Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The module aims to give trainees knowledge and understanding of evidence based, low intensity therapeutic interventions used to treat common mental health problems, and aid clinical improvement. It will offer knowledge and skills based teaching on the generic thereputic competencies required to delivery a course of therapy/guided self help. Low Intensity CBT places emphasis on patient self-management; hence the module will equip trainees with the clinical skills to execute guided self-help CBT interventions within clinical populations.

It also aims to develop general and disorder-specific competencies in the delivery of Cognitive-Behaviour-Therapy (CBT) based low- intensity treatment and other behaviour change techniques, informed by the capability, opportunity and motivation behaviour change model. It equips trainees with a good understanding of evidence-based low-intensity psychological treatments and enables students to support patient self-management through mechanisms such as guided self-help and computerised CBT.

The module also equips trainees with digital met competencies, for the effective therapeutic delivery of psychological interventions online, via video conference and CCBT.

Outline Of Syllabus

•       Introduction
•       Therapeutic and interpersonal treatment competencies
•       Stress
•       Physical exercise
•       Depression and Low Intensity Treatment / Behavioural activation
•       Sleep Hygeine
•       Generalised anxiety disorder and Low Intensity Treatment / worry management
•       Obsessive compulsive disorder and Low Intensity Treatment
•       Panic Disorder and Low Intensity Treatment
•       Phobias and Low Intensity Treatment
•       Supervision / case management
•       Cognitive restructuring
•       Behavioural experiments
•       Low intensity competencies across cCBT, group work, and digital modalities
•       Managing therapeutic endings and relapse prevention

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of the module trainees should be able to:


1.       Critically evaluate a range of evidence-based interventions and strategies to assist patients in managing their emotional distress and disturbance.
2.       Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in developing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance with patients during their treatment programme, including dealing with issues and events that threaten the alliance.
3.       Demonstrate competence in planning a collaborative low-intensity psychological treatment programme for common mental health problems, including appropriate frequency of contacts, managing the ending of contact and development of relapse prevention strategies.
4.       Demonstrate understanding of and competence in selection of appropriate cases for low- intensity treatment, aligned to NICE guidance and the NHS Talking Therapies Manual. For example, people whose primary problem is social anxiety disorder or PTSD should only be offered a high intensity intervention.
5.       Demonstrate in-depth understanding of, and competence in, a range of low-intensity, evidence-based guided self-help psychological interventions where these are NICE recommended for anxiety disorders9 and depression, selecting one or more of these intervention strands10 delivered in an adequate dose for work with patients, linked to their goals:
o       Behavioural activation
o       Graded exposure
o       Cognitive restructuring (including behavioural experiments)
o       Worry management
o       Problem-solving
o       Promoting good Sleep
o       Promoting physical activity
o       Medication support
6.       Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of, and competence in using the COM-B behaviour change model and strategies in the delivery of low-intensity interventions.
7.       Critically evaluate the role of case management and stepped care approaches to managing common mental health problems in primary care including ongoing risk management appropriate to service protocols and NICE guidance.
8.       Demonstrate knowledge of, and competence in supporting people with medication for common mental health problems to help them optimise their use of pharmacological treatment and minimise any adverse effects.
9.       Demonstrate competence in delivering low-intensity interventions using a range of methods including one-to-one treatment (in person, via video consultation, via telephone, interactive text or computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT)) and guided self - help groups (in person and via video).
10.       Demonstrate competence in selecting and revising mode of delivery, as necessary on an ongoing basis depending on patient choice, suitability, etc.
11.       Demonstrate knowledge and understanding to map core skills into text-based interventions.

12.       Demonstrate competence in succinct and accurate note-taking skills

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of the module trainees should be able to:

•       Develop and maintain a therapeutic alliance, repairing it in case of ruptures
•       Plan collaboratively low-intensity psychological therapy
•       Skillfully prepare individualised relapse prevention packages and manage the ending of therapeutic contact episodes
•       Employ a range of low-intensity evidence-based psychological interventions for common mental health problems
•       Conduct the delivery of therapies in various modes such as by face-to-face, group, telephone, via computer packages and electronic communication

By the end of the module, trainees will be able to evidence skill in the following clinical practice outcomes which will be assessed by portfolio

1.       Demonstrates experience and competence in the selection and delivery of treatment of a range of presenting problems using evidence-based low- intensity interventions across a range of problem descriptors, including depression and two or more anxiety disorders, and across all modes of intervention (in person, telephone, video platform).
2.       Demonstrate an understanding of problems that should not be treated at Step 2, and where and how appropriate treatment should be accessed for these.
3.       Demonstrate the ability to use common factor competencies to manage emotional distress and maintain therapeutic alliances to support patients using low-intensity interventions.
4.       Demonstrate competence in delivering low-intensity interventions using a range of methods including one-to-one treatment (in person, via video consultation, via telephone, interactive text or computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT)) and where possible guided self - help groups (in person and via video).
5.       Demonstrate competence in selecting and revising mode of delivery, as necessary on an ongoing basis depending on patient choice, suitability, etc.
6.       Demonstrate knowledge and understanding to map core skills into text-based interventions.
7.       Demonstrate high quality clinical note keeping and effective use of clinical outcome measures to shape and adapt low intensity interventions.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

•       Didactic lecture segments establish a learning framework for the theoretical components of the module and the learning outcomes
•       Small group work within workshop segments enable role play practice of the relevant clinical topics, to enable trainees to practice and develop their clinical skills ahead of seeing NHS patients. This ensures clinical skill develops within the learning outcomes
•       Structured guided learning enable trainees to expand on theoretical knowledge of the lecture/workshop content, and translate this theory to clinical practice where relevant. This supports the application of theory to practice and advances knowledge and competence of the learning outcomes.
•       The placement ensures theory is embedded in clinical practice, which clinical competence advancing throughout the module with the support of on-going supervision provided through the placement

The total hours of the module exceeds 200 due to the nature of the programme of study. Students are employed full time by their NHS employer (37.5 hours FTE). 0.4 FTE of the working week is spent at the education institution and is detailed within the teaching activities, and 0.6 FTE is with the employer to full fill their employment contract. Their salary reflects the working hours of a full time employee on a clinical training contract and expected clinical contact hours.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Assessments are compliant with those determined by the national curriculum / NHS England. All assessment components must be passed.

The observation of clinical practice is a recorded performance of low intensity psychological therapy with a NHS patient. This will be a recording of a clinical session which has been undertaken on the placement. This will assess the treatment based competencies, (both knowledge and skill of) relevant to this module.

The essay is a reflective account of the trainees clinical performance. This assesses abilities to structure, consolidate and present clinical material, and the trainees understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the psychological intervention provided. It also assesses the trainees ability to reflect on areas of clinical strength, and areas of development.

The formative assessments give trainees the opportunity to test their knowledge and skills and allows feedback to be given prior to the summative assessments.

The portfolio allows for all skills outcomes to be assessed, and evidences whether the embedding of skills within the placement has occurred. The portfolio further enables the theoretical knowledge gained during the practice based learning days to be evidenced and assessed.

In order to pass the module, trainees must pass all assessment components. In order to pass the placement within
the module, the practice-based outcomes set by NHS England must be evidenced in a practice portfolio, which
demonstrates the programmes content has been embedded in clinical practice. This includes assessment of clinical
competencies by clinical supervisors. Each practice portfolio must be passed. The clinical hours obtained on the
placement component of the module contributes to the required total of 80 hours on placement across the
programme.

General Notes

The total hours of the module exceeds 200 due to the nature of the programme of study. Students are employed full time by their NHS employer (37.5 hours FTE). 0.4 FTE of the working week is spent at the education institution and is detailed within the teaching activities, and 0.6 FTE is with the employer to full fill their employment contract. Their salary reflects the working hours of a full time employee on a clinical training contract and expected clinical contact hours.