Clinical Health Psychology newsletter

A very warm welcome to our first quarterly newsletter of 2025. We hope it provides you with some interesting headlines about the most recent work of our committee members. 

As a fellow member of the faculty, you're part of the largest professional body of psychologists working in physical health in the UK. Our membership is global and we work in partnership with a number of health charities and organisations to develop standards of psychological care in physical health systems across the UK. We'll continue to develop our relationships with key stakeholders and we encourage you to make contact with us around important issues facing you at work and in your health specialism.

 The strength of the faculty is through the collective and collaborative efforts of its members and we invite you to join us as we strive to inform, improve, and innovate.

 Dr Becky Houghton

Strategy development 2025 - 2027: Bridging policy and practice

At the Faculty's Strategy Meeting in October, our newly-minted committee developed a strategy to direct the work of the faculty over three years (2025 - 2027).

In addition to supporting our members through continued professional development, networking events, engagement in consultations and our special interest groups (SIGs), the committee are keen to take a proactive and outward-facing approach. 

A fourfold strategy has been developed (below) under the key aim of shaping policy development and informing commissioning of psychological care in physical health.

Through quantifying the value of psychology in physical health, identifying replicable models and pathways in service delivery, identifying what constitutes a sufficient and skilled workforce, and engaging and influencing key stakeholders, we aim to raise the profile of the valuable work we do within physical health, as well as increasing the visibility of our faculty.

Get in touch

We are so keen to hear your good news stories, be they events or even case studies highlighting the use of psychology in physical healthcare. The committee is on the lookout for establishing new links, strengthening our SIGs and expanding content for our newsletter.

For more details and to share anything that you would like us to include in our next newsletter, you can email [email protected]

Spotlight: The role of neuropsychology in stroke services

90 per cent of stroke survivors experience a level of cognitive deficits that underpin post-stroke disability and 75 per cent experience at least one mental health problem post-stroke which will affect recovery (Stroke Association Hidden Effects of Stroke Report).

How can we raise the profile of this huge issue?

In November, Steve Green from UKPSN chaired the 75-minute session, 'Meeting the challenge of delivering neuropsychological support in stroke services', supported by Rachel Metcalfe-Hume, which was attended by over 250 delegates from across the UK.

About 90 per cent of the audience were non-psychologists, mostly MDT professionals. This session followed on from a previous neuropsychology session arranged by Steve Green, Mark Griffiths and colleagues, and was delivered as part of the UKSF 2024 (this being the first neuropsychology presentation stream being delivered within the annual stroke conference).

Dr Mark Griffiths presented the work he has led on for the BPS, informing how psychology and neuropsychology is profiled and represented in the National Stroke Plan and in the National Clinical Guideline for Stroke. He gave an update on the professional and national policy guidance, as well as providing advice on how best to engage with commissioning decision makers in new regional ICS structures and develop a strong business case in this context.

Phil Yates overviewed the new DoN commissioning and workforce and governance documents published by the BPS in December 2024. Cat Ford provided an overview of the clinical psychology workforce from the perspective of DClinPsych training programmes, highlighting the potential role that trainees might play in supporting the evidence of neuropsychological input value through training placement planning and provision.

Steve concluded the workshop by indicating that he saw this as a starting point for further collaborative work around commissioning stroke psychology services and invited the audience to register their interest in future events. 

The session was very well received, with lots of questions raised to the panel of speakers throughout and after the event. The hope is to plan further sessions for 2025, both within and outside of the UKSF, to build on this work.

You can find out more about the forum and register to attend in 2025.

Knowledge exchange 

Research and practitioner insights 

Workforce survey results: Survey of clinical psychology and practitioner psychology posts in physical healthcare 2022 - Results and insights from a workforce survey led by the Faculty for Clinical Health Psychology

Guidance: Psychologists promoting and supporting the physical health of people with learning disabilities - Written in collaboration with the Faculty for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Guidance: Guidance for employing practitioner psychologists in physical healthcare settings - published March 2024

Research: Living with aortic dissection: Martin's story (Fowler, Ahearn, Griffiths & Pandya) British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, 19:12 | 23 December 2024

Resource: The psychological impacts of aortic dissection The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust

Publication: Standards Of Care: For people living with non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease in the UK NTM Network UK | July 2024

Article: How ICBs can support the mental health of people with long-term conditions Healthcare Leader | 25 July 2024

Campaign: Alice's Road to Recovery: an immersive digital experience - An immersive digital experience from Right to Rehab, Alice's Road to Recovery shows the impact of having the right support after leaving hospital

Connect and collaborate: call for research interviewees

Can you share an experience with simulation training in acute hospitals in the UK? Have you had any role in advising simulation teams around psychological safety and post-team reflections? Please email [email protected] for more information.

Are you seeking participants or collaborators on a current research project or query? Get in touch with us, to feature your research in our next quarterly newsletter.