Elections 2025: Julia Faulconbridge

Before retirement from the NHS, I ran an innovative community child psychology service for many years that I had developed from scratch.

I was involved at a senior management level at the Trusts I worked in. I was also closely involved in the training of clinical psychologists, both in teaching and supervision.

Following that, I was a member of the National CAMHS Support Service, including a period of being the East Midlands Lead.

This service was established jointly by the previous Labour Government's Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health to work with services and commissioners on improvement programmes for NHS CAMHS services in conjunction with the two Government Departments.

I was a Specialist Advisor with Care Quality Commission for a number of years, taking part in many inspections of NHS services.

Within the BPS I have held a number of leadership roles and have represented the BPS in a number of external fora, e.g. the Coalition Government's Task Force on Child Mental Health which produced 'Future in Mind'.

My particular interests are in the areas of prevention, early intervention and public health, including the impact of socio-economic and cultural factors on child and family health.

I have written papers for the DCP and BPS in this area and also contributed my knowledge to BPS policy work and have also co-edited a book on the topic.

I have worked closely with BPS staff across the whole organisation.

I was Deputy Chair of the Member Board from its inception to 2022.

Outside of psychology, I am Chair of our local Parish Council.

All these areas of work have given me wide experience of leadership in differing contexts and I have led organisational development and change in some of them.

I have also advised on and supported organisational change in a number of other settings as part of my work.

I have been responsible for ensuring high quality and effective governance in all elements of my work and have also been involved in the inspection of, and advice about, governance in other organisations.

I became an elected Trustee in 2022 and have been a very active member of the Board, making significant contributions in a time of some turbulence and working with the others to improve the overall working and governance of the BPS and the Board.

As a Trustee, I have also been on the People, Culture and Remuneration Subcommittee whose focus is on employment and management issue across the BPS staff.

I hope to be re-elected so that I can continue to support the work which has been started in my first term.

I have been actively working and engaging with others in the DCP to address issues of inclusivity and diversity in the profession of clinical psychology for a number of years.

I have been a member of the DCP Equality, Diversity and inclusion Subcommittee since its inception.

The BPS needs to have a very strong focus on race and culture whilst also remembering that work on inclusivity and diversity needs to address other barriers; for example, for those with health issues and disabilities and for nonprotected characteristics like socio-economic background.

It is crucial that the BPS itself embraces the need for systemic, cultural change, including addressing institutional racism and becoming an organisation which truly promotes and values Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

The development of EDI Board has been an important step. However, the work of change must not be confined in one place but be the work of every part of the organisation, guided by the Board.

Those of us in positions of leadership need to do the 'heavy lifting'. This must not be another task just for those who are marginalised.

As leaders we need to listen to, learn from and validate the feelings and experiences of our marginalised colleagues and ally with them in creating effective change.

Very importantly we need to find ways to spread this process as best we can throughout the membership.

Becoming a genuinely inclusive organisation requires work at both interpersonal and structural levels.

Testimonies of psychologists from marginalised backgrounds highlight ongoing experiences of discrimination, microaggressions and failures to understand their perspectives or listen to their experiences in their working lives.

We need to be working with, supporting and involving our whole membership to make progress and become truly nondiscriminatory and inclusive as an organisation.

Within the membership we have many people with very significant theoretical and practical expertise in this field who can support the BPS in this work.

Understanding the structural barriers hampering access for marginalised groups to the discipline of psychology and to the professions is essential.

Many of those barriers are part of the UK's wider political and socio-economic context and so we need to argue for change in the long term and mitigate as best we can in the short term.

But increasing access, and therefore numbers, of psychologists from minority backgrounds is not enough – the systems they are joining have to change to make inclusivity a reality rather than an aspiration.

The BPS, as the home for psychological professions, is a key partner in achieving both goals through its accreditation and advocacy roles.

We must also ensure the BPS itself is a place of welcome, support, and mentorship where diversity is positively valued and where all members feel 'at home'.

Making real progress on diversity and inclusion is difficult, challenging and emotionally demanding work but talking is the relatively easy part.

We have been talking for a long time and this is the time for concrete actions.

As a member organisation, the BPS is its members. They represent the major source of knowledge and expertise in the UK about psychology; research, teaching and dissemination, practical applications and professional groups who apply it.

The subject has grown enormously over the last 50 years. This breadth and depth is both a strength and a challenge for the BPS in creating a membership identity and a sense of community.

The challenge is the disparate and diffuse nature of the membership and, at times, their conflicting views and interests.

The strength comes when these differing perspectives and knowledge bases are brought together.

One of the key steps in creating a meaningful membership identity is being able to harness the commonalities and knowledge.

An example of this was the creation of the cross-society working group producing the Covid resources.

In addition to the very valuable resources, this led to improved links between previously separate networks in the BPS.

One of the roles of the elected trustee should be to use their knowledge and experience to ensure that the voice and experience of the members is central to decisions that impact on them and the overall strategy and activity of the organisation.

Scrutiny of reports and the discussions of strategic matters needs to be done through several lenses.

It is obvious that financial and governance matters are essential to that scrutiny.

However, a membership lens is also needed – what does this achieve for the membership, how does it further their interests and how does it impact on recruitment and retention of members.

By involving and valuing the expertise of the members in partnership with the expertise of the BPS staff, we help create a sense of identity where psychologists can feel proud to belong to an organisation that values them as well as working for them.

What the society provides for members in terms of personal and professional benefits is very important, especially in these financially testing times.

However, for many members, just as important is what the society does for the public as part of the fulfilment of its charitable aims.

The BPS being a body of influence that promotes the discipline and the application of psychological knowledge in the public arena is crucial and is a means of creating a vibrant member-centred community in which members come together and are able to contribute.

It can make the BPS an organisation that people want to be part of, that feels an essential part of their identity as a psychologist.

A key role for the elected Trustee and the Board should be in helping the organisation to develop that public role further and to navigate the inevitable sensitivities and risks which it can entail.

How long have you known the candidate?

Four years.

When have you worked with the candidate or come into contact with them?

I first worked with Julia as part of her Comms Sub committee approximately four years ago.

Since then, after being appointed EDI lead, Julia joined my EDI sub committee as a member.

She has since been an active member and as part of the DCP Exec, I have worked with Julia for three years.

Why do you think the candidate would make a great trustee?

Julia has a wealth of knowledge and experience of the BPS and DCP as well as a commitment to the issues relevant for psychological professionals.

Her commitment is commendable, and her leadership has been exemplary.

Julia has shown ongoing commitment to the overall aims of the society and has been an active supporter of EDI initiatives.

She has also brought in members such as myself and others into the society and encouraged development and growth.

Her perspectives are always informed by clear, rational thinking and her focus is always driven towards supporting members of the society including those in leadership positions.

How long have you known the candidate?

Two years.

When have you worked with the candidate or come into contact with them?

I sit with Julia on the DCP Executive Committee and have done so for the last two years.

Why do you think the candidate would make a great trustee?

Julia is one of the most dedicated psychologists I have ever met.

She strongly believes in the work of the BPS, and I consistently witness her striving for the BPS to be the best it can be.

She has a wealth of experience within psychology and the BPS.

She understands the systems both within the BPS and within the wider practice of psychologists.

She is the driving force behind the DCP publications and communications which is the most forward-facing part of the DCP.

She is never afraid to voice an opinion and stand up for what she thinks is right.

However, she is also willing to listen and consider other's points of view.

She is someone others rally behind and she can bring people with her, even on difficult journeys.

I truly believe the BPS would be in a much more difficult place without Julia.

Her voice on the Board of Trustees is vital for the future of the BPS.

We need amazing psychologists on the Board of Trustees like Julia, to provide the voice of our membership.

I am confident Julia will always raise the voice of practitioner psychologists within the Board, and it is her voice, passion and love for the BPS that means her position on the Board of Trustees is essential.

It has been an honour to work with Julia and I am proud that the Board of Trustees has people of Julia's calibre sitting on it.

That is why I am giving my support for Julia to serve another term on the Board of Trustees.