Enhanced Psychological Practice Programme

Enhanced Psychological Practice Programme

The first cohort of our Customised Award, the Enhanced Psychological Practice (EPP) Programme, got underway at the end of August. It provides training in evidence-based psychological interventions for primary care staff working with people presenting with depression and anxiety.

The programme has been approved by the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) at Level 11 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) with 60 credit points.

Overview

Through the training staff will become highly skilled in conducting thorough assessments, agreeing problem statements and end of treatment goals. They can then deliver a number of CBT-informed interventions, use a range of resources and shared decision making to facilitate delivery of brief psychological interventions. The aim is for people to be seen as early as possible, to provide help quickly, providing an early intervention that can have an enormous impact the trajectory of a client’s difficulties.

Target Learners

The following staff groups are eligible to undertake the EPP programme:

• Staff working in primary care mental health roles with a Health or Social Care degree but who have no previous training in psychological interventions or therapies
• Staff working alongside Psychological Therapists & Practitioners who have a Health or Social Care degree with no previous training in psychological interventions or therapies

During the training staff will complete online learning, accompanying skills workshops, study days, reflective practice and supervision to equip them to confidently and competently provide a set of evidence-based enhanced psychological interventions.

Course details

The Enhanced Practitioner Programme training programme consists of 3 modules:

• Module 1 – Engagement and Assessment of Common Mental Health Problems: This module includes ethical practice and record keeping, an overview of common mental health problems, engagement skills, assessment skills including: information gathering, information giving and shared decision making
• Module 2 – Evidence-Based Enhanced Psychological Practice for Common Mental Health Problems: This module includes knowledge and skills for the provisions of evidence-based enhanced psychological interventions and delivery methods
• Module 3 – Values, Employment, and Context: This module introduces the concepts of diversity, inclusion and multiculturalism and equips learners with the necessary knowledge, attitudes and competences to deliver enhanced psychological interventions within an inclusive values-driven service.

Clinical supervision

Qualified enhanced psychological practitioners will receive both ‘case management supervision’ (individual, one hour per week) and ‘clinical skills supervision’ (at least one hour per fortnight).

Assessment

Each of the modules on the Enhanced Practice Programme requires an assessment of practice and academic assignments.

How to access this training

The e-learning to support the training is available on Turas Learn.

For further information on the certificated programme: psychology@nes.scot.nhs.uk

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