DClinPsy Handbook

Category: DClinPsy policies

  • Vision, Values, and Strategic Priorities

    Vision The Doctorate in Clinical Psychology endeavours to equip trainees with the experiences and competencies required to maximise the psychological (and physical) well-being of the communities they, and we, serve. Central to that service is to uphold the NHS Constitution.​ We value every person as an individual, respect their aspirations and commitments in life, and…

  • Trainee disclosure of mental health and psychological difficulties

    Programme ethos The Lancaster DClinPsy programme recognises that all trainee clinical psychologists are human beings, who have potential to experience mental health difficulties or psychological distress during training. People also may have experienced such difficulties prior to training, and may be accessing mental health services or have accessed services in the past. Experiences of mental…

  • Programme-level learning outcomes & objectives

    In order to meet the HCPC Standards of Proficiency for the relevant part of the register, at the programme level the Lancaster University DClinPsy programme has adopted the learning outcomes required by the British Psychological Society (BPS), which are designed to meet these standards. The following extract outlines the learning outcomes. Extract from the Standards…

  • Post contract fees

    Please note that this policy only applies to trainees whose contracts ended between 08/01/2018 and 20/06/23 Full-time trainees on the programme are employed on a three year NHS contract. For part-time trainees this is adjusted according to the trainee’s full time equivalent. If a trainee intercalates from study, for maternity leave for example, then the…

  • Trainee involvement in selection

    Trainees are vital to our inclusive selection process and take on a range a roles as colleagues on the DClinPsy programme. It is expected that trainees serve as selectors alongside programme staff and community stakeholders each year with dedicated teaching and training sessions provided to support trainees in their roles. Although not all trainees can…

  • Policy on the use of continuing professional development (CPD) funds

    Staff actively encourage trainees to develop professional interests and expertise via various means including attendance at external conferences, online training and accessing personal therapy. Therapy for continuing professional development differs from therapy that would be indicated by an occupational health referral. The latter concerns therapy accessed to address issues around capacity to practice whilst the…

  • DClinPsy policy on use of mobile devices whilst driving

    Using mobile phones in any capacity whilst driving leads to dramatically increased number of driver errors, andresults in a four-fold increase in the likelihood of being involved in a road traffic accident (e.g. Violanti & Marshall, 1996). The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA – 2004)  assessed the risk of using  mobile phones…

  • Teaching, learning and assessment strategy

    Curriculum Guidance The curriculum is informed by a wide range of guidance, which includes the following: HCPC Standards of Education & Training HCPC Standards of Proficiency Standards for the accreditation of Doctoral programmes in clinical psychology (BPS document) BPS accreditation through partnership handbook BPS accreditation through partnership additional guidance for clinical psychology training programmes: The…

  • Quality assurance of teaching

    Overview The quality and appropriateness of teaching is monitored in several ways. When planning the teaching programme, strand teams and teachers agree a plan for each teaching session which takes account of the content and methods to be used, and indicates which learning outcomes each of these aim to focus on addressing. Peer Observation The…

  • Learning and teaching vision

    Our vision We aspire to have a teaching and learning programme where… There is constructive alignment between the assessments undertaken by trainees and the teaching and learning programme. Teaching on the programme should focus on the competencies assessed as part of the training programme, and be aligned to the assessment exercises on the programme. The…

  • Deadlines, extensions and exceptional circumstances

    Deadlines and extensions Trainees can find the fixed deadlines for all assignments with the  Submission deadlines page of the handbook. All assignments need to be submitted by the agreed deadline to avoid negative consequences. The consequences of late submission and the process for obtaining an extension is detailed on the following page: Policy regarding deadlines…

  • Policy regarding deadlines for submission of assessed coursework

    Scope of the Policy The policy applies to the submission of all coursework on the programme excluding the thesis (but including the thesis proposal). Obtaining an Extension Two types of extension are available to trainees: a ‘short extension’ (one-week for full time trainees and two weeks for part time trainees only), and a ‘long extension’…

  • Public Involvement on the Lancaster DClinPsy programme (LUPIN)

    Experts by Experience’s (EbEs) vital contributions to clinical psychology training is recognised in position statements and accreditation criteria (BPS, 2019; DCP, 2018), as well as in wider professional standards and NHS policy (DoH, 2011; HCPC, 2017). LUPIN The Lancaster University Public Involvement Network (LUPIN) aims to increase public involvement in the Lancaster Doctoral Programme in…

  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

    1. Values The Lancaster DClinPsy Programme is committed to celebrating the diversity of all those associated with it: trainees, staff, members of our Public Involvement Network (LUPIN), teachers, supervisors and assessors, the Learning Together Group and others. This commitment is underpinned by an emphasis on inclusivity and equity. Learning experiences provided and facilitated by this…

  • Admissions equal opportunities data

    Each year the Clearing House in Clinical Psychology provides data on applicant numbers for each of the UK Clinical Psychology Programmes and for the UK as a whole. They also provide a breakdown of applicants by gender, cultural background, age, disability, number of dependants etc. The programme compares its data to national patterns. Equal opportunities…

  • Plagiarism

    The term ‘plagiarism’ relates to the ‘unacknowledged use of someone else’s work, usually in coursework, and passing it off as if it were his/her own’ (Dealing with plagiarism by students; an institutional framework; p.3). It includes collusion, commission, duplication of the same work for more than one assessment, inappropriate acknowledgement of text from another source…

  • Appeals

    Trainees only have the right of appeal upon failure of the whole DClinPsy programme. Where a recommendation from the programme’s Exam Board has been made that the trainee fails the programme, the trainee’s case is automatically referred by the Chair of the Exam Board to student registry, who will offer them the right of appeal.…

  • Exceptional Circumstances Committee

    The remit of the programme’s Exceptional Circumstances Committee is to consider submissions by a trainee relating to events outside their control which may have resulted in them failing to complete assessed work to a standard of academic performance that might reasonably have been expected on the basis of their performance elsewhere during their study. The…

  • Concerns about the programme (for trainees)

    As a programme team, we endeavour to undertake our duties in a respectful and ethical way, however there may be times when trainees wish to raise concerns about any aspect of the Programme and the following document outlines the procedures for doing so. Trainees’ experience of training, their feedback and ideas for improvement are key…

  • Peer observation guidelines

    The key elements of the DClinPsy peer & stakeholder observation system are outlined below. This should be used in conjunction with the peer/stakeholder observation feedback sheet. Ethos The peer & stakeholder observation system is based on the idea that anyone can observe anyone else. The aim of observation is to help develop the process of…

  • Training Review Interview

    The training review interview is a voluntary discussion between trainees and their clinical and/or research tutor which aims to do the following: – Consider the trainees’ development over the final few months of placement Gather feedback from trainees to use when considering improvements to the course: the working environment, culture, processes and systems, management and…

  • Employment arrangements

    Programme Staff All staff are employed to work on the clinical psychology programme based at Lancaster University. However, some are employed directly by the university, and some are employed by the NHS (Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT)). Irrespective of employer, NHS or University, all programme staff have a base at Lancaster University.…

  • Crisis management

    If trainees are experiencing crises and need extra support outside of the above support systems, they should approach one of their individual tutors in the first instance or, in an emergency, another member of staff who is present within the university. There are a number of sources of help and various types of provision that…

  • Fitness to practise

    Being fit to practise is a prerequisite for an applied psychologist to deliver a service to the public. The following extract is taken from the Health and Care Professions Council’s brochure entitled “The Fitness to Practise Process”: What is fitness to practise? When we say that someone is ‘fit to practise’ we mean that they…