Psychological wellbeing practitioners (PWPs) are trained to assess and support people with common mental health problems – mainly anxiety disorders and depression – to manage their recovery. 

You'll work for an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service, which is typically a GP practice, specialist mental health trust, charity or private sector provider. You'll typically work with patients on a one-to-one basis, in groups or/and provide support for a computerised CBT programme.

In the NHS you would work for NHS Talking therapies to support individuals with Anxiety and Depression (formerly IAPT).

Managing referrals and signposting to other agencies are common parts of the role and you'll need to work closely with other healthcare professionals, such as high-intensity therapists, employment advisers, other therapists and support staff.

You'll support people with common mental health problems by:

• conducting patient interviews

• helping identify areas where the person wishes to change how they feel, think or behave

• carrying out risk assessments

• providing phone, online or face-to-face support 

• liaising with other agencies and signposting patients to useful services, such as housing and employment

You will work with patients on a one-to-one basis or in groups or workshops. You may be based in a GP practice, healthcare centre or community venue such as a library or leisure centre. You may also work from home in some instances.

You will be provided with ongoing supervision to help you engage in self-reflection, seek and respond to feedback, and develop your professional knowledge and skills.

To qualify as a PWP, you'll need to complete an IAPT low intensity or PWP training course accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) on behalf of the IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies)  programme.

If you are a graduate, you’ll need to apply for a training post and then complete a postgraduate certificate. If you do not have a degree, but want to make use of your life experience, you’ll complete a postgraduate certificate or apply for an apprenticeship PWP position in an NHS Talking Therapies service. 

In order to get a place, you'll need to be employed as a trainee PWP by a local IAPT service. Selection is carried out jointly by the employer and university, and if you're successful you'll be offered a trainee job and place on the course. Search for trainee PWP jobs on NHS Jobs and the websites of mental health charities.

Training usually lasts around a year and consists of 45 days of academic work (one day per week at university) and four days a week in supervised practice within your workplace.

Level 6 Apprenticeship 

It's also possible to take a Level 6 psychological wellbeing practitioner apprenticeship. Search Find an Apprenticeship or NHS Jobs for vacancies.

As the course is a requirement of the trainee role, it's usually funded by your employer. Individual course centres can advise about any self-funded places that may be available.

Taken from prospects 2024

Essential criteria

• Evidence of ability to study successfully at undergraduate year 1 level or the equivalent

Desirable criteria

• Training in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, counselling or within a psychological therapy.

• Psychology or other health related undergraduate degree.

• Psychology or other health related postgraduate degree

Experience and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Evidence of working with people who have suffered with a mental health problem

• Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care

• Able to write clear reports and letters

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in Primary Care Services

• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes

• Ability to manage own caseload and time

• Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health

• Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems

• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post

• Received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice

• Knowledge of local area and services

There are many opportunities for you to progress your career. For example, you could specialise in: 

• long-term conditions – such as diabetes or chronic pain 

• perinatal health – working with midwives, health visitors and specialist perinatal mental health services to support families

• occupational health - supporting NHS staff with mental health problems

Or you could focus on:

• training to provide colleague supervision - providing case management and clinical skills supervision to other PWPs

• management, for example team management, recruitment and project management

• service promotion and leadership, for example developing and overseeing projects and liaising with partners and local organisations

• clinical advisory work, for example advising networks of healthcare professionals and specialist groups regionally and nationally

• research – either within the NHS or an academic institution

Alternatively, some PWPs go on to train as high intensity therapists, clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists and counsellors. 

Taken from NHS careers