(Forensic) Clinical Psychology · Forensic psychology is devoted to psychological aspects of legal...
Transcript of (Forensic) Clinical Psychology · Forensic psychology is devoted to psychological aspects of legal...
21/02/2013
1
(Forensic) Clinical PsychologyDr Suzanne O’Rourke
Phd; D.Clin.Psych.
Clinical Psychology
� Aims:
� reduce psychological distress
� enhance and promote psychological well-being.
� Addresses:
� Anxiety, depression, relationship problems, learning disabilities, child and
family problems, psychosis, addictions etc.
� Assessment methods:
� Clinical interview, psychometric tests, Observation etc.
� Treatment:
� Therapy, assessment feedback, care guidelines/ recommendations, use of a
consultation model etc.
Clinical Psychologists Work In:� NHS Community Mental Health services
� Community offices / hubs where they might see patients or may use a room in a GP’s office.
� NHS Hospital inpatient services
� Mental health wards
� Care of the elderly
� Care for those with physical health concerns
� Neuropsychology
� Forensic inpatients
� In Specialist Community Multi-disciplinary units addressing particular concerns
� Child and adolescent services
� Learning disability services
� Outpatient care of the elderly
� Private Practice
Forensic Psychology
� Forensic psychology is devoted to psychological aspects of legal processes in courts.
� investigative and criminological psychology:
� applying psychological theory to criminal investigation,
� understanding psychological problems associated with criminal behaviour,
� the treatment of those who have committed offences.
� Key roles may include:
� piloting and implementing treatment programmes;
� modifying offender behaviour;
� responding to the changing needs of staff and prisoners as well as
� reducing stress for staff and prisoners.
� research
� giving evidence in courts,
� advising parole boards and mental health tribunals.
Forensic Psychologists Work In:
� Prisons
� Special / State Hospitals
� Medium and low secure units
� Social services
� University departments
� Private consultancy.
21/02/2013
2
A Combined Role:
Forensic Clinical Psychology
� Addresses the needs of those with both mental illness AND offending behaviours.
� Work in the High, Medium or Low Secure Units
� In Scotland these combine to form the ‘Forensic Network’
Forensic Network: Admission Criteria
Graveness of Violence High (grade 1)
Medium (grade 2)
Low (grade 3)
Behaviour Homicide Stabbing penetrates body cavity Fractures skull Strangulation Serial penetrative sexual assaults Kidnap, torture, poisoning
Use of weapons to injure Arson Causes concussion or fractures long bones Sexual assaults Stalking with threats to kill
Repetitive assaults causing bruising Self-harm or attempted suicide that cannot be prevented by two-to-one nursing in open conditions
Admission Guidelines Low Secure Medium Secure High Secure
Violence (grades refer to
table 3)
Grade 3
Public order/nuisance offending
Grade 2 Grade 1
Immediacy Acute illness or crisis likely to
resolve in 3-6 months
Relapses abrupt
Unpredictable
Unpredictable
Inaccessible to staff
Specialist forensic need Recall or crisis of former medium/
high-security patient
Current mental state associated
with violence
Arson
Jealousy
Resentful stalking
Exceeds low secure capacity
Sadistic
Paraphilias associated with violence
Exceeds medium security
Absconding Impulsive absconding Pre-sentence serious charge
Other obvious motivation to abscond
Can coordinate outside help
Past absconding from medium or
high security
Public confidence issues Short-term family sensitivities Predictable potential victims
Local notoriety
National notoriety
Forensic Clinical Psychologist:
A day in the life of…
� Work in a multi-disciplinary team
� Assessment:
� For admission or case reviews (biannual)
� Treatment needs
� Current progress
� Risk Assessment
� Personality Disorder Assessment
� Neuropsychological Assessment
� Pre-and post treatment evaluations
Forensic Clinical Psychologist:
A day in the life of… (cont.)
� Treatment
� Treatment for mental illness
� Eg. Cognitive behaviour therapy for psychosis
� Treatments for offending behaviours
� Group or 1:1 work with patients
Would I recommend it?
� Constantly challenging – both intellectually and in terms of therapeutic
relationship
� Ability to develop a narrow specialisation in an area that really
interests you
� Vicarious traumatisation
� Institutionalisation
� Job security and pay
Still interested? Then you need…
� Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC)
� You can get the GBC by completing a qualification a:
� Society accredited Undergraduate Psychology Honours Degrees
� Society accredited Psychology Conversion Courses
� You will need a 2:2 honours for GBC BUT at least a 2:1 for Clinical.
� Work Experience
� Ideally as an assistant psychologist
� Supervised by a clinical psychologist
� OR utilising psychological skills with a client group
21/02/2013
3
Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in
Clinical Psychology
� All the courses are:
� approved by the Health & Care Professions Council
� Approved by the British Psychological Society
� Make you eligible to work as a Clinical Psychologist.
� Doctoral level degree which combines academic and practical training, including both a research project and clinical placements.
� Full-time Courses only (except Edinburgh but still a full time commitment)
� These courses are very demanding so should not be combined with any other job or academic course.
Training Courses 2013
•Bangor University - North Wales
•University of Bath
•University of Birmingham
•Coventry and Warwick
•University of East Anglia
•University of East London
•University of Edinburgh - NHS Scotland
•University of Essex - Tavistock
•University of Exeter
•University of Glasgow - NHS Scotland
•University of Hertfordshire
•Institute of Psychiatry, King's College
London
•Lancaster University
•University of Leeds
• University of Leicester
•University of Liverpool
•University of Manchester
•Newcastle University
•North Thames - University College London
•Oxford
•Plymouth University
•Royal Holloway, University of London
•Salomons, Canterbury Christ Church
University
•University of Sheffield
•University of Southampton
•South Wales
•Staffordshire and Keele
•University of Surrey
•Teesside University
•Trent - Universities of Lincoln and
Nottingham
How hard is it to get on a course?Successful applications by course
Course Centres Applications Places
Bangor - North Wales 159 9
Bath 560 14
Birmingham 601 25
Coventry and Warwick 396 15
East Anglia 326 17
East London 1,041 31
Edinburgh 489 27
Essex 268 10
Exeter 317 14
Glasgow 353 23
Hertfordshire 524 15
Institute of Psychiatry 1,001 21
Lancaster 406 24
Leeds 541 16
Course Centres Applications Places
Leicester 295 13
Liverpool 539 24
Manchester 652 24
Newcastle 299 14
North Thames - UCL 1,228 42
Oxford 636 15
Plymouth 250 14
Royal Holloway 988 29
Salomons 504 33
Sheffield 374 18
Southampton 320 13
South Wales 229 12
Staffordshire and Keele 290 15
Surrey 715 28
Teesside 233 14
Trent 339 17
http://wwwSearch site