We鈥檙e delighted to share that Health Education England are to launch a new pilot training programme as part of their investment in the counselling and psychotherapy workforce within IAPT services.

This is part of the NHS Psychological Professions Stakeholder Group work.

The three-year core-psychotherapeutic counselling training at master鈥檚 level is the first time people will be able to train as counsellors and psychotherapists and work as High Intensity practitioners in a fully funded and salaried NHS scheme, with no requirements for unpaid work.

The curriculum is designed to include the core competences and practice standards for psychotherapeutic counselling and one of four high-intensity IAPT modalities: Person-centred experiential counselling for depression (PCE-CfD), Couple therapy for depression (CfD), Interpersonal therapy (IPT) and Brief dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT). 听

Positive shift

We think this development sends a strong signal about the importance of counsellors and psychotherapists to the NHS and marks a positive shift in training and employment opportunities for therapists.

We believe it will also have positive consequences for therapists who already work within IAPT because it will strengthen our arguments for consistency in pay grades.

We鈥檝e been pleased to be involved in developing both the concept and the curriculum for the training programme over the past few months, working with and representing SCoPEd partners alongside NHS and HEE colleagues, service leads, trainers and experts by experience.

SCoPEd

Although the SCoPEd framework is still a draft, it鈥檚 been an important ingredient in developing the curriculum and in designing training that meets professional standards for counselling and psychotherapy as well as the specialist knowledge for work within IAPT services.

The input from experts by experience has also had a strong influence on the course content. 听

Our Chief Professional Standards Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Fiona Ballantine Dykes said:

鈥淭his is a landmark moment in how counselling and psychotherapy is viewed by the NHS and in the plans to expand the adult IAPT workforce.听

Bridges a gap

鈥淭he training course is a fantastic pathway and package of training that means counsellors will be able to enter the NHS much earlier in their careers. It really bridges a gap between achieving core counselling qualifications and paid employment for the NHS. It aligns with our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion as well as with our campaign for equal status and paid employment.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been pleased to be able to contribute to this work alongside and on behalf of all partners in the SCoPEd partnership in helping to develop the curriculum.听

Increase employment

鈥淲e know that not all our members want to work within NHS services and feel this is not compatible with their own philosophy and approach but we also know from our workforce survey that many members do want this opportunity.

鈥淲e鈥檙e continuing to work hard to increase employment and training opportunities and influence positive change in IAPT for all our members.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to note that existing pathways for entering the IAPT workforce will continue as they are.鈥�

The pilot听will be for 60听trainee听psychotherapeutic counsellors听to work in NHS IAPT services听to deliver听specified听IAPT听modalities for adults with depression.听听

Expand access

It will听support听the听NHS听to听expand听access to听a听range of quality, evidence-based psychological听therapies,听offering these to an additional 380,000 adults and older people with common mental health problems by 2023/24, as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.听

Adrian Whittington,听National Lead for Psychological Professions听鈥� Health Education England, said:听

鈥淲e are committed to all IAPT services offering a choice of therapies and this听new听pilot helps make this choice a reality for the public.听The听project听will听establish听a听new听training path鈥痜or the psychological professions, providing听all of听the听training听needed to work as a psychotherapeutic counsellor in听IAPT听services, fully funded by the NHS.听This听adds another fully funded route into work as a psychological professional, making this a more accessible career path.鈥�

听IAPT services across all regions of England will be advertising the posts to start training in 2022.听The tendering process for training providers to deliver the new course launched this month.