Practitioner Training: Placement 5

Module overview

This practice-based module aims to consolidate skills and competencies developed during the first two years of training to meet the level of clinical competence required for completion of the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology and HCPC registration as a Clinical Psychologist. The specific placement setting will be determined by Trainees competency development to date and their special interests in terms of client group, specialism or service type. This module places a specific focus on continuing to develop BPS (2025) competencies in working within an emergent transdiagnostic context, using formulation to understand team/organisational behaviours, demonstrate leadership (informed by relevant models and theory), and gain experience providing supervision, consultancy, teaching and communicating expert psychological opinions to relevant stakeholders to influence practice and support others in applying psychological theory/skills. Trainees are expected to be working at an appropriate level of autonomy and to be exercising independent professional judgement within appropriate legal and professional boundaries. Trainees should also have gained significant experience and competence across all BPS core competencies. All of these competencies will continue to be underpinned by working within an anti-racist/anti-discrimination framework whilst considering issues of difference, diversity, culture, power and social/structural inequity, as well as a commitment to continue to challenge and address these inequalities post-qualification. Trainees are expected to attend placement in person, but may also be required to work in other placement settings or remotely. Trainees must ensure that over 50% of their direct clinical activity and time on placement, across the whole of training, is completed in person.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Continue to develop formulations in an emergent transdiagnostic context (e.g. integrative multimodal or pluralistic perspectives) using relevant theoretical frameworks and with an awareness of the utility of formulation in understanding team/organisational behaviours and relevant change processes.
Continue to practice with an appropriate level of autonomy and exercise independent professional judgement whilst demonstrating an awareness of appropriate legal and professional boundaries, which may occur in the absence of complete information.
Continue to demonstrate leadership and use of professional role to indirectly promote psychological wellbeing and preventative health strategies at a wider systemic-level (e.g. organizational, community, societal) informed by leadership theories/models as well as legislative, national planning, and commissioning contexts for service delivery and clinical practice.
Continue to gain experience and knowledge in providing supervision, consultancy, teaching, and communicating expert psychological opinions to relevant stakeholders (specialist and non-specialist) to influence practice and support others learning in the application of psychological skills, knowledge, practices and procedures.
Continue to work within an anti-racist/anti-discrimination framework whilst considering issues of difference, diversity, culture, power, social/structural inequity, and the potential for clients to experience prejudice, discrimination and stigma within all aspects of clinical practice with a commitment to continue to challenge and address these inequalities on qualification.
To have gained significant experience and competence within each of the BPS core competency areas.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

The Trainee's learning will be supported by supervised practice, self-reflection, self-directed study, and applying related taught content from the wider curriculum on the Programme. Trainees will be expected to observe and be observed by their supervisor. Trainees will receive a minimum of one-hour formal supervision with a suitably qualified clinical supervisor and at least three hours of informal contact time each week. Supervision will provide opportunities for skills development, facilitation of theory-practice links, supporting the maintenance of professional standards and codes of conduct, and reflection on the Trainee’s wellbeing and professional development. A Mid-Placement Review will be conducted by the Trainee’s Tutor halfway during the placement to review their progress and competency development.

Study time
Type	Hours
Placement	700
Total study time	700

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Scaife.J (2008). Supervision in Clinical Practice: A Practitioners Guide. Routledge: Hove.

Gilbert. P and Leahy.R. (2007). The therapeutic relationship in cognitive behavioural psychotherapy. Routledge: Hove.

Assessment

Assessment strategy

Formative Assessment: Formative assessment of the module involves completion of placement documentation including the Initial Placement Contract and Mid-Placement Review Report. These meetings and documentation allow the Trainee to gain formative feedback from their Clinical Supervisor and Tutor on their performance and competency development. Trainees must also complete and submit two formal observations of their clinical work using formal observation tools as well as a CPD log. Summative Assessment: Summative assessment of the module is provided via the End of Placement Report and Competency Portfolio which is completed by the Clinical Supervisor to evidence whether the requirements for passing the placement have been met. This includes meeting the minimum number of days on placement, completing sufficient pieces of work relevant for the placement context, and performing at a satisfactory level of competency in relation to the BPS (2025) standards and relevant ethical codes of practice (e.g. HCPC). Referral: All placement documentation must be submitted as evidence at the end of the placement via eAssignments. If the documentation is insufficient (e.g. missing information), Trainees will have one opportunity to resubmit the placement documentation. If a placement fail has been recommended on the End of Placement Report, this will be reviewed by the Programme and the relevant External Examiner using placement documentation and supporting evidence. If the ‘fail’ recommendation is upheld, Trainees must gain further experience in this specialty at a time determined by the Programme Team. Failure of a practical placement will lead to failure of the programme unless there has been successful corrective action. Failure of a subsequent placement at first attempt will also result in Programme failure. Further details are available in the Programme Handbook.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Clinical Formative Assessment

Assessment Type: Formative
Feedback:
Final Assessment: No
Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Clinical Competence	100%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Clinical Competence	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External

Module overview

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Syllabus

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Assessment

Assessment strategy

Formative

Clinical Formative Assessment

Summative

Referral

Repeat Information