IAPT For Long-Term Conditions (LTC) and Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) Training of High Intensity Therapists (HiTS)
Our course adheres to the IAPT National Curriculum and UCL Competencies for delivering cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions to people with long-term conditions and/or persistent physical symptoms. You will attend a ten day course with sessions typically delivered one to two days per month during the period of September to April.
Key benefits
- Teaching from experts who participated in designing the IAPT curriculum for LTC/PPS
- Access to the latest evidence-based manuals for treating specific LTC/PPS
- A teaching team which consists of clinical-academics and clinicians who have pioneered integrated care pathways in England.
Course essentials
The aim of the course is to deliver both theoretical knowledge of factors that trigger and sustain depression and anxiety in the context of LTCs whilst also offering practical knowledge to improve assessment, formulation, and intervention delivery skills.
All teaching takes place on Guy’s Campus, London Bridge, King’s College London. Specifically, teaching takes place within the Health Psychology Section which is part of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN) and is perfectly positioned to offer the lasted knowledge on delivering integrated health care.
Entry requirements
All entrants to the training must have:
- Passed an IAPT accredited postgraduate training in CBT (or another Postgraduate CBT programme or Clinical Psychology Doctorate accredited at Level 2 by BABCP) OR
- Be accredited by British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) as a CBT therapist
Selection process
Therapists are identified by their services for attendance on the training programme. Typically, the course team at King’s College London will contact services in August advising them of the number of places available to them. Services then nominate their selected therapists. Therapists are asked to complete a brief application form to confirm they meet the entry requirements.
Teaching structure
Teaching consists of ten workshop days that are typically delivered face-to-face at Guy’s Campus, London Bridge, King’s College London. Workshops run from 09.30 – 16.30 and typically occur once or twice per month over the period of Sep/Oct until Mar/April.
The content of the course is summarised below:
Teaching block one:
- Transdiagnostic knowledge & skills required for working across all LTC/PPS groups
- Knowledge of evidence-based transdiagnostic theoretical frameworks that account for patients’ cognitive interpretation of the aetiology, signs, symptoms, consequences and management of depression/anxiety/distress alongside LTCs/PPS.
- Developing transdiagnostic assessment, formulation, and treatment planning skills for working with depression/anxiety/distress in the context of LTC/PPS.
- Adapting CBT protocols to manage depression/anxiety/distress in the context of LTCs/PPS.
- Including partners in assessment and treatment.
- Motivational interviewing.
Teaching block two:
Knowledge and skills required for working with specific LTC groups, including:
- Diabetes
- Coronary Heart Disease
- Cancer
- COPD
- Pain
Teaching block three:
Knowledge and skills required for working with specific PPS groups, including:
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Using transdiagnostic approaches to working with PPS.
Teaching blocks two and three are led by LTC/PPS clinical- academic experts. Workshops will focus on: i) Improving LTC/PPS specific core knowledge, ii) assessment and formulation, and iii) CBT intervention techniques.
Assessment
This course does not have any academic credits linked to it; instead it is viewed as a continuing professional development course.
On completion of the course, therapists will receive a certificate of attendance. Therapists will also be asked to submit a logbook documenting that they have:
- Completed at least two assessment and therapy cases (and a total of at least 10 sessions of therapy), where CBT has been delivered in the context of a long term physical health condition or persistent and distressing physical symptoms (preferably with one case of each).
- Evidence of reflection and learning from the training being applied to these cases.
- Evidence of live supervision of this practice by an appropriately qualified supervisor, and sign off of competence by this supervisor.
Logbooks will be reviewed by the course lead and formative feedback provided alongside providing a certificate of implementation.
Fees and funding
This is a commissioned course funded by NHS England. No fees apply to services nominating their therapists.</p>
Contact
For more information about this course, please email IAPTLTC.
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