Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Psychologist
Health Psychology
Sport Psychology
Bachelors Degree in Psychology
(Or conversion course)
Masters degree
(Stage 1) Research Doctorate
1 yr Full Time Practitioner Doctorate (PhD)
DPsych, DClinPsych
DCounsPsych, D.EdPsych,
DHealthPsych
3-4 Years Full Time
BPS
Qualification 3 Years Full Time
(Stage 2)
2 Years Full Time Research & Teaching
Clinical Psychology
Educational Psychology (Scotland)
Counselling Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Educational Psychology (England)
Health Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Occupational Psychology
Health Psychology
Sports & Exercise Psychology
Sports & Exercise Psychology https://careers.bps.or
E-books & Hard copies are available via the Library
How to How to
become a become a
Forensic Health
Psychologist Psychologist
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-therapies/roles-psychological-therapies
https://ppn.nhs.uk/resources/careers-map/
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/compare-roles/compare-roles-health
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-
roles/psychological-professions
What do they look like?
What are they doing?
Where are they?
Imagine a Who is ‘the client’?
Clinical
Psychologist (in groups – one artist per group with pen and paper)
“Clinical psychology aims to reduce
psychological distress and to enhance and
promote psychological well being by the
systematic application of knowledge
derived from psychological theory and
What are the data”
aims of
Toogood, R. (2010) The core purpose and
clinical
philosophy of the profession
psychology?
British Psychological Society founded in 1901 as a
scientific, learned society
1914-18 Some psychologists became involved in army
medical services (‘shell shock’, ‘war neurosis’ –
predecessors of PTSD); work was psychoanalytically
orientated
Post WW1 some psychologists worked (as researchers) in
hospitals such as the Maudsley
Post WW2 clinical psychologists started to be employed
History of in mental health services at the invitation of psychiatrists;
initially mainly as testers, often in ‘subnormality’ hospitals
the 1950s – tension in the BPS between
psychometric/behaviourist orientations (Eysenck) and
discipline in psycho-analytic medical section (Tavistock)
First use of ‘clinical’ in connection with psychology often seen as occurring in 1896
(Lightner Witmer, University of Pennsylvania, USA) referring to a ‘clinic’ for children with
developmental differences.
But….
One earlier usage in 1861 in a phamphlet published in Scotland by James Critchton-
Browne, a doctor, writing that medical authorities “will be compelled at length to
incorporate clinical psychology with the other departments of professional education”
Term ‘medical psychology’ also used in the late 19th-early 20th century.
Early British and American uses of ‘clinical’, ‘medical’ and ‘abnormal’ psychology
became confounded
“ Clinical psychology involves people as well as
problems, flair as well as training, art as well as
science…above all the clinical psychologist
has to learn to be useful, to doctors, to patients
”
and to his own discipline
It is fair to say that Hans Eysenck would have fervently disagreed with this!
What are the differences between clinical
psychologists and psychiatrists?
(Menti)
Reflection
points Scientific measurement versus idiographic or
phenomenological understanding: can one have ‘expert
judgment’ on someone’s subjective experience?
Western understandings of mental health can tend to be more
‘individualized & intrapsychic. Does this neglect cultural
contexts and increase socio-political power
differences/inequalities?
How Western modes of mental health are ‘imported’ may be
viewed as ‘psychological colonization’ (Patel et al., 2000)
Profession (like many requiring high level of academic
qualifications) remains overwhelmingly white and middle class
whilst serving a diverse population.
Different academic roots in
psychology
Philosophy/Ethics Empirical Sciences
Phenomenology Experimental
Consciousness & Subjectivity Objectivity
Introspection Measurement
Reflection & Narratives Testing - Psychometrics
Hermeneutics/Interpretation Statistics
Culture- and context-dependent Categorisation
Values-based Diagnosis
Critical & reflexive psychology Positivist-empiricist psychology
Other influences
2015) use.
The practice‐based evidence model, in which
clinicians generate evidence about the
effectiveness of clinical services using their own
routinely collected data.
Characteristics of professional models
(from Barker et al 2015)
Model Orientation to research Research emphasised
Intuitive practitioner Nonconsumer or indirect Narrative case studies
consumer
Scientist practitioner Producer and consumer Basic and applied
Applied scientist Integrated with clinical Applied small N
work
Local clinical scientist Integrated with clinical Evaluation and action
work
Evidence based Consumer Controlled trials
practitioner
Clinical scientist Producer Controlled trials
Practice based Integrated with clinical Case tracking
evidence work
Think, pair, share
Formulation
THE CLINICAL
‘LIFE CYCLE’
Intervention
What do clinical
psychologists
do? Evaluation
Assessment
Psychological assessment
Information provided
Assessment interviews
by others (carers,
(verbal and
family members, other
observational data)
professionals involved)
Formulation Intervention
“
Formulation is the summation and integration
of the knowledge that is acquired by the
assessment process (which may involve a
number of different procedures). This will draw
on psychological theory and data to provide a
framework for describing a problem, how it
developed and is being maintained
”
Division of Clinical Psychology, 2001
Psychological formulation
Synthesizes and integrates information obtained via
assessment with psychological theory
Provides a framework, a working hypothesis to enable the
person to understand their situation
Seen as an alternative to psychiatric diagnosis but does not
have to ‘compete’ – can be complementary
Can be compared with data analysis, as making sense of
information from a specific perspective, i.e. context-specific
and theoretically informed or theoretically-driven
Ability to ‘access, review, critically evaluate, analyse and
synthesise data and knowledge from a psychological
perspective is one that is distinct to psychologists’ Clinical
Psychology Benchmark statements (QAA, 2004)
Open to ‘re’-formulation as new information emerges
Biological
Psychological Social
Describing: Summarising the client’s main presenting
issues
Epistemological perspective
Dear Team
At her recent annual health check, Gemma’s staff team raised concerns that
she was often refusing care and also hitting out at them when they tried to
support her. We have done all the basic health checks and she appears
otherwise well. Please can you see her?
Yours sincerely
Dr Brown GP
Presenting issue •Gemma (woman with learning disabilities) has been refusing care
and then hitting out at her care staff
Predisposing •Gemma went into care at a young age and has been in several
abusive institutions
factors •Gemma can often struggle to articulate her thoughts and feelings
Perpetuating •Care staff struggling to recruit permanent staff – lots of agency staff,
Gemma shouts
“go away” or Gemma refuses
hits out at staff
Staff continue
to offer (place
demand)
What intervention would you suggest
for Gemma?
Think, pair, share
Early experiences
Example of
formulation based
Core beliefs on Cognitive
Behavioural
Therapy
Rules for living
Critical event
Thoughts
Behaviour Feelings
Bodily
sensations
Early experiences: parents divorced aged 10 – arguments about who he
would like with, had to ‘keep them happy’
Case example:
Core beliefs: “I must be perfect”
Trevor, 24, has been
“I can’t make good decisions” experiencing panic
attacks and has
begun to drink
Rules for living: “I need to be in complete control, or I am out of control” heavily. He recently
started a new job as a
paralegal in a busy
Critical event: First piece of work in new job was criticised by boss firm and is worried
that he will not be
able to function in his
“I can’t do this”
role.
Drinks to calm
Anxious
self
Heart beating
quickly, short of
breath
Direct Interventions
Individual therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy & third wave approaches
Cognitive Analytic therapy
Dialetical Behaviour therapy
Psychodynamic therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Therapy for group or family
Systemic Family therapy
Video Interaction Guidance
Indirect (clinical) work
Supervision
Trainees
Other members of the MDT
Outside agencies
Leadership
Professionally leading teams of psychologists
Senior clinicians within MDTs
Management responsibilities
Indirect (clinical) work cont
Consultation
Behaviour support planning
Reflective practice
Within and outside services
Teaching, training, mentoring
Withing organisations
At Local university
Service design and development
Organisational change
Evaluation/audit
Research
Way of making sense of science/practice interface
(Stedmon et al., 2003)
Attention to different sources of knowledge
Critical, evaluative stance
Self-aware (history, personal experience)
Understanding diversity, social and cultural context
Reflective
Practice Core competence of personal and professional
development within clinical psychology training
https://www.bps.org.uk/news-and-policy/bps-code-ethics-and-conduct
BPS Practice Guidelines
https://www.bps.org.uk/guideline/bps-practice-guidelines-
2017-0
BPS Division of Clinical Psychology
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/dclinpsy-clinical-psychology
3 years, full-time
Entry criteria
On entry to the programme all trainees commence on the first spine point
of Band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay scales. Travelling expenses are
currently paid for travel to placement and University fees are currently paid
directly by the NHS. Candidates for 2021 entry should check for funding
updates on the Clearing House funding page
National numbers for NHS places
There has been an increase in places for the last two years of approximately
25% each year. Numbers of places may change again for the next intake.
Equal opportunities? Example: ethnicity
(2020)
Whiteness in Clinical Psychology
Clinical
practice
Academic Research
ability skills
Following training
Clinical psychologists usually start in NHS jobs at band 7
Many will look for a band 8a job after 2 or so years
Likely to have responsibility for specific areas within a service
Those keen to take a more leading role in services may progress to band 8b
Likely to be leading small service areas or teams
Consultant Clinical Psychologists are band 8c
The most senior psychologists in an organisation
Lead, supervise, manage
Provide senior clinical input to MDTs and wider organisations
There are some band 9s but these are rare!
Think, pair, share