Workforce and training updates - October 2022

Clinical Psychology Programme Tendering

Programmes in England have been informed of the outcomes of the tendering process in England and all existing programmes have been recommissioned for 2023-2026 (with the possibility of extension to 20280. The successful bids have a number of significant innovations and enhancements, and a standard approach to pricing that puts commissions in a strong position for the future. This is very positive news so congratulations to the course staff and HEE for managing a complex retendering. Now the challenges of managing the additional training numbers (over 80% from 2019 levels) and responding to the requirements of the NHS Long Term Plan are well underway. There will be tendering processes in Scotland and Wales over the next year although there are no plans for this in N Ireland.

Survey of Psychologists in Physical Healthcare Settings

The survey has now been completed and the results are currently being analysed and will be ready in the early autumn. There has been a higher level of response than in the previous survey in 2016 and evidence of a growth in posts in all areas of physical healthcare. We hope to publish the full report before Christmas. Thanks to all the psychologists who responded your contributions are much appreciated as is the work of staff in those services.

Clinical Psychology Training Commissions

Across the Nations there have been increase in commissions across three of the four Home Nations. For 2022/23 numbers in Scotland have increased to 83, in England to 1065, in Wales to 36 and in N Ireland have remained at 21. It is perhaps of interest to look at how this translates to training places per 100,000 population across the Home Nations contained in the following Table.

Nation Data – Population to training places

HCPC and the BPS HSPC Working Group

Tony Lavender (working group chair) and Nigel Atter (BPS staff) have continued to meet with the HCPC and the Professional Standards Authority (the regulator). They have written a blog update which can be accessed at: About the Practice Board's HCPC Subgroup - The British Psychological Society (bps.org.uk)

We are providing induction sessions to HCPC staff to familiarise with the training and working contexts of each type of Practitioner Psychologist. Tony will do the session on Clinical. A joint BPS/HCPC Webinar on supervision will be taking place in November. We are meeting with the HCPC lead for Partners (registrants who help with course approval, Registration of individuals and Fitness to Practice processes) to better understand the roles so that we can share with members. See the blog for more detail.

HCPC are also consulting on proposals to raise registration fees by just short of £20 a year.

BPS Approval from the Professional Standards Authority

The BPS received approval from the PSA to open and run registers for the wider psychological workforce. The register is now open for Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners to join and will soon be open for Clinical Associate Practitioner Psychologists, Clinical Associate Psychologists, Children's Wellbeing Practitioners and the other new roles. This is an important development in both protecting the public and providing a formal approved register for people in those new roles so please encourage people in those new roles to join.

Guidelines for the Use of the Consultant Title

A final draft of the newly revised guidelines for the use of the consultant title has been produced and was written by a working group, including Ryan Kemp, and has been sent to National Assessors and Practice Board members for an initial consultation. It will soon be released for a wider consultation, and it would be good if as many people as possible could read and respond. We will ensure as wider distribution as possible for this wider consultation.

National Clinical Lead for the Psychological Professions Advisor in England

Finally, we are delighted to share the news that Dr Adrian Whittington has been appointed as National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions at NHS England and Health Education England, following a competitive recruitment process. Adrian has taken up the role from 1 October 2022.