Doctorate Programme in Clinical Psychology
School of Health and Social Care
Teesside University
MIDDLESBROUGH
Tees Valley
TS1 3BA
Telephone: 01642 384116
Fax: 01642 342961
Email: soh-dclinpsy@tees.ac.uk
Recruitment and Marketing Tutor: Dr Graham Dyson
Programme Director: Dr Andrew Cuthbertson
Programme Leader: Steven Muncer
Programme Administrator: Yvonne Ditchburn
Link to Teesside University website
We are hosting an Open Day on Monday 10 October 2011, 4.00-6.30pm. Please email us to express an interest or sign up.
The Doctorate Programme in Clinical Psychology Training is a joint enterprise between the University and the NHS. The University is responsible for providing a high quality training Programme which meets and indeed aspires to exceed the requirements of its regulatory bodies and clinical partners. The involvement of clinicians is essential in providing advanced and specialist academic teaching to support this. The teaching reflects both cutting edge contemporaneous knowledge and practice as well as highly competent supervision of practice based learning.
The Programme commenced in 1996 and, as a newly established Programme, was able to be innovative and creative in its approach to training clinical psychologists. The Programme has continued to develop, while maintaining its original ethos, so that today it is viewed as a flexible and contemporary training course with a well-established reputation for producing excellent clinicians. Trainee clinical psychologists are considered to be junior colleagues in the profession and an asset to NHS psychology services in which they practise under supervision.
The Programme aims to train clinical psychologists to be fit for practice for work in the modern health and social care settings. They will be enabled to meet clinical need through the provision of a range of clinical skills and services at a high level of competence. This includes providing training, advice and guidance about the benefits and implementation of psychological theory and knowledge in all health and social care contexts. Graduates of the Programme will be able to work effectively with other colleagues in inter-professional contexts, demonstrating effective leadership as well as attributes commensurate with emerging specialist roles in contemporary health and social care services.
Clinical Psychology is a profession whose practice is based upon a body of psychological knowledge. The Programme is not founded on one theoretical position but adopts an open stance through the presentation of a breadth of theories including: behavioural, humanistic, cognitive, psychoanalytic, systemic, interpersonal, developmental and social. The Programme aims to provide advanced knowledge, skills and experience to enable trainees to make an informed choice as to their own theoretical position.
The Programme emphasises the importance of collaborative, team and inter-disciplinary working.
Psychological formulation is at the heart of psychological intervention in health and social care and graduates will leave the Programme able to provide individualised formulations from several theoretical perspectives.
Graduates should be able to explain in a coherent, comprehensive and convincing manner how their practice is informed by their knowledge base.
Qualifying clinical psychologists must take a rigorous approach to the acquisition of knowledge, and be able to select and apply it in practice. They must be able to conceptualise, reflect, analyse and critically evaluate both underpinning knowledge and their own practice. They must be strategic thinkers, able to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of proposals, and to anticipate the possible consequences of decisions or actions. The Programme aims to enable our trainees to achieve all of these goals.
The value of development, professional and personal, is fundamental at Teesside. Trainees should develop as reflective and ethical practitioners, who can recognise the psychological impact of their work on themselves, and who understand the importance of continuing professional development.
Teesside University is based in the North-East of England within the town of Middlesbrough, which is well located with good road and rail networks to the North, South and West of the British Isles. The region has its own international airport, with others in easy reach. The location provides easy access to the North Yorkshire Moors, the Yorkshire Dales and the beautiful North Yorkshire Coastline. It has the additional advantage of providing a good but inexpensive quality of life with relatively inexpensive accommodation within easy reach of the University.
The academic Programme is mainly delivered within the University site, but periods of clinical practice take place within the wide geographical region, ranging from Scarborough and Northallerton in the South to Durham and Newcastle in the North.
The Programme is managed within the School of Health and Social Care of Teesside University and conforms to the regulations and procedures of the School. There is a Programme Board, which has responsibility for overall management and evaluation of the Programme. Members of the Programme team have responsibility for key areas of Programme management and development. Trainees are represented within all key meetings and this contributes to effective communication. Involvement also includes University colleagues and nominated clinicians from the partner NHS Trusts.
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Application to the Programme is via the Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology.
Minimum entry requirements at the time of application include:
Applicants who have not yet graduated from their undergraduate degree will not be considered.
Some direct experience of conducting a research project is required, which should be demonstrated either at an undergraduate level or in subsequent work. An understanding of the importance and contribution research plays within the profession is also desirable. Furthermore, it is important to demonstrate evidence of personal awareness and self-reflection within the application, as well as a clear commitment and motivation to train as a clinical psychologist.
The local employing Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust ensures that all individuals accepting a place on the Programme undergo Enhanced Criminal Records and Occupational Health checks prior to starting in September 2012.
Following the implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act (2005 amendment) and the Equality Act 2010, we encourage applicants to declare whether they have a disability in their application. If you are an applicant to Teesside who experiences a disability and would like to discuss how it might affect your studies, the resources available and how you access our service please contact a Teesside University Disability Services adviser on 01642 342277 or email disability@tees.ac.uk.
Our website includes links to a job description and person specification, as well as further information about our selection process.
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The selection process is reviewed and amended each year in line with feedback and the reflections of those involved. We have a Working Group that meets twice each year to review selection and recruitment processes. The Working Group comprises local clinicians, trainees, members of the Programme team, a Service User representative, the Recruitment and Marketing Tutor, and the Trust Liaison Officer. All participants have a role in enhancing the process. The group is also informed by the National Group of Trainers in Clinical Psychology Recruitment Working Group, as well as the Teesside University Recruitment and Marketing Working Group. The admissions procedure is closely monitored on a yearly basis and adheres to the Selection and Admissions Policy for the Programme.
All application forms are initially screened by the Recruitment and Marketing Tutor who reviews the forms according to minimum entry criteria. Each application form is then assessed by another member of the Programme team or a local clinician and is given a score for each of the following areas: academic, research, clinical and Personal Professional Development (PPD). The aggregate score then goes forward to a ranking process before deciding who is to be interviewed. The top 45 are then offered an interview. A proportion of the forms (a minimum of 20%) are rated by two reviewers and a moderation meeting takes place to discuss any issues.
Interviews are normally carried out in April each year by a team drawn from the Programme and local experienced Clinical Psychologists. The process is also supported by current trainees. Overall, the interview process is led by the Recruitment and Marketing Tutor on the Programme in conjunction with the Trust Liaison Officer. The two interview panels, clinical/PPD and academic/research, are each approximately 20-30 minutes long. The academic/research panel includes a short presentation from the candidate (10 minutes) regarding a research project they have conducted. Anonymous feedback is obtained from attendees at the interviews and is used to help review the process.
The Programme operates an equal opportunities policy that is consistent with Teesside University and the employing Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust and no applicant will be discriminated against on the grounds of age, race, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or gender.
International applicants are welcome to apply but individuals must refer to the relevant section of this website for guidance. International students who are eligible are required to provide evidence of their ability in English (speaking and listening and academic reading and writing). A minimum score of 7.0 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or a minimum score of 100 in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL, internet based test) is required and evidence of this should be provided and appended to your application.
We aim to give written feedback on applications or interviews after the completion of the recruitment process in June 2012 and applicants should submit a written request for feedback via email or by post. Unfortunately, due to the volume of requests we are not in a position to provide feedback prior to that time nor are we able to provide feedback face to face.
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Trainees are at present funded through the North East Strategic Health Authority on Agenda for Change terms and conditions of service. The next annual intake is expected to be for a cohort of 14. They are employed by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust on a fixed term, three-year contract. Trainees will be appointed at Band 6 (approximately £25,528 per annum) on the Agenda for Change pay scale and under Agenda for Change terms and conditions. There are currently no opportunities for self-funded applicants. Trainees receive expenses for travel to placements from their base (Teesside University) funded by the Trust. Accommodation costs can be funded by the Trust should placements be a prohibitive distance from the specified base.
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The Programme draws upon the Scientist-Practitioner and Reflective-Practitioner models of working. The overall purpose of the Programme is to produce competent clinical psychologists who are eligible for Chartered status with the British Psychological Society. Trainees are exposed to a wide range of therapeutic approaches within a strong academic Programme that runs concurrently with periods of clinical practice. There is a comprehensive research component running throughout the three years culminating with the production of advanced independent work (thesis) in Year 3. Integral to this is a developmental framework of individual tutorials looking at levels of competency and skill, centred on the Personal and Professional Development component of the Programme.
Yearly individual progression tutorials take place to monitor progress and development.
During May 2010, the Programme went through a comprehensive review undertaken by the Health Professions Council (HPC), the British Psychological Society (BPS) and Teesside University. As a result we have been approved by the HPC and accredited by the BPS. Furthermore, we received very positive feedback on the programme. Therefore, trainees within the next intake will benefit from a much improved Programme structure and content, validated in 2010 by the University, HPC and BPS, and which has been further enhanced for the next academic year. Most notably, improvements have been made within the research strand of the Programme; the third year includes a live assessment in a court setting and there is the option to undertake an Organisational Placement, also in third year.
The Programme is developmental and integrated with a focus upon building competencies and transferable skills across different settings and client groups. The University operates a modular system. Each member of the Programme team is responsible for the design and co-ordination of several modules across the three years.
A significant amount of the teaching is conducted by practising NHS clinical psychologists and covers a wide range of theoretical orientations and approaches, including new "cutting edge" interventions, in addition to more specialist applications of well established interventions.
Teaching sessions are themed around theoretical knowledge building and the applications of this knowledge within a clinical setting. Methods of delivery are varied and trainee feedback is an integral part of the evaluation and modification of the academic programme. Trainees are introduced to core life-span teaching in Year 1, which is built upon in Year 2 within a special needs context. Year 3 looks at more complex and specialist presentations and service delivery sites. Legal skills work and organisational approaches are now key elements of the teaching in the final year.
Trainees are allocated protected private academic study time but there is some flexibility in how this is taken. We expect trainees to attend all the teaching sessions unless prior approval is gained for absence.
Normally, throughout the three years of the Programme supervised practice will occupy three or four days of the week, with half a day protected during term time as private clinical study. An individual pathway of clinical experience is devised for all trainees from when they begin the Programme in order to ensure a comprehensive and complementary series of experiences are gained. We expect trainees to attend each placement for a minimum of 56 days.
The first 18 months of training looks at providing experience across the life-span (namely completing clinical placements within child and adolescent, adult, and older adult services). Trainees then complete two special needs placements, one of which is characterised by client populations where intellectual functioning is impaired. The second special needs placement falls within specialist service settings such as neuropsychology, forensic, physical health etc. A final elective placement ends the period of clinical experience and allows for trainee choice in following an area of specific interest. In the third year there is the option of completing a long term case within a specific therapeutic model, as well as the possibility of setting up an organisational placement. A tightly monitored assessment and evaluation procedure themed around clinical competencies is in place for each placement. This is co-ordinated by the trainee's clinical tutor who will follow the trainee throughout their three years of training.
There is an integrated research teaching component that begins in Year 1 and culminates in the submission of advanced independent work (thesis) during May in the third year. This research is then examined by means of a Viva Voce over the Summer. The research tutor has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the research training for the Programme, which includes monitoring of the trainee's small-scale project (service evaluation/audit) and advanced independent work (thesis). In addition to the research tutor, the trainee is also provided with both an academic and field supervisor to help support them in their progress with their thesis. The Programme team have varied research interests, and there is a wide scope of possible research topics for trainees to pursue within the local catchment area.
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Assessments are evenly spread out across the three years and range in type including essays, case studies, presentations, a court report, defence of a report in a mock court, reflective portfolios and clinical practice evaluations. There are no written examinations. There are both formative and summative assignments throughout the programme, which support trainees and facilitate learning. All aspects of the Teesside Programme involve a comprehensive feedback audit cycle, which ensures the Programme is continually monitored and adapted according to current need. Trainee evaluation is an integral part of this, and this can range from giving anonymous written feedback about individual teaching sessions to verbal feedback within various forums with members of the Programme team.
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The Programme has in place a tutorial system that enables the monitoring of trainee progress throughout the academic year. Tutorials are held to cover the academic, clinical and research components of the course. These are then reflected upon with the Personal and Professional Development (PPD) Tutor to facilitate personal and professional growth. In addition, the Programme operates a personal mentor scheme whereby each trainee is allocated a personal mentor who is independent of the course and provides informal and confidential personal support to aid the trainee's personal and professional development. There is also an effective buddy system in place, which helps provide peer support between the year groups. The Programme team also co-ordinates PPD Reflection and Development Groups within cohorts.
As employees of the NHS and members of the University, the trainees also have access to the respective Occupational Health Services and University Counselling and Support Services. Student Services offers a wide range of professional and advisory services to help students make the most of their time at University and to assist students with any problems that they may experience throughout their student life.
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Dr Andrew Cuthbertson - Programme Director
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Special areas of interest include Severe and Complex Problems, Trauma and Dissociation, Leadership/Organisational Function/Management, Social Theory
Professor Chris Colbourn - Research Tutor
Chartered Psychologist and Professor of Psychology
Special areas of interest include Cognitive Neuropsychology, Human-Technology Interaction
Dr William Robertson - Clinical Director
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Special areas of interest include Older Adult Psychology and Family Therapy
Dr Sarah Hill - Senior Clinical Tutor
Chartered Clinical Psychologist
Special areas of interest include ASD, group parenting interventions and systemic approaches
Dr Rosey Tattersall-Lindley - Clinical Tutor
Higher Specialist Clinical Psychologist
Special areas of interest include LAC, Child Protection and Children in Need, as well as the use of an Attachment framework to help with clinical work and supervision
Dr Tracey Tyler - Senior Academic Tutor/PPD Tutor
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Special areas of interest include Attachment Theory, Child Protection and Family work
Dr Graham Dyson - Senior PPD Tutor/Recruitment and Marketing Tutor
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Special areas of interest include Psychological Trauma, Occupational Health and Interpersonal Therapy
Dr Tim Prescott - PPD Director
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Special areas of interest include Applying Clinical Psychology as a Consultant to Organisations
Dr Steven Muncer - Programme Leader/Academic Director
Chartered Psychologist
Special areas of interest include Research Methods, Psychometrics and Aggression
Ms Yvonne Ditchburn - Programme Administrator
Mrs Kath Wilson - Assistant Administrator
In addition the Programme is supported by a number of other academic staff from the University as well as a large number of Honorary and Special Lecturers from within NHS services.
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