Psychological therapies and interventions specification

Annex C

Who delivers Psychological Care and Practice in NHS and H&SC settings

Psychological practice can be delivered by a range of professionals, including:

Clinical Psychologists –registered practitioner psychologists who deliver the most complex psychological practice. They are trained at doctoral level to work with people of all ages and all types of needs. This workforce is highly trained and works closely with other applied psychologists including Clinical Associates in Applied Psychology, Counselling Psychologists, Health Psychologists, and Forensic Psychologists, who all contribute to this delivery of psychological practice.

These professionals are all registered practitioner psychologists. These professionals offer teaching, training, and supervision to other professionals. They also offer consultancy as an intervention (e.g., advising staff in a care home on how to manage complex needs when someone has dementia), or support and advise on digital evidence-based therapies (e.g., computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia). They may also offer teaching, research and supervision as a routine part of their jobs.

The wider workforce (e.g., nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals), who deliver psychological practice will have developed psychological competencies through training and deliver this under supervision in addition to their core professional role.

All psychological care and practice types are important. The Psychological Therapies Matrix should always be considered when delivering care and practice as this describes the best evidence base for the help that you need.