Job overview
***This is for advertisement only, ALL applications must be made via the UCL website. Additionally please ensure that all parts of this application form are completed personally and without the assistance of artificial intelligence tools ***
Job Purpose
An exciting opportunity has arisen to train as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner within either Lambeth or Croydon Talking Therapies.
Training to become a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner is a great opportunity for people looking to pursue a career in Psychology.
As a Trainee PWP you will have a mix of service and university days. You will be employed through South London & Maudsley NHS Trust and will be enrolled with our partner, University College London (UCL) where you will undertake a Post Graduate Certificate in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Interventions.
We are looking to train up to 20 Trainee PWP’s across Lambeth and Croydon services, with the posts starting at the beginning of February 2026.
Applications via UCL
Please select your service preference by saying 'Lambeth' or Croydon' at the start of your supporting statement.
Main duties of the job
Applications
To apply you must complete an online application form through UCL and not through NHS Jobs/TRAC. Any applications submitted through NHS jobs or TRAC will NOT be reviewed.
The application portal will be open via the below link from Monday 8th September and close on Monday 29th September (applications open and close at 10am)
We recommend you read through the UCL Trainee PWP application pack here
Please select your preference to work for Lambeth or Croydon Talking Therapies by listing us as your first choice in your personal statement (see application guide above)
Working for our organisation
Lambeth Talking Therapies
We are a well-established, successful, friendly service with over 120 members of staff. Our team is made up Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, High Intensity therapists, Clinical Support Workers, and Administrators.
We are committed to helping to develop the people that come to work with us. We know our service can only be as good as the people who work here, and we will invest in you to maximise that potential. We really welcome new members of the team and value our staff highly. We think staff wellbeing is essential, and have a range of initiatives to support our staff.
Croydon Talking Therapies
We are one of four IAPT services run by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM).
We are a warm and welcoming team, enthusiastic, innovative, creative and flexible. We strive for excellence in treatment, supported by frequent and high-quality supervision. We appreciate the importance of investing in our team and there are regular opportunities for personal development and on-going clinical training, both within the team, and across the four SLaM IAPT services.
Lambeth and Croydon are both boroughs of high social and psychological needs with considerable cultural diversity. We value this and want to reach these needs. We would like our team to reflect the diversity of our community and therefore welcome applications which represent these communities. We also welcome applicants who live within the respective boroughs.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
PWP training is provided by University College London (UCL) and is full time. Trainees attend university one day a week and work in service the remaining 4 days a week.
Trainees will be employed in an IAPT psychological treatment service. Training course fees on this programme are fully funded by the NHS. In addition, trainees will receive a salary from the London IAPT service where they undertake their 4-day a week placement over the year of the programme.
International Students are not eligible for this training course and this course is not suitable for those requiring sponsorship.
PWPs work with people across the adult age range.
Applicants should have experience of working with people with psychological, interpersonal or social problems; either through employed positions or formal volunteer roles.
The course is a postgraduate certificate and applicants are required to demonstrate aptitude to study at postgraduate level, either through degree level education or demonstration of academic equivalence.
You will need to have some experience, in a paid or voluntary capacity with people struggling with their mental health.
You will work with people on the telephone, on digital platforms and face to face. Please note, these are not fully home-based/remote posts, although there will be some remote working including the academic elements of the post.
Interviews will take place in November 2025.
PLEASE ONLY APPLY THROUGH UCL
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Bachelor's Degree with honours in Psychology or a related field.
Desirable criteria
2. Training relevant to mental health
Experience
Essential criteria
3. Working with a diverse mental health population (volutnary or paid)
4. Working in fast pace role requiring advanced organisational, communication skills and initiative
5. experience relevant to working with service users on phone/email de-escalating anxiety, frustration or confusion.
6. Able to develop therapeutic relationship with clients.
7. Able to put into practice the effect of training.
Desirable criteria
8. Post-graduate clinical experience.
9. Paid work in a psychological therapies service and /or work experience in primary care services.
10. Working in a service with agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes.
11. Experience completing advanced administration tasks e.g. written reports or synthesising data.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
12. Understanding of anxiety and depression, how it might present in primary care, assessment and treatment methods.
13. Awareness of diversity issues through relevant training.
Desirable criteria
14. Understanding of IAPT Stepped care services.
15. Theoretical knowledge of more complex mental health problems.
16. The issues surrounding work and the impact on mental health.
17. Understanding of the need to use evidence based therapies and how this relates to the post.
Skills
Essential criteria
18. Excellent written and verbal communication
19. Well developed IT skills
20. Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations and ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility.
21. Able to complete academic components of the role.
22. Ability to integrate information, make evaluations, formulations and decisions.
Desirable criteria
23. Fluent in languages other than English.