SUMMARY:

This is the fifth in a series of reports concerned with workforce planning for psychology services in NHS Scotland.  The report presents data to describe the characteristics of the workforce engaged in the delivery of psychology services at 30th September 2006.

• In total there were 489 Clinical Psychologists (435.34 wte) and 47 Other Applied Psychologists (41.63 wte) employed in NHS Scotland in September 2006. This represents a national staffing level of 1wte Clinical Psychologist per 11, 703 of the general population of Scotland.
• Mental Health is the principal area of work, employing 244.73 wte Clinical and Other Applied Psychologists.  The rest of the workforce is distributed across services for people with learning disabilities, physical health, neuropsychology, forensic and other specialty services. 
• Staffing of psychology services varies with the age of the target client population. The  staffing ratio is 1 wte Clinical and Other Applied Psychologist per 10, 962 population for those aged under 20, 1 wte per 9, 974 for those aged 20-64 yrs old, and 1 wte per 35, 376 for those aged 65 and over.
• There are significant differences in staffing levels in psychology services across Health Boards in NHS Scotland.  Shetland is the only Island Health Board with a resident psychology service, and there is limited visiting provision for neuropsychology and services for children to Orkney and Shetland.  In mainland services, the population served by 1wte Clinical and Other Applied Psychologist in the Health Board with the lowest staffing level is three times the population notionally served by 1wte in the area with the highest staffing levels.
• Psychology services increasingly employ a skill-mix of staff (including Clinical Associates, assistant psychologists, cognitive behavioural therapists, counsellors, other therapists and other clinical staff). Overall the ratio is approximately 3.0 wte Clinical and Other Applied Psychologist to 1wte ?Other Clinical Staff?.
• A new 1 year Masters level training has been developed to equip graduate psychologists with the competencies required to deliver evidence based psychological interventions for common mental health problems presenting in adults in a primary care setting.  The first cohort started in January 2005, and all 25 who passed took up employment in NHS Scotland psychology service during 2006 as Clinical Associates.
• In 2006, Clinical and Other Applied Psychologists spent 63% of their time in direct service provision, 13% of their time in the clinical training/supervision of others, 10% in management activities, 6% in research and audit, and the remaining time in their own professional development activities or ?other? e.g. travel to clinics.

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MAIN CONTACTS:

Liz Jamieson,
Principal Information Analyst,
0131 275 6422
elizabeth.jamieson@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

Jane Chisholm,
Senior Information Analyst
0131 275 6197
jane.chisholm@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

Barbara Moore,
Information Analyst,
0131 275 6599
barbara.moore@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk




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PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:
NHS Education for Scotland, Heads of Psychology Service Steering Group, SEHD National Workforce Unit


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HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:
Last Published:  Jan 2006
Next Due:  Feb/March 2008
Data Available Since:  September 2003


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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES/LINKS:

All previous publications on Psychology Workforce are available at:
www.isdscotland.org/wf_psychology