Psychological therapies and interventions specification

Annex D

Psychologically Informed Care – describes psychological care delivered by all staff across health, social care and the third sector workforce, who are involved in providing care to people. These professionals have knowledge and skills in recognising and supporting you with psychological issues. They use listening skills and reflective practice (e.g., a nurse identifying psychological distresss through a trauma-informed conversation with someone with cancer).

Psychologically Skilled Care – describes care delivered by staff with additionals skills in using psychological approaches and who would generally provide them as part of their routine care. These professionals will have protected time and skills to offer psychologically based education courses, counselling skills, and can recognise common mental health problems (e.g., an occupational therapist with additional psychological training, providing support and education about anxiety).

The availability of informed and skilled psychological care, delivered by a confident workforce is important in the prevention of mental health difficulties and promoting good psychological health. This workforce also supports appropriate referrals to professionals in services or teams who are trained in enhanced and specialist practice.

Enhanced Psychological Practice – describes therapies or interventions delivered by staff with additional skills developed through short training courses in psychological interventions and a role to provide them within protected time in their post or role. These professionals will provide psychological assessment and treatments that have a proven effectiveness, as indicated in the Scottish Psychological Therapies Matrix. Enhanced Practice staff also offer supervision and training to others. This practice will have proven effectiveness for those with mental health needs and risks (e.g., a psychology practitioner providing cognitive behavioural therapy for low mood).

Specialist Psychological Practice – describes the assessments, treaments and interventions delivered by staff with specific specialist recognised training in psychological theories and therapies as a core remit of their role. These professionals will have formal training in all levels of Roth and Pilling Competency Framework (2015) with expertise in at least one psychological therapy. Specialist Practice staff also offer supervision and training to others. These professionals will have had specific formal training to support those with the most significant needs as their core role (e.g., trauma-informed cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal therapy delivered by a Clinical Psychologist for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression).

Professionals trained in enhanced and specialist practice should also contribute to wider public sector services through education, training, supervision, consultation, research and evaluation.

More details about practice types can be found in the Psychological Therapies Matrix.