Workforce Psychology

Statistical Publication Notice

16 December 2008

Workforce Planning for Psychology Services in NHSScotland. Characteristics of the Workforce Supply in 2008.

INTRODUCTION

• Data on staff in post in NHSScotland psychology services including: Clinical Psychologists, Other Applied Psychologists, Clinical Associates, Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, Counsellors, Other Therapists and Assistant Psychologists.
• Data is available by target age of clients seen, area of work, NHS Board, and gender, age, contract type, tier of operation and service role of staff.

KEY POINTS

• 615 Clinical Psychologists ( 542.6 wte) and  43 Other Applied Psychologists (39.3 wte) were employed in NHSScotland psychology services at 30th  September 2008. This total of 581.9 wte is an increase of 11% in all Clinical&Other Applied Psychologists compared to 30th September 2007. 
• Previous years have also seen an increase in staffing, (2006-2007: 10%; 2005-2006: 8%).  The increases reflect the expansion of training capacity for the 3-year doctoral Clinical Psychology course and the strong retention rates of course completers in NHSScotland psychology workforce.  
• Mental Health is the principal area of work, employing  322.6 wte Clinical&Other Applied Psychologists.  This is an increase of 17% compared to 30th September 2007.  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&Other Applied Psychologist per  8664 population for those aged under 20, 1 wte per 8469 for those aged 20-64 yrs old, and 1 wte per 31089  for those aged 65 and over.
• Psychology services increasingly employ a skill-mix of staff.   Graduates of the MSc in Psychological Therapies in Primary Care (46.9 wte Clinical Associates), Graduates of the MSc in the Applied Psychology of Children and Young People (11.0 wte), assistant psychologists ( 48.9 wte), cognitive behavioural therapists ( 29.9 wte),  counsellors ( 19.7 wte),  other therapists (6.8 wte), and  other clinical staff (11.2 wte), were employed in NHSScotland psychology services as at 30th September 2008.

INTERPRETATION

• Agenda for Change is the new national NHS pay system and will introduce new pay bands and harmonise terms and conditions for NHS workers. It replaces the previous Whitley Council system and is one of the key reform elements of the Pay Modernisation Agenda, focused on the need to deliver more effective patient-centred care, better value for money, and redesign of services. 
• Full assimilation of NHSScotland psychology service posts was not yet achieved at 30th September 2008. 
• At 30th September 2008 a significant  proportion of NHSScotland psychology services bandings were still under review.
• Thus Agenda for Change banding data as at 30th September 2008 has not been reported.
• It is hoped that following full assimilation and completion of reviews during 2009, these data will be available in the next report.

DETAILED FINDINGS

• 615 Clinical Psychologists (542.6 wte) and 43 Other Applied Psychologists (39.3 wte) were employed in NHSScotland psychology services at 30th  September 2008. This total of 581.9 wte is an increase of 11% in all Clinical&Other Applied Psychologists  compared to 30th September 2007.
• Previous years have also seen an increase in staffing, (2006-2007: 10%; 2005-2006: 8%).  The increases reflect the expansion of training capacity for the 3-year doctoral Clinical Psychology course and the strong retention rates of course completers in NHSScotland psychology workforce.  
• Psychology services increasingly employ a skill-mix of staff.  Staffing numbers in the skill-mix of staff have risen since 30th September 2007: Graduates of the MSc in Psychological Therapies in Primary Care, (Clinical Associates), has risen by 42% (33.1 wte to 46.9 wte) since 30th September 2007.
• A 1 year Masters level training was developed in 2005 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.  Of the cohort who completed the course in January 2008, 83% have taken up employment in NHSScotland psychology service during 2008 as Clinical Associates.
• The new 1 year Masters level training in MSc in Applied Psychology for Children and Young People, began in January 2007, and the first cohort of  students completed the course in January 2008.  Of those who passed the course, 61% joined the psychology workforce in 2008.
• In 2008, Clinical and Other Applied Psychologists spent 63% of their time in direct service provision, 11% of their time in the clinical training/supervision of others, 9% in management activities, 5% in research and audit, and the remaining time in their own professional development activities or ‘other’ e.g. travel to clinics.

CONCLUSIONS

• This is the seventh 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 as at 30th September 2008.
• The continued collection of reliable and detailed intelligence about psychology service workforce is essential for service planning and educational development.

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MAIN CONTACTS:

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

Lorraine Smyth
Information Analyst
0131 275 6529
lorraine.smyth@isd.csa.scot,nhs.uk

Catriona Young
Information Analyst
0131 275 6599
catriona.young@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:

HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:

Last Published: 26/02/2008
Next Due: December 2009
Data Available Since:  September 2001

Main contact: Liz Jamieson

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