Continuing Professional Development – Empowering Clinical Leaders: CWI NHS Talking Therapies Clinical Leadership Programme

A transformative leadership programme designed to strengthen clinical, strategic, and compassionate leadership across NHS Talking Therapies. Participants develop the skills to lead inclusive, evidence-based service improvement and foster staff wellbeing. Delivered through experiential learning, reflective practice, and real-world project implementation over 9–12 months.

You will develop your skills with a mixture of leadership styles and skills teaching, as well as implementing a service improvement project within your own setting.

What Can I Expect from the Training?

The training runs over the course of one calendar year, and consists of roughly 10 taught days, as well as regular opportunity for action learning and reflective sesisons, alongside implementation of a service improvement project in a Talking Therapies service.

You will be taught through a variety of teaching methods including lectures, experiential skills, training workshops, and self-directed learning. You will apply and develop the skills you learn in your CPD training within your leadership role.

How is the Training Assessed?

The training is assessed through the presentation of a service improvement project which synthesises knowledge and links theory to practice as specific to the service-based requirements and identification of areas for improvement. This will demonstrate your ability to engage and utilize a range of reflective tools to synthesise knowledge, reflect on leadership practice and develop as a leader

Entry Requirements

There are no academic requirements. Attendees should be working within a leadership role in a Talking Therapies service.

Funding

NHS England is not directly commissioning the NHS Talking Therapies Clinical Leadership Programme. Instead, the responsibility for commissioning and funding rests with individual NHS Talking Therapies services and systems to fund individuals attending the programme.

Careers

This CPD will not only equip leaders within Talking Therapies programmes to excel in their role it will also develop transferable leadership skills more broadly to support in overall career development.

How to Apply

The Charlie Waller Institute offers one intake per year in January. The number of places available per cohort is dependent on NHS England funding.

If you are interested in attending the training, contact your service lead in the first instance to request your name to be put forward for a place on the upcoming cohort.

Further Information

For further information on this programme, please contact cwi@reading.ac.uk.