Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-ED) [with associated supervisor training]

The Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-ED) course was established in January 2021 in order to deliver training that meets the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Severe Mental Health Problems educational agenda for evidence-based treatment of eating disorders.

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Before applying for any of our programmes please ensure your are aware of the HEE funding for psychological professions training programmes eligibility requirement, available at: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/mental-health/psychological-professions/funding-psychological-professions-training-programmes

The University of Sheffield course commenced in January 2021, to provide training in specialist cognitive behavioural therapy for adults with eating disorders (CBT-ED). This training is being run in two centres in England – Sheffield and London. It is funded by Health Education England in order to support the provision of evidence-based treatments in specialist eating disorder services and in other settings where the NHS funds treatment of eating disorders. The provision of CBT-ED training (as well as forthcoming training in other therapies for adults) is in keeping with the NICE (2017) guidance on evidence-based treatment for eating disorders. The course is delivered primarily online, to facilitate attendance.

Course information

Duration

A. Two years (part time) for individuals with no existing appropriate general CBT qualification.

B. One year (part time) for individuals with an existing appropriate CBT qualification (allowing for Recognition of Prior Learning).
Start date Late January, annually
Compulsory modules All modules
Placement All trainees will be employees of their NHS Trust or equivalent organization, which offers treatments to adults with eating disorders.
Entry Requirements The CBT-ED programme is open to people employed within NHS Specialist Eating Disorders services or in other NHS/NHS-funded services that treat eating disorders. Their places will be funded by Health Education England (covering the North of England). Employers will be expected to provide one day per week to allow trained to undertake the course.
Qualifications Required
  • All trainees will have a core NHS professional qualification, and will be employed in a specialist eating disorders service or other NHS-funded service that treats eating disorders.
  • Trainees with no existing general CBT training will undertake the full two-year (part time) course.
  • Trainees with an existing suitable general CBT training will be eligible to start at level 2, and complete the course in one year (part time).
Course Content The Course is designed to train clinicians to deliver consistently competent CBT-ED, based on the core competences and meta-competences for anxiety, depression, complex disorders and eating disorders.All trainees will be trained in a range of different evidence-based treatments for those disorders, including CBT-E and CBT-T for eating disorders.  It is designed to meet the service needs of NHS-supported services working with eating disorders in the Northern half of England (North West; Midlands; North East, Yorkshire and Humber).
Supplementary supervisors’ course

Supervisors working with clinicians and trainees delivering CBT-ED are offered 5-10 days of training, including:

A. Some refreshing and updating of personal CBT-ED skills

B. Evidence-based approaches to supervision that enhance supervisee skills, focusing on: engaging supervisees to ensure adherence; monitoring progress and outcomes; sharing of skills and further learning; and long-term career skills and service development. 

The course is delivered primarily online, to facilitate attendance.
How to Apply Applications to this programme are invited via HEE, who contact local Trusts and services to determine potential candidates for the relevant service’s needs. Clinicians who are put forward by HEE will be contacted by the course to discuss suitability in terms of case availability and previous training in CBT.  While applications cannot be made directly through the University of Sheffield, potential employers and candidates are welcome to contact the course to discuss suitability and the viability of undertaking the training.
Teaching

Teaching is part time, consisting of a full day of teaching (in term time) throughout the year. You will be taught by experts in CBT and CBT-ED, who are widely experienced in helping you to develop key knowledge and skills to deliver evidence-based CBT, to help you to enhance your patients’ clinical outcomes.

Each day consists of a mixture of:

  • didactic teaching on evidence-based CBT-ED and practical exercises (including role play, practical exercises and small group discussions). case supervision by the course team
  • self-practice/self-reflection groups
  • group tutorials (particularly to prepare for assignments

Guided independent study is also required, with time built into the programme for this.

Your development of the necessary knowledge, competences and meta-competences will be assessed through a range of methods, including:

  • essays
  • case studies
  • practical skill demonstrations
  • recordings of clinical practice
  • practice portfolio

The course is continuously assessed, with no written examinations.
Careers

All trainees on the course will already have NHS careers or equivalent posts in NHS-funded providers working with eating disorders.
Information for supervisors

The course will engage with supervisors of clinicians undertaking the CBT-ED course, to ensure case availability, etc.

The course is run in parallel with a supervisors’ course, to enhance their competence to supervise clinicians delivering CBT-ED. This is also funded by HEE for the northern half of England, and HEE oversee the selection of appropriate supervisors to attend this course.

Please direct any inquiries to the course administrator at cbt-ed@sheffield.ac.uk