Who we are

Clinical psychologists are highly trained health professionals. We provide evidence-based assessments and interventions across a wide range of healthcare services, and supervision and consultancy to colleagues from a variety of disciplines. We work to alleviate psychological distress in children, adolescents, adults and older adults, in mental and physical health services, and in out-patient and in-patient settings. Clinical psychologists have advanced skills in a number of different therapeutic models, including cognitive-behavioural therapy, psychodynamic and systemic therapies and community approaches. We also routinely undertake research and service evaluation, contributing to the current state of knowledge in our field.

The Association of Clinical Psychologists UK is a strong voice for clinical psychologists across the four nations. We are determined to act for the good of clients and communities by promoting, publicising, supporting and developing clinical psychologists. Through our bold, ethical and member-led approach, we seek to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the UK population.

What we recommend

The following recommendations were drawn up following consultation with our members.

1. There is a strong need for recognition of the effects of environmental and social problems on the health and wellbeing of the population. We recommend that the incoming Government act to address the climate change crisis as a matter of priority and without delay, in recognition of the impact of climate change on the physical and mental health of the population and the profound effect this will have on future generations. 

2. Through the NHS, Government should improve the health and social care and well-being of the population of the United Kingdom by making best use of clinical psychologists and other professions whose work is based on psychological principles. Clinical psychologists have a rich tradition of clinical leadership, innovation and service development, but our achievements are often barely known to current commissioners and managers. We recommend that:

• • A Chief Psychological Officer should be appointed to the top tier of management in each nation of the United Kingdom, to advise the ministers and senior civil servants concerned with health and social care;
  • All levels of commissioners should include an experienced clinical or practitioner psychologist in their teams;
  • There should be a statutory requirement that all Boards of NHS Trusts, those concerned with general hospital services as well as those identified as mental health and disability Trusts, should include an experienced practitioner psychologist.

3. Recognising that research has shown that physical and psychological health are inextricably linked, and that a wide range of social ills reflect the impact of poverty and social inequality on those who must live with them, we recommend that the incoming Government develops and maintains integrated health and social care systems, both at national and locality levels. Our recommendation goes well beyond the concept of ‘parity of esteem’ between mental and physical healthcare systems, because seeing patients as ‘whole persons’ not divided up by medical specialty leads to the most efficient use of services and to a high quality of care.

4. As an extension of that recommendation, we recommend that the incoming Government gives much greater priority to the maintenance of public health, the prevention of unnecessary suffering and disability by early interventions, and to primary care.

5. Child mental health and early years services are a particular area of need and clinical psychologists, with their expertise in human social and emotional development, are well placed to support the range of initiatives to improve services that have recently been proposed. We recommend that the incoming government recognise the dire state of current mental health services for children and young people, and focusses on this as a priority spending area, making full use of Clinical Psychologists to spearhead developments.

The Association of Clinical Psychologists UK will be pleased to provide additional information concerning these recommendations. Please contact Professor Mike Wang, Chair of ACP-UK, at [email protected].

* Bernard Kat, Director of Governance, Arabella Kurtz, Director of Operations, & Sally Morgan, Director of Media & Communications