Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Long Term Conditions and Medically Unexplained Symptoms
Develop additional skills in recognising and working with long term medical conditions such as diabetes and airways disease, and with medically unexplained (persistent physical) symptoms.
Fact file
| Course code |
NURS4144 |
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| Target students |
You must be a qualified cognitive behavioural therapist in NHS Talking Therapies (or be a qualified non-CBT therapists with appropriate CBT experience).You must also be working in a mental health, social care or associated independent sector agency, where you would be able to assess and treat patients with MUS and LTC for at least part of the time.
All students accepted onto the course must be a member of the BABCP and adhere to its Code of Practice and maintain this membership through the course.
We offer this course as credit bearing (with completion and award of academic credit), and non-credit bearing (completion and submission of portfolio only).
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| Credits |
30 (credit-bearing course)
This course is also offered on a 0-credit basis. If you're interested in completing a non-credit bearing version of this course, please apply via the Online Store. Please contact HS-CPD@nottingham.ac.uk if you have any questions.
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| Academic level |
4 (credit bearing course)
0 (non-credit bearing course)
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| Duration |
February to August 2026
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| Price |
£1,700
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| Application Deadline |
9 January 2026
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On completion of the course, students will more fully understand long-term conditions (LTC) and medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), collaborate more efficiently with colleagues such as GPs and community nurses, engage a potentially hard to reach patient group, and identify and treat episodes of depression and anxiety.
The curriculum will follow the high intensity curriculum as recommended in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies LTC/MUS Curriculum 2023, with topics including: therapist beliefs and values, knowledge of the LTCs and MUS, psychological processes in these conditions.
- Assessment and formulation of problems in the context of multidisciplinary working
- Adapting CBT for these conditions to promote cognitive and behavioural change, involving the partner in treatment
- Health promotion in long term conditions
- Adapted CBT protocols for LTCs and MUS
- CBT approaches such as meditation, health promotion and ACT
Intellectual skills
- Critically examine the demands of their professional role and individual training needs regarding patients with LTCs and MUS encountered in clinical practice
- Critically appraise and evaluate the current evidence base underpinning high-intensity interventions in LTCs and MUS
- Demonstrate a systematic understanding of national policies and guidance concerning LTCs and MUS
Professional / practical skills
- Demonstrate how they would apply high intensity CBT interventions in clinical work with patients with LTCs and MUS
- Demonstrate an enhanced ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues such as GPs and community nurses
- Critically reflect on how their knowledge and skills have developed throughout the course
Transferable skills
- Oral presentation skills
- Teamwork across disciplinary boundaries in health care
- Critical thinking
- Professionalism
The course offers a range of teaching methods including lecture engagement, face to face/live streamed sessions, on-line seminars, guided on-line study and on-line tutorials, independent learning.
Total student activity: 200 hours
- 18/02/2026
- 04/03/2026 (online)
- 18/03/2026
- 29/04/2026
- 13/05/2026 (online)
- 27/05/2026
- 10/06/2026 (online)
- 24/06/2026 (online)
- 08/07/2026
- 19/08/2026 (assessment)
- (Note: subject to timetable changes)
Apply for this course (credit-bearing)
Postgraduate
Study at postgraduate level and add 30 credits to your learning record.