An exciting new drive to recruit and train counsellors and psychotherapists to work in the NHS England’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services has been launched.

NHS England and Improvement and Health Education England is investing in new High Intensity posts in IAPT services across England as part of a special initiative to accelerate the expansion of services.

These posts are open to people with a core profession (including many qualified counsellors and psychotherapists) who are not currently working within an IAPT service.

The posts are salaried, training fees are fully funded and services will be strongly encouraged to make the posts permanent, following successful completion of training.

Nationally, posts will cover several IAPT modalities: Counselling for Depression (also known as Person-Centred Counselling for Depression PCE-CfD), Couple Therapy for Depression, Brief Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (for depression) (DIT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (for depression) (IPT), and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (for anxiety and depression).

The posts will be available in every region of England. The majority of posts and associated paid training will start in June 2021.

The scheme recognises the important contribution counsellors and psychotherapists make to the NHS and gives therapists a route into paid employment in IAPT.

While these High Intensity posts  are for  members who meet the current professional accreditation requirements set out in the IAPT Manual– which means being an accredited member of BACP - we continue to campaign equally strongly for greater opportunities for all our members– registered or accredited – within the NHS workforce and the wider health and social care sector. 

Fiona Ballantine Dykes, our Deputy Chief Executive, said: “This is an exciting opportunity and gives a new paid training route into the NHS for many members who may want to pursue a career within IAPT. It will help increase the workforce of counsellors and psychotherapists within the NHS.

“We know these posts  are for accredited members, but we’re also continuing to push for opportunities for our registered members within the NHS. We believe we’re making positive progress in this area and will keep you informed of progress. ”

Over the next few weeks, IAPT services across England will be advertising the paid High Intensity Therapist posts on the NHS jobs website as well as other recruitment platforms.

Read FAQs about the IAPT recruitment.

In addition to this specific initiative, IAPT services recruit for High Intensity Therapist Trainees all year round and all of these paid posts are also open to people with a core profession and required accreditation. If these roles are of interest to you, but timing is not right there will be further opportunities beyond this specific initiative. Contact your local IAPT service for more information.