Job Advert
Psychological Interventions Assistant Trainee (PIAT) posts - Adult
Health Boards in Scotland are recruiting to a number of Psychological Interventions Assistant Trainee (PIAT) posts. Successful applicants will undertake the Enhanced Psychological Practice (EPP) educational programme within their PIAT role. The education programme is provided by NHS Education for Scotland (NES).
These are fixed term posts for up to 18 months consisting of a trainee phase and consolidation phase. Posts commence at Agenda for Change Band 4 with possible eligibility to progress to an Agenda for Change Band 5 role on successful completion of the trainee phase of the Enhanced Psychological Practice programme. It is anticipated trainees will complete the education programme after a minimum 6 months of the 18-month period.
You will be employed on a full-time basis by the same NHS Scotland Health Board for the duration of your contract. Your Band 4 employment is conditional upon you remaining registered on the EPP Programme.
You will undertake clinically supervised work with individuals or groups linked to the learning programme objectives.
Enhanced Psychological Practice Educational Programme
The EPP educational programme provides comprehensive training in evidence-based interventions for people presenting with mental health problems, such as anxiety and low mood. It equips staff with the competences to deliver a set of Enhanced Psychological Interventions (EPIs). EPIs are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) informed, high volume approaches. There are two training pathways: one focusing on working with adults (EPP-A) and one focusing on working with children, young people and their families (EPP-CYP).
Please note: The application link at the bottom of this advert is for the EPP-Adult pathway only. Please apply for the CYP pathway via job vacancy 217456.
Who you are
You are a Psychology honours graduate of a British Psychological Society (BPS) OR Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) accredited degree programme that confers the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC).
You will have an interest in applying psychology to working with mental health problems.
You will be able to provide evidence of right to work in the UK without restriction.
Please note: This programme is not suitable for those who already hold a doctorate or masters level qualification in Applied Psychology or Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Applications from candidates who already hold these qualifications will not be shortlisted.
If you have received funding from NES for participation in any of the training programmes listed below you are ineligible to apply for these posts. Where applicants have withdrawn from any of these programmes before completion, they will be ineligible to apply for 2 years from date of exit.
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (University of Edinburgh/NHS Scotland and University of Glasgow/NHS Scotland)
- MSc Psychological Therapies in Primary Care (Universities of Dundee & Stirling/NHS Scotland)
- MSc Applied Psychology for Children and Young People (University of Edinburgh/NHS Scotland)
- Stage 2 Health Psychology Training (NHS Scotland)
- Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Training (Human Development Scotland/NHS Scotland)
- NES funded certificates and diplomas in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Family Based Treatment (FBT), and Family Therapy (FT).
Please also see restrictions on applying for further NES funded training programmes post-completion outlined in the Applicant Information document.
What you’ll bring
You will bring enthusiasm and commitment to learning through supervised practice alongside further academic study.
Selection Procedure
The selection and appointment procedure reflects the partnership of NHS Scotland employers and NES in the commitment to attract excellent candidates. Successful candidates will be employees of the individual NHS Health Boards. Applicants will be asked to state which boards they would accept placements in as part of the application process. Note that some boards may offer primarily remote or hybrid working, allowing candidates to undertake roles from anywhere in Scotland with minimal travel requirements.
Members of the NES Educational Programme Team will undertake a shortlisting process of the applications submitted. All decisions through screening, shortlisting and invitation to interview stages are made with the applicant’s identity concealed. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview where the panels will comprise of representatives from employing NHS Health Boards and the Educational Programme Team. Interviews will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams.
Following interviews, each NHS Board area will appoint the appropriate number of successful candidates to places available within their health board.
After interview candidates will receive a conditional offer or reserve listing or will be informed that they have been unsuccessful. Feedback after interview is not given routinely but is available to unsuccessful applicants on request.
Funding for the EPP educational programme is provided by NHS Education for Scotland (NES).
On acceptance of conditional programme and employment offers, pre-employment arrangements will be undertaken directly with the employing NHS Board, who will: carry out pre-employment checks such as employer references, verifying qualifications and your right to work in the UK; carry out health assessments and arrange Protection of Vulnerable Groups (criminal records) checks. Unconditional offers of employment and training places are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks. Following these checks, appointees will - through a combination of face to face and remote delivery - work with a caseload in their health board for the duration of the education programme.
All of the work you do within the Psychological Intervention Assistant Trainee post (both further study and supervised practice) will support your participation in the EPP educational programme. It should be noted participation in the programme is a full-time commitment.
If you are interested in this vacancy, please refer to the corresponding documents including job descriptions and person specifications.
Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date.
The educational programme and posts are scheduled to commence 10th November 2025. As part of the educational programme trainees will be required to attend ALL scheduled teaching workshops. Teaching timetable will be made available to candidates at point of invite to interview.
Interviews are scheduled to take place week commencing 25th August. Interviews will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams.
Informal enquiries relating to these posts and the EPP educational programme are welcomed by the NES Programme Team who can be contacted at nes.epp@nhs.scot.