Have your say on the future of BPS qualifications

You are invited to share your thoughts and views, as part of an online survey, to help to inform the future of BPS qualifications.

The survey, which will open on 2 April, is part of a consultation commissioned by the British Psychological Society, and conducted by Seymour Research Limited, an independent research company. 

A link to the survey will be available from this webpage when it opens. All BPS members will also receive an email with the survey link.

You have until midday on Monday 12 May to complete the survey and have your say. 

The survey – which will take about 15 minutes to complete – is part of a call for evidence to support the qualifications consultation process.(Please note that the survey should be completed in one sitting as your progress will not be saved if you close your browser part way through.) 

The call for evidence covers the following stage 2 (level 8 / doctorate level) BPS-offered qualifications:

• Clinical Neuropsychology
• Counselling Psychology
• Educational Psychology (Scotland)
• Forensic Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Occupational Psychology
• Sport and Exercise Psychology

It does not cover qualifications offered by other providers that are accredited by the BPS.

Who else will be taking part in the consultation?

As well as BPS members, the consultation survey is also open to anyone with an interest in the BPS qualifications. We are keen to hear from a broad range of stakeholders – including non-members, employers of practitioner psychologists, current and former trainees, representatives of higher education, professional bodies / networks, and those working in roles across the range of psychological professions. 

Please share the survey with anyone else who might like to contribute their views.

Why should I take part?

We are keen to explore all options for the future of the qualifications and want to ensure decisions are based on the evidence, and take on board the views of members, stakeholders, individuals and organisations.

How else can I support the consultation? 

You can request to take part in an interview or focus group by completing the relevant section in the survey. 

You can also contact qualificationsconsultation@bps.org.uk to express your interest in taking part in an interview or focus group. Please let us know the role or capacity in which you are responding (eg current trainee, employer etc) to make sure you are selected for the appropriate session. 

Next steps

Once the survey has concluded, we will gather feedback from this, as well as one-to-one interviews and focus groups. We will then review evidence gathered from the consultation and market analysis, around the demand for practitioner psychologists, to develop different options for the future of the qualifications. We will develop financial models for each option in June, with the aim of submitting a final report to the Board of Trustees in July for a decision.

Confidentiality 

Your responses will be treated as confidential. Information might be collected about your job role, organisation, and training, but details will not be disclosed that could directly or indirectly identify you to the BPS or in any resulting reports. Your data will be handled securely in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It will only be accessed by the researchers at Seymour Research and will not be shared with any third parties. All data will be stored on secure, encrypted servers within the European Economic Area. You can view Seymour Research Limited's Privacy Policy here

Any questions?

Your contribution is much appreciated and highly valued. If you have any questions, including if you would like to request an alternative format for submitting your views, please contact: kathy@seymour-research.co.uk, and any questions about the consultation more generally can be addressed to the BPS at: qualificationsconsultation@bps.org.uk.