Clinical Psychology

What do clinical psychologists do?

What they do

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 they work

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.

Who they work with

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 much do they get paid?

Assistant Psychologists are normally paid on the NHS Agenda for Change bands 4 to 6. Band 4 starts at around £15,000. Qualified Clinical Psychologists start from around £25,000 (band 7), with pay scales going to £80,000+ for very senior positions. Details of the most recent salary scales can be found on the NHS website.

How do I become one?

In order to become a Chartered Clinical Psychologist you need:

• Graduate Basis for Registration via an accredited degree or conversion course or the qualifying exam
• Accredited Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

The NHS funds the Doctorate programme. Applicants that are successful in gaining a place on the programme are employed by the NHS as trainee Clinical Psychologists. If you are a non-EU applicant it is very difficult to gain a place on a Clinical training course as the NHS are unlikely to employ someone who needs a work permit to work in the UK.

The Clearing House for Postgraduate Training Courses in Clinical Psychology deals with applications for the courses and for funding. Please contact them directly for more information on the application process.

If you are trained in another area of applied psychology and wish to become a Clinical Psychologist, a Lateral Transfer process exists.

How do I improve my chances of getting on an NHS funded training course?

It is very competitive to gain a place on the clinical training courses - less than 30% of applicants are successful each year. To increase your chances, you would need a good degree classification, (normally a 2:1 or above), relevant work experience and demonstrable research skills. It is also a good idea to attend open days and conferences to further your understanding and knowledge of the profession.

It is sometimes helpful to talk to course directors to get a better idea of the profile of succesful applicants.

What is relevant work experience and how do I get it?

The most sought after experience by clinical courses is that of 'assistant psychologist' or 'research assistant'. You will find that some courses lay down more specific requirements or give advise on how to go about gaining experience.

The Society is not in a position to advise on where to find experience; however, we publish the Psychologist Appointments as part of our monthly publication, The Psychologist, which advertises job vacancies for psychology graduates, including assistant psychologist posts. To receive the Psychologist Appointments you need to become a member of the Society or subscribe to The Psychologist. You can find more information about membership and download an application pack from the Membership area of the website.

You might also want to contact the Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology. Their handbook gives information about what sort of work experience is desirable for each course.

Please be aware that competition for assistant psychologist positions is also fierce. It is important to think about gaining relevant work experience as soon as you decide this is your preferred career path. Voluntary experience and related paid positions such as nursing assistant, social worker, care assistant or other opportunities in relevant settings will all help to build your skills and understanding of the profession.

What to do with a 2:2?

Clinical psychology courses will not normally accept graduates with a 2:2, unless they have achieved some higher qualification as well. This would normally involve completing a masters qualification.

An ideal masters would involve direct patient contact, the collection of psychological data and would be pertinent to clinical problems. A taught masters would be less relevant unless there is a heavy emphasis on research methods.

Clinical courses are looking for evidence that the person has redeemed themselves in terms of academic and research ability. Usually this means an MSc/MPhil in which the candidate has successfully completed an applied research project, preferably in a clinically relevant area. The Society does not accredit this type of course.

Please contact the Universities directly for more specific information on their entry requirements.

What if I'm a mature student?

Where are jobs advertised?

• Assistant psychologists posts and qualified positions at all levels are advertised in Psychologist Appointments, which is part of The Psychologist, the Society's monthly publication.
• On the NHS Jobs website
• In the National Press, e.g. The Times, The Guardian, The Independent
• In specialist publications such as the Health Service Journal.

Where do I find out more?

• Making a Difference with Clinical Psychology DVD: a purpose made DVD that informs sixth formers and undergraduates about a career in Clinical Psychology.
• Clearing House: gives information about the application process, funding for the training and courses in clinical psychology.
• Psyclick and Clinpsy: Independent sites for anyone trying to get a place on a clinical psychology training course.
• DCP: the Division of Clinical Psychology of the BPS. Access to publications, conferences, and special interest groups. The Division also has a pre-qualification group which is composed of, and represents Trainee and Assistant Clinical Psychologists. The assistant groups are organised geographically and some are open to psychology graduates.
• Contact us: request form for further specific information.