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NHS Education for Scotland

A skilled and sustainable workforce for a healthier Scotland

Meeting the Mental Health Challenge

Meeting the Mental Health Challenge

Meeting the Mental Health Challenge

Responding to the course of COVID-19 pandemic, the NES Psychology Directorate has redesigned delivery of our training, education and workforce development. This has required holding to our imperatives of high quality, evidence-based training and education, underpinned by implementation science, and designed to meet the needs of the multi-disciplinary and multisectoral Scottish workforce across all four practice levels whilst adapting to technology enabled delivery.

This work has been recognised by Scottish Government as contributing nationally to recovery and renewal approach, for instance the NES Psychology National Trauma Training Programme was noted in the 20-21 Programme for Government.

The NES Psychology Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) workstreams continue to support the education and training in, and implementation of evidence based psychological interventions for all CYP’s mental health and wellbeing including those with neurodiversity throughout Scotland using technologically enabled approaches.

This has included the production of resource packs to support CYPF, practitioners and schools with information around COVID-19 and material focused on supporting the return to school. We also continue to support the full Solihull Approach Online courses for all families and practitioners in Scotland, which have been accessed by over 6,000 people.

Coaching and supervision, and network events all essential components of implementation science are now being delivered remotely. We have provided practitioners with COVID and remote delivery adaptations/resources for therapy, as well as running webinars and training for practitioners on how to deliver evidence-based interventions and training virtually.

The Psychology Directorate Adult team is using technology enabled learning to provide a comprehensive education programme remotely to multidisciplinary staff within all the NHS boards and partnership organisations to continue to widen access in the provision of psychological therapies and interventions for adults with mental health problems and neurodevelopmental needs.

Working closely with NES Digital, Implementation Science has been used to design work-based learning programmes, with capability to include a work-based assessment of competence, that is embedded within routine clinical practice and uses the robust supporting infrastructure for clinical supervision within the local boards.

The Adult team responded to COVID-19 by providing staff with information and resources to support their wellbeing such as MAP Planner, or to support them in helping others such as the webinar series on the safe and effective adaptation of CBT for remote delivery through Near Me or Attend Anywhere. The team also supports networks of trainers throughout Scotland to develop their knowledge and skills in using Microsoft Teams to provide local training.

Prompted by both Professional and Statutory bodies, services across Scotland supported the continuation of applied psychology training. Across Boards, trainees have used the skills and knowledge appropriate to their stage of training to support service redevelopment, staff support hubs and public facing wellbeing phone lines alongside continuing routine therapeutic work remotely. Stakeholders and programmes have taken a flexible approach to adjusting placement experiences as required by services as delivery methods adjusted. Placement supervisors acted quickly to identify opportunities for continued skills development and educational inputs quickly transferred to remote delivery.

The level of cooperation among stakeholders was unprecedented as the recruitment cycle began in April. Programmes were able to develop the infrastructure and systems to deliver selection processes on-line, involving representatives from Boards across Scotland. Indeed, some partners felt the process was so successful, this transformation could be retained, regardless of restrictions, for the next cycle.

Many of the unprecedented changes in practice and service delivery have seen a shared learning experience for supervisors and trainees as they adjusted to remote delivery. Supervisors have appreciated the flexibility and initiative demonstrated by trainees throughout, while trainees have voiced their appreciation of the support and encouragement offered by supervisor.


September, 24 2020