BPS news in brief, June 2023

Enter your EDI information

The BPS is asking its members to update their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion data via the BPS website. The BPS said it hopes by collecting this data it will gain a better understanding of its society and enable it to identify priorities and actions.

To do this, log into your BPS account and click 'My BPS', then 'Equality Data'. Sharing this information is voluntary – EDI data will be encrypted and anonymous and you can delete your data through 'My BPS' at any time. 

Registration scheme for wider psychological workforce

The BPS and British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) have both been approved by NHS England to provide registration schemes for Children's Wellbeing Practitioners and Education Mental Health Practitioners.

These roles will be registered through the BPS Wider Psychological Workforce Register which also currently accepts registrations from Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and Clinical Associates in Applied Psychology in Scotland. See more information.

Call for neuropsychologists in integrated community stroke services

A new briefing paper from the BPS Division of Neuropsychology has urged commissioners to include a clinical neuropsychologist in every community stroke team. Stroke survivors and their families rate cognitive and psychological issues as the biggest area of unmet need – however, many stroke teams do not include a clinical neuropsychologist. Read the paper.

Black and Asian Psychologists Fund launch

Applications are now open for a fund for BPS members from Black and Asian backgrounds to help further their psychological careers, developed by Dr Yetunde Ade-Serrano and Dr Ohemaa Nkansa-Dwamena. The deadline for applications is 10am on 30 May and grants can be used to fund conference attendance, CPD events, research projects and clinical and professional supervision. There will be a further round of funding in October.

History of Psychology Centre recruiting Advisory Committee

Applications for the new History of Psychology Centre Advisory Committee are now open. The committee will provide expert advice and guidance to BPS Staff who are responsible for managing the archives and support the centre's vision to be the number one archive for the history of psychology in the UK. See Applications open for new History of Psychology Centre Advisory Committee for terms of reference and to find out what roles the committee will include.

BPS launches Climate Environment Action Coordinating Group

The BPS has recruited a new Climate Environment Action Coordinating Group – the first permanent body dedicated to providing support and advice on implementing effective climate change and environment work rooted in psychological evidence.

The group will focus on climate and environmental health and wellbeing, behavioural, political and social change, the connections between climate change, human rights and inequality and climate change policy. 

For more information or for any EDI and climate change-related enquires, please e-mail 
[email protected]

Award for former Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales

Professor Peter Halligan has been awarded an Honorary CBE for services to neuropsychology research and science in government. A former BPS Presidents' Award winner, Halligan was Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales from 2018 to 2022 and was also previously involved in establishing the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre.