We broke into small groups and discussed (1.) Where we work (2.) What the clinical psychologists at our workplaces do (3.) What we do. (4.) What we have learnt. The intention was to gain a wider view of the psychology/health services, the roles people in our position can have and an idea of the different things a Clinical Psychologist. We thought that this would be useful whether we ’re preparing for the application process or deciding which job or experience you need to get on the course.
Below is a table showing the varied roles of the people who attended the meeting.
| Workplace | Position | Clinical role | Research role | Other role |
| . | . | CBT, self harm project in schools | Comparision of UK & Dutch models to gender identity, suicide evaluation project | Audit, observing clinical team meetings |
| Freelance/University of Glasgow | Researcher | . | Preparing a study relating to autism and neuorodevelopment | |
| Centre for Anxiety Disorders & Trauma. Maudlsey. | Research Assistant | . | Data entry and collection for audits. | Observing treatments for OCD, panic disorder. Watched video taped treatments for social phobia & PTSD. |
| University College London | Research Assistant | . | . | Interviewing admissions |
| North Surrey PCT | Graduate Mental Health Worker | CBT for mild/moderate depression, person centred therapy | . | Auditing, studying |
| Oxfordshire MIND | . | . | . | . |
| Recent graduate volunteering with the Samaritans | . | . | . | . |
| Behaviour & family support team | Assistant Psychologist | Advises on behaviour management. Runs groups for parents and carers of kids with feeding difficulties & challenging behaviour. | . | . |
| Care home for children recovering from hospital stays | Child support worker | Key working, care planning, arranging day to day activities | . | . |
| Private hospital for adolescents (NHS funded) | Health Care Assistant | Monitoring patients disorders and everyday behaviours | . | . |
| Centre for Forensic Mental Health (medium secure NHS) | Social Therapist | Socialise with patients. Restrain when necessary. Facilitate groups.Write notes on mental state. | . | . |
| Private forensic hospital | Assistant Psychologist | CBT for anger management and psychosis. Group work on Mental Health awareness & substance misuse. | . | . |
| Institute of Psychiatry | Research Assistant | . | Research project assessing female prisoners. Clinical interviews, various measures, screening, full diagnosis interviews. | . |
| Milton Keynes | Mental Health Paralegal | . | . | Speaks on behalf of clients in tribunals if they don't want to speak. |
| Behavioural & Developmental Support team | Assistant Psychologist | Home visits to check facilities and interview parents. Sensory work with OT. Shadowing and helping clinical psychology. | . | . |
| City & Hackney PCT. GP Practices. | Graduate Mental Health Worker | Guided self help, counselling. | . | . |
| Private hospital for adolescents (NHS funded). Eating Disorder Unit. | Health Care Assistant | Being with clients. Making observations. | . | . |
| Bethlam. Severe Adolescent Unit. | Support Worker | . | . | . |
| NHS Enfield. Learning Difficulties. | Assistant Psychologist | Runs service users group. Observations to increase understanding. Sex education. | . | . |
| SLaM. Croydon. Recovery and Rehab. | Assistant Psychologist | Runs a hearing voices support group | . | Audits for director of services |
| Recent graduate (applying for AP jobs and voluntary work eg Saneline) | . | . | . | . |
| MIND/ West London Mental Health Trust | Support Worker/Voluntary Assistant Psychologist | Engage clients who are reluctant to attend | . | Audit effectiveness of keeping people out of hospital. |
| Medical Research Council | Epidemiologist & statistitian | . | Primary care research GP practices. Follow up study across Europe looking at depression in GP practices. Aim to predict depresssion. | . |
| Royal Hospital for Neurodisability | Occupational Therapist Assistant | . | . | Shadow occupational therapisits on wards. Use SMART tests. |
| Barnet CAMHS | Assistant Psychologist | . | . | Audit early intervention in the community. |
| Private psychiatric hospital for adolescents (NHS funded). | Assistant Psychologist | Psychometric assessments. Observation based assessment. Running patient groups. | Assessed hospital outcomes research study | Audit of restraints and incidents in the hospital. Run training seminars for nursing staff. |
Our discussion groups:
Group One consisted of a Graduate Mental Health Worker, Assistant Psychologists and Research Assistants, in various areas such as Gender identity disorder, eating disorders, OCD and Primary Care. The group found that they had to seize the moment and really push to gain opportunities within their workplace, so that when you leave, there are no regrets about the role.
Group Two consisted of two Support Workers, two Assistant Psychologists and an OT Tech. Group two found that working as a volunteer was very important to gaining more experience in the field of psychology. The experience people had seemed to follow the same common themes, and they use the same methods of assessment and CBT.
Group Three also showed a mix of experience, consisting of an Assistant Psychologist working with children with complex disabilities, a Healthcare Assistant in an eating disorder unit, a psychology graduate, a Support Worker working in a care home, a Social therapist in a medium secure unit and a psychology student working in neuroscience.
Group Four consisted of Primary Care Mental Health Workers, Assistant Psychologists working in eating disorders and with children with disabilities and a Research worker with the Department of Health.
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