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Clinical Practice

Module description

This module provides you with in-depth experience of clinical psychology practice. Observation and participation in clinical practice is essential to afford you substantial opportunities to develop knowledge, skill and competence in working with a range of children, young people and familes. This module provides you with opportunities to develop skills and to use transferable skills in a range of clinical settings with the target population. You will gain substantive experience in applied psychology practice through a very strong emphasis on workplace or practice learning. We encourage the integration of this with academic and research elements of training.

In the case of placement assessment, trainees cannot complete the programme where identified deficiencies in practice competence highlighted at mid-placement review via the Evaluation of Clinical Competency are not addressed to the point that a satisfactory level of competence has been reached at the end of the module.

Trainees are expected to meet minimum standards in terms of clinical caseload (a minimum caseload of 24 cases and a minimum of 160 clinical contacts are expected over the course of the placement module). In terms of minimum caseload, cases are where the trainee is providing a significant psychological intervention. Over the course of the placement module the trainee is expected to have their clinical practice observed on 12 occasions.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Specific aims are to develop your:

• Core clinical competencies in working under supervision directly and indirectly with individuals, carers, services and community systems.
• Direct and indirect application of clinical competencies under supervision within a range of experiences: in a range of service delivery settings with clients with a representative range of problems and abilities.
• Application of clinical competencies under supervision with clients from a range of backgrounds taking into account social inequalities and diversity.
• Integration of psychological theory, evidence and experience.
• Commitment to working collaboratively, compassionately and respectfully with clients and colleagues, sharing essential capabilities and working as part of multi-disciplinary team.
• Competence to work within professional and regulatory codes of practice and ethics.
• Ability to conceptualise and adapt supervised practice in the light of current service policies and priorities
• Readiness to approach supervised clinical work with critical reflection and self-awareness.
• Capacity to nurture clinical strengths and interests to make a contribution to the development of psychological skills, knowledge and the profession.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Reduce psychological distress and enhance and promote psychological wellbeing through the systematic application of knowledge derived from psychological theory and evidence.
• 2. Develop working alliances with clients, including individuals, carers and/or services, in order to carry out psychological interventions, evaluate their work and communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• 3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological (and other relevant) theory and evidence, related to specific client groups, presentations, psychological therapies, psychological testing, assessment, intervention and secondary prevention required to underpin supervised clinical practice.
• 4. Work effectively under supervision with clients from a diverse range of backgrounds, understanding and respecting the impact of difference and diversity upon their lives, whilst being aware of the clinical, professional and social contexts within which work is undertaken and impact therein.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Demonstrate clinical and research skills in supervised work with clients and systems based on a reflective scientist-practitioner model that incorporates a cycle of assessment, formulation, intervention and evaluation and that draws from theory and therapy evidence bases as appropriate.
• 6. Work effectively under supervision with systems relevant to clients, including for example statutory and voluntary services, self-help and advocacy groups, user-led systems and other elements of the wider community.
• 7. Work under supervision in a range of indirect ways to improve psychological aspects of health and healthcare, including competencies in consultancy, supervision, teaching and training, working collaboratively and influencing psychological mindedness and practices of teams.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Practice reflectively within a professional and ethical value base.
• 9. Demonstrate high level skills in managing a personal learning agenda and self-care, in critical reflection and self-awareness that enable transfer of knowledge and skills to new settings and problems and professional standards of behaviour as might be expected by the public, employers and colleagues.
• 10. Communicate complex and contentious information clearly and effectively to specialists and non-specialists.

Syllabus plan

Learning will be through supervised practice in one or more health or social care setting working with children, young people and families; 50% of the programme is spent in clinical psychology practice settings; feedback based on supervision and direct observation of clinical practice; literature searches; tutorials; assigned reading.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Two assessments are required for this module. In all cases re-assessment will be the same as the original assessment. Where you have been referred/deferred for any form of assessment detailed above you will have the opportunity to retake within six months from the date that feedback was provided.

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of deferral, your re-assessment will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment,

If you fail re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), you will be failed in the module and as a consequence you will be failed in the programme and your registration as a student of the University will be terminated.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Beinart, H. and Kennedy, P. and Llewelyn, S. (2009). Clinical Psychology in Practice.Oxford Blackwell: British Psychological Society.
• Fleming, I and Steen, L. (2004). Supervision and Clinical Psychology. Hove and New York: Brunner – Routledge.
• Harvey, D (Ed). (2001). Core Purpose and Philosophy of the Profession. Leicester: British Psychological Society.
• Hawkins, P. & Shohet, R. (2000). Supervision in the Helping Professions, 2^nd Edition. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
• Owusu-Bempah, K. & Howitt D. (2000). Psychology Beyond Western Perspectives. Leicester: British Psychological Society.
• Scaife, J. (2001). Supervision in the Mental Health Professions: A Practitioners’ Guide. Hove: Brunner-Routledge.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE page: https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=12594

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• British Psychological Society
  • Accreditation through partnership handbook – guidelines for clinical psychology programmes (2010)
  • Code of Ethics and Conduct (2009)
  • Guidelines on Confidentiality and Record Keeping.(2004)
  • Clinical Psychology and Case Notes: Guidance on Good Practice (2000)
  • Working in Teams (2001)

• Health and Care Professions Council
  • Standards of Education and Training guidance (2009)
  • Practitioner psychologists (2009)
  • Standards of conduct, performance and Ethics (2009)
  • Guidance on conduct and ethics for students (2009)
  • Practitioner psychologists (2009)

• Department of Health
  • Department of Health (1999) A National Service Framework for Mental Health. London: Department of Health.
  • Department of Health (2001) A National Service Framework for Older People. London: Department of Health.
  • Department of Health (2001) Valuing People: a New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century: a White Paper. London: The Stationery Office.
  • Department of Health (2004) Every Child Matters: Next Steps.
  • Supporting People with Long Term Conditions (2005).
  • Patient and Public Involvement: a Brief Overview.(2004)
  • The Ten Essential Shared Capabilities: A Framework for the Whole of the Mental Health Workforce. (2004)

Key words search

Clinical, psychology, practice, placement