Competency framework for practitioner psychologists working in adult cancer care
In 2011 the Faculty of Oncology and Palliative Care produced induction guidance for new psychologists working in adult cancer care settings. This document is an updated version of that earlier guidance. We frame the guidance as a list of competencies, which we think will still be helpful in informing the induction support for colleagues new to this area of work.
13 December 2024
There are welcome policy developments across the UK that have aimed to raise the profile of psychological needs in cancer settings, and to increase access to psychological care. There has also been an increase in the number of psychological professionals who are equipped to contribute to this work.
One constant in adult cancer care has been the NICE (2004) guidance which introduced a four level model of psychological care. This model continues to shape current health policy in this area, but as the range of psychological professionals working in cancer increases, there is a need and opportunity to guide services about the differences in psychological expertise required at each level of the model.
This document can be considered as a detailed description of the competencies required for the delivery of Level 4 psychological care for adults with cancer by psychological practitioners. Work in these settings requires more specific competencies than can be acquired in doctoral-level practitioner training programmes.
In 2011 the Faculty of Oncology and Palliative Care produced induction guidance for new psychologists working in these settings. This document is an updated version of that earlier guidance. We frame the guidance as a list of competencies, which we think will still be helpful in informing the induction support for colleagues new to this area of work.
Practitioner psychologists who work in cancer frequently work with end of life and palliative care concerns. This guidance includes competencies for psychological work in palliative and end of life care for people with cancer. Palliative care services cater to many more conditions than cancer, and specialist palliative care teams should have their own dedicated psychological staff.