I am delighted to let you know that, following several years of uncertainty, Health Education England has finally decided to fully fund trainee salaries for the foreseeable future. Members will be aware that there had been proposals to substantially reduce trainee salaries following and in line with the withdrawal of nursing bursaries. This is as a result of critical meetings between clinical psychology representatives, including myself representing ACP-UK, and senior HEE civil servants. I was vociferous in representing the view that any interference with trainee salaries would be damaging to recruitment, widening access and ultimately the calibre of the profession. HEE has also realised that the implementation of such proposals would be wholly impractical and counterproductive.

It is gratifying that HEE has listened to this opinion and that the previous long period of uncertainty is now at an end.

Moreover HEE is presently discussing with DClinPsy courses the prospect of substantial expansion of training places following the NHS Long Term Plan (England) implementation proposals arising from the HEE/NHSE/NHS-I PPN group.

Read the HEE press release here

Prof Mike Wang
Chair ACP-UK

January 2020