Workforce transformation

The BPS is supporting the development of seven trainee health psychologists on a Health Education England (HEE) programme exploring the contribution and impact of using a health psychology approach in workforce transformation and redesign. HEE is funding the trainee health psychologist roles – one in each of the seven NHS regions in England – to deliver projects and learning as part of a two-year pilot scheme linked to wider programmes to expand psychological professions in England. 

The trainees will complete the society's Stage 2 training in health psychology as part of a wider package and will receive support from a qualified health psychologist as a coordinating supervisor, a workplace supervisor, and a national training director, as they gain experience in health and care. Trainees will be involved in work where behaviour change is vital to introduce new ways of working and support workforce transformation or redesign and will develop and conduct research projects and will also train others within the health and care system.

Professor Lucie Byrne-Davis (University of Manchester), chair of the BPS Division of Health Psychology, said when she and colleagues were approached to discuss ways of supporting workforce redesign, they immediately thought of how much value health psychologists could bring to the challenge. 'Working with Professor Angel Chater and Professor Jo Hart, as a team of current and past chairs of the Division of Health Psychology, with huge support from the national lead for psychological professions in England, Adrian Whittington, alongside the workforce transformation team, we have brought this project to fruition. We were fortunate to recruit Dr Liz Jenkinson to lead the programme and some excellent supervisors. The next two years we will closely monitor these placements and work with the commissioners of health workforce training to see how this pilot can be continued.'

- Read more about the programme and trainee posts, visit and sign up to the programme mailing list.