Clinical psychology aims to reduce psychological distress and to enhance and promote psychological well-being. A wide range of psychological difficulties may be dealt with, including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, learning disabilities, child and family problems, and serious mental illness.

To assess a client, a clinical psychologist may undertake a clinical assessment using a variety of methods including psychometric tests, interviews and direct observation of behaviour.Assessment may lead to therapy, counselling or advice.

Where?

Clinical psychologists work largely in health and social care settings including hospitals, health centres, community mental health teams, child and adolescent mental health services and social services. They usually work as part of a team with, for example, social workers, medical practitioners and other health professionals. Most clinical psychologists work in the National Health Service, which has a clearly defined career structure, but some work in private practice.

The work is often directly with people, either individually or in groups, assessing their needs and providing therapies based on psychological theories and research. Clinical psychology is a rapidly developing field and adding to the evidence base through research is very important. Some clinical psychologists work as trainers, teachers and researchers in universities.

How?

Qualifications and training

A clearing house scheme operates for applications to all clinical psychology training courses. Candidates make one application to the Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology (see opposite for address), which is then distributed to the selected institutions.

Application packs and handbooks are available from September to December for courses commencing in September/October of the following year. Places for clinical psychology training are in short supply with around three applicants for each place, and a first- or an upper-second-class degree is required. Relevant experience is also important: this could involve working as a psychological assistant, research assistant, or care nurse/assistant, either before or after graduation. These posts are usually advertised in the Society’s monthly Appointments Memorandum, or in the national press. Some graduates get their foot in the NHS door by working as an assistant psychologist on a voluntary basis, or get involved in charities working with mental health client groups.The Clearing House website below gives more detailed information about the experience needed.

An understanding of the profession is important. Mature applicants are welcomed, but for all age groups there is fierce competition to get funded training.The majority of individuals entering postgraduate training through the NHS are employed as trainee clinical psychologists.

A very limited number of self-funded places are also available.The Clearing House handbook includes details of the sources of funding for each course.

Some psychologists, either with other professional qualifications in applied psychology or with clinical qualifications from abroad, may apply to the Society’s Committee for the Scrutiny of Individual Clinical Qualifications who will assess what additional training – if any – might be required for them to practice as a clinical psychologist in the UK. An application pack can be requested from the Society’s office.

Pay, prospects and conditions

Due to a national shortage, job opportunities for qualified clinical psychologists are very good. Salaries within the NHS start at Grade A (points 20-24) – the accepted grade for newly qualified psychologists. Salaries start at £17,000. For more experienced psychologists salaries range from £27,500 to £36,000.

Grade B applies to senior experienced psychologists managing departments or large specialist sections.They are usually responsible for the psychology service and its staff. Salaries range from £37,000 to £60,000+. Copies of the most recent salary scales for clinical psychologists are available from the Society website or on request from the Leicester office.

The administration of services in Northern Ireland differs somewhat from the rest of the UK. The provision of health and social services is combined and is administered by four Health and Social Services Boards. This gives opportunities for clinical psychologists employed within the NHS to have greater involvement with the work of the social services departments. However, the practice of clinical psychology within Northern Ireland is similar to that of the rest of the UK, as are careers structures, opportunities and conditions of service.

In Scotland, NHS services are organised in Acute and Primary Care Trusts for each Health Board area.The relationships between primary and secondary care are, therefore, closer and there is an increasing divergent legislative framework for health and social care with accountability to the Health Department of the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Parliament.

Overall organisation of Psychology Services, however, is similar to England and Wales and career structure and prospects remain much the same.

Further information

www.bps.org.uk/clinical

Clearing House for Postgraduate
Courses in Clinical Psychology,
University of Leeds, 15 Hyde Terrace,
Leeds LS2 9LT
Tel: 0113 233 2737
E-mail: chpccp@leeds.ac.uk
Website: www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp
(Distributes information about courses, and co-ordinates and deals with applications.)