Chamber and committees

NHS boards are expected to take all workforce issues, in particular the skill mix required to deliver a specific service, into account when planning service developments. This will include, where relevant, consideration of local psychology vacancies.

In response to the increased demand for access to applied psychologists and psychological therapies, we are currently considering the role that applied psychologists can play in developing the overall psychological competence of the workforce. NHS Boards have been asked to comment on a draft report and recommendations which aims to inform local workforce planning and service delivery and we look forward to their response.

Copies of the report and covering letter have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 49878 and 49879).

We have been actively working with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop training, both for shorter MSc courses for psychologists and for a range of other clinicians to deliver psychological therapies.

Since NES took over responsibility for Clinical Psychology Doctoral Level training, there has been a significant increase in both the numbers of Clinical Psychologists in training - rising from 100 in 2002, to 198 in 2008 - and the number employed in NHS Scotland - rising from 359 in 2002, to 582 in 2008.

While we recognise that historically the availability of psychological services for older people has been poor, the Scottish Government has committed to develop an access target for psychological therapies and is giving particular consideration to the needs of older people in that work.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29412 on 8 December 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Copies of the report and covering letter have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 49878 and 49879).

Psychologists are a valuable contribution to the child and adolescent mental health workforce and to this end we are investing £1 million this year, rising to £3.5 million in 2011-12 to support NHS boards to increase the number of psychologists working in specialist CAMHS.

This money will be specifically targeted at increasing the number of clinical and masters grade psychologists working in specialist CAMHS in the NHS in Scotland and will support both additional training places and additional posts to ensure that the investment in training is translated into increased capacity.

We have a specific commitment to expand and improve access to psychological therapies for all ages in a range of settings, and we are working closely with NHS Education for Scotland and NHS boards to deliver on this commitment and meet patient''s needs better and sooner.

We have established a Psychological Therapies Group to oversee the implementation of the advice in The Matrix - a tool for NHS boards to use in reviewing available evidence and in considering which psychological interventions might best be used to meet local need and demand - its continuous updating, and to expand its coverage to other key priority areas in Mental Health.

The Scottish Government and the British Psychological Society (Scotland) are jointly funding the secondment of two health psychologists for 12 months from April 2009, to inform public health policy development.

The Chief Scientists Office (CSO) also funds research to which health psychology expertise is central, including projects to investigate sexual risk behaviour in adolescents with anti-social behaviour problems; interventions which increase adherence to medication after stroke, and the relationship between chronic pain and disability in the community.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates obtain advice from a range of expert sources when developing policy, including from professionals involved in delivering psychological services across Scotland. This system works effectively and there are no plans currently to consider the appointment of a lead officer for psychology in Scotland.

In response to the increased demand for access to applied psychologists and psychological therapies, we are currently considering the role that applied psychologists can play in developing the overall psychological competence of the workforce. NHS boards have been asked to comment on a draft report and recommendations which aims to inform local workforce planning and service delivery and we look forward to their response.

Copies of the report and covering letter have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 49878 and 49879).

Patients accessing specialist mental health services are given a full assessment and will be offered, following discussion with them, treatment appropriate to their needs. This may include pharmacological, talking therapies or social support, or a combination of all three of these. They will be offered support by the team to make their choice based on the best evidence available to improve outcomes in their condition (using evidence from the NICE, SIGN, and Cochrane guidelines).

We are working with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to support Psychological Therapies Training Co-ordinator posts in Health Boards to provide the educational infrastructure necessary to ensure training and supervision are well-organised, sustainable, and have maximum service impact.

Good quality psychological therapies supervision is essential for the delivery of evidence-based care. NES has developed competence-based psychological therapies supervision training, which is being rolled out on a training for trainers basis across Scotland.

In partnership with the Scottish Government, NES has supported or commissioned training in a number of evidence-based therapies, including those orientated towards older people.

The Scottish Government is developing and making use of this discipline to inform a number of social marketing campaigns including Take Life On and the Steps for Stress campaigns.

Psychologists are also working directly with patients in various parts of the NHS, and the Scottish Government is working in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland to provide, and broker the provision of, training in evidence-based psychological interventions, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to support this work.

Furthermore the Government has funded the stage two professional training
(i.e. professional chartership) for seven health psychologists through NHS Education Scotland at a number of Scottish health boards.