with diabetes while experiencing associated mild to moderate emotional distress. Conducting risk assessments as well as psycho-educational interventions to encourage emotional resilience and active engagement in diabetes self-management. Work closely with other psychotherapists who will direct and support the PWP caseload. Responsible for delivering low intensity psychoeducational groups in person and on-line to people living with diabetes.
Main duties of the job
Contribute to the review and management of the psychotherapy waiting list within the DCFY service in line with agreed protocols and guidance. Telephone triage patients on the psychotherapy waiting list and monitor systematically stepped care within the psychotherapy service to ensure that lower-level interventions are providing significant health gain.
Make telephone assessments of mild-moderate depression, anxiety, disordered eating, safe-guarding, and risk. Formulate and implement low-intensity treatment plans accordingly e.g. psycho-educational interventions, guided self-help.
Liaise with patients to discuss their referrals and decide and communicate with the patient around their psychotherapy assessment and time-limited treatment arrangements, signposting as necessary.
Motivate and emotionally support complex patients living with diabetes to enable positive diabetes management. Using CBT-based methods and motivational-interviewing techniques, enable the development of emotional wellbeing and resilience for adults aged 18 y/o+, living with diabetes.
Communicate with MDT colleagues around the action to follow, and record appropriately on computer-based system(s) and patient notes. Utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
Receive regular clinical professional supervision and to sit in on psychotherapy assessments and treatment sessions as appropriate.
Working for our organisation
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
Why work for us?
• Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients’ homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staff
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
Our values—Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence—guide everything we do.
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Main responsibilities
a) Work sensitively, constructively and emotionally with patients on the psychotherapy pathway within the DCFY service.
b) Assess for depression, anxiety, eating disorders and risk in people living with diabetes and use questionnaires as appropriate. Regularly liaise with DCFY Lead Psychological Practitioner to discuss suitability of patients for various pathways.
c) Undertake risk assessment and take appropriate action.
d) Formulate treatment plans for discussion with the Lead Psychological Practitioner.
e) Provide regular audits in regard to the key performance indicators (KPIs) for DCFY including the audit and evaluation of therapeutic interventions.
f) Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific client group and mental health
g) Take part in regular clinical supervision in line with professional standards and maintain an active engagement with current developments in the field of CBT and related disciplines. Actively participate in continuing professional development (CPD).
h) Maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the accrediting body registered with the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
The post holder may have tasks or responsibilities delegated to them, appropriate to their level of competence. They may also be expected to delegate tasks or responsibilities to other staff, as appropriate.
Person specification
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
- To be able to use clinical supervision and reflective practice positively and effectively
- Ability to travel to different clinical sites across Brighton & Hove, High Weald, Lewes & Havens
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post Graduate certificate in adult low-intensity CBT
- Registered with a professional body as recognised Professional Standards Authority (PSA)
- Good record of appropriate Continual Professional Development (CPD)
- Additional training in relevant discipline (eg motivational interviewing; long term conditions)
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of Study/clinical practice in working with people with long term conditions/diabetes
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with the full range of common mental health problems with a commitment to recovery
- Experience of managing waiting lists
- Experience of dealing with high volume low intensity psychological work
- Experience of conducting brief phone assessments and triage for psychological treatment according to service criteria
- Experience of facilitating groups/workshops
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working therapeutically with patients with long term physical health conditions
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
Skills
Essential criteria
- Skilled in risk assessment and safety management protocols and guidance
- Ability to communicate effectively using a variety of media to various audiences
- Ability to develop appropriate therapeutic relationships with clients and liaise effectively with members of a multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to work systematically with patients in line with waiting list requirements and as directed by the Lead Psychological Practitioner
- Able to demonstrate high standards of record keeping with due regard for NHS confidentiality and data protection and information governance, abiding by codes of ethics and guidance for good practice of professional body
- Ability to conduct clinical audits
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression
- Knowledge of effects on long term physical condition(s) on emotional wellbeing
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Thea Fitch
- Job title
- Diabetes Lead Psychotherapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07484 447131
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