Clinical psychologist

Clinical psychologists tend to work with one particular client group, such as children or people with learning disabilities. They also often work in a particular setting like a hospital or through social services.

Typical work activities can include:

• Assessing a client's needs, abilities or behaviour using a variety of methods, including psychometric tests, interviews and direct observation of behaviour
• Working as part of a multidisciplinary team alongside doctors, nurses, social workers, education professionals, health visitors, psychiatrists and occupational therapists.
• Devising and monitoring appropriate programmes of treatment, including therapy, counselling or advice, in collaboration with colleagues
• Offering therapy and treatments for difficulties relating to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, addictions, social and interpersonal problems and challenging behaviour
• Developing and evaluating service provision for clients
• Providing consultation to other professions, encouraging a psychological approach in their work
• Carrying out applied research, adding to the evidence base of practice in a variety of health care settings.

More experienced clinical psychologists are often called on to write legal reports and act as expert witnesses as well as keeping detailed paperwork about clients in order to monitor the progress of the clients treatments.

Academic clinical psychology work is very similar in nature to the research work the new entrant carried out as a doctoral student, with an increased level of responsibility. As a result, most entrants into these research roles should have a good idea of the basic nature of the job and many of the key responsibilities.

A clinical psychology researcher can expect to be involved in the following:

• Devising and conducting research, and processing and analysing results and data
• Collaborating with industry/academia to apply the results of research and develop new techniques, products or practices
• Publishing papers, and presenting ongoing work and findings to colleagues at academic conferences
• Teaching, demonstrating or supervising students (in academia) and training and supervising other members of staff
• Devising or helping to draw up new research proposals and applying for funding and grants

In order to become a qualified clinical psychologist entrants need to hold a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited psychology degree or relevant doctoral qualification. Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) may be obtained in other ways in cases where courses are not accredited:

• By sitting the British Psychological Society's qualifying examination
• Via an appropriate society-accredited postgraduate qualification
• By taking an appropriate society-accredited conversion course.

A further three years of postgraduate study leading to a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is also needed, which then leads to eligibility for chartered status.

A minimum of six to 12 months of relevant clinical work experience is essential in order to secure a training place. Some course providers lay down specific requirements or give advice on how to go about gaining the necessary experience (successful applicants typically have two years of work experience).

• Trainee clinical psychologists start at Band 6 (£24,000). After qualification, salaries within the National Health Service (NHS) start at Band 7 (see NHS Careers ). A typical starting salary would be in the region of £27,000 (salary data collected September 2009)
• For more experienced psychologists, salaries start at Band 8a, from £30,000 up to £50,000 (salary data collected September 2009)
• Band 8 roles apply to senior experienced psychologists, possibly managing departments or large specialist sections with responsibility for the psychology service and its staff. Salaries in these posts can be in excess of £80,000 (salary data collected September 2009).

Sector information

Doctoral graduates from 2006-9 working in this occupation were known to be employed in the following profiled sectors six months after graduation:

• Health
• Higher education
• Public administration
• Social work and welfare
• UK defence and the armed forces
• Engineering, manufacturing, technology and construction

Disciplinary background

Clinical psychology is a very competitive field and doctoral entrants from 2006 to 2009 had doctorates in clinical medicine or psychology.

None available

• British Psychological Society (BPS)
• Clinpsy
• Health Service Journal
• Mental Health Jobs
• NHS Careers
• NHS Jobs
• Psychologist Appointments
• Psychminded
• So you want to be a Psychologist?
• the HEALTH job
• British Psychological Society (BPS) Accredited Psychology Courses
• Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology
• psyclick