Clinical psychologist

Clinical psychologists use psychology, the scientific study of behaviour, to help people with a wide range of mental and physical health issues. Teaching, research and consultancy are major activities.

Work Activities

Clients are usually referred to a clinical psychologist from their general practitioner (GP), although there are some mental health teams and psychology services that people can go to directly for help. Before any treatment can begin, clinical psychologists use psychological knowledge and theory to assess the patient’s needs, abilities and behaviour.

Clinical psychologists use their assessments to help identify:

The nature of the problem.
Suitability for treatment.
The type of treatment required.

Assessment usually leads to therapy, counselling or advice. Clinical psychologists see patients for treatment in a variety of settings, including community facilities and hospital clinics. Sometimes psychologists visit clients in the community, for example, in a children’s home, retirement home, remand centre or youth training centre. Some clinical psychologists take part in the management and planning of health services. This could include training other medical professionals in areas such as psychological diagnosis or stress management, or supervising trainee psychologists. There are psychologists in academic and research settings, such as universities and medical research units. Clinical psychologists often work in teams with other professionals – such as doctors, nurses, social workers and occupational therapists, as well as other psychologists – when assessing and providing treatment.

Personal Qualities and Skills

As a clinical psychologist, you need:

An investigative mind.
A strong interest in the way people think and act.
A logical and methodical approach to problem solving.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
A calm, professional approach at all times.
The ability to express your findings, including in reports.
Teamworking skills, to work with other professionals.
Strict respect for your clients’ confidentiality.
The psychological knowledge to understand behaviour in a scientific way.

You should also be:

A good listener.
Logical and systematic.
Patient, non-judgemental and objective.
Able to relate to people of all ages, from all walks of life.
Able to build a trusting, constructive relationship with clients.
Committed to helping people transform their lives in a positive way.
Resilient and able to avoid becoming burdened by the difficulties you encounter.

Pay and Opportunities

Earnings for qualified chartered clinical psychologists vary depending on their area of specialisation and whether they are employed or in private practice. Clinical psychologists in the NHS start on band 6 of the Agenda for Change payscale while completing their training, rising to band 7 once training is complete. As of January 2024, band 6 starts at £35,392.

Psychologists usually work a basic 37.5-hour week. Some evening and weekend work may be required. Part-time opportunities are also available.

Opportunities for clinical psychologists occur throughout the UK. Most clinical psychologists work for the NHS in local clinics and hospitals. Others work in university teaching and research.

Opportunities occur for a small number of psychologists to work in private practice.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in the following places:

Local/national newspapers.
NHS jobs website.
On the Government’s Find a Job service.
The British Psychological Society’s Jobs in Psychology website.

Entry Routes and Training

You’ll need to follow a British Psychological Society (BPS) training route, either following the university pathway or the apprenticeship pathway.

If you go to university, you’ll need to complete a BPS-accredited degree in psychology. If your psychology degree is not accredited or your degree is in a subject other than psychology, you can take an accredited postgraduate conversion course. It is usual for potential psychologists to spend at least a year gaining relevant work experience, often as an assistant or research psychologist, before being accepted onto a postgraduate course.

You will then need to complete a three-year accredited postgraduate training course, the doctorate in clinical psychology. This course is available at a number of universities throughout the UK. The doctorate is funded by the National Health Service (NHS). While on the programme, you are employed by the NHS as a trainee clinical psychologist.

Alternatively, you could complete a clinical associate in psychology (CAP) degree apprenticeship (level 7). This route focuses on on-the-job training, while you also study towards a degree and, potentially, other qualifications on day or block release from work.

With experience, psychologists can progress to supervisory and management positions.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Chartered psychologist posts are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

For entry to an accredited degree course in psychology, the usual requirement is:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs (grades 9-4) in two to three other subjects.

English, maths and science GCSE subjects are usually preferred, and a science subject at A-level is sometimes required. Psychology at A-level is not a requirement although it may be advisable. Other qualifications, such as an Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualification or the International Baccalaureate Diploma could also be considered.

To take an apprenticeship, you’ll need two relevant A-levels/equivalent. An A-level in psychology or a science-based subject is advisable. You’ll also need GCSEs in English and maths.

Adult Opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree course, a college or university Access course (e.g., Access to Psychology) could be the way in. No formal qualifications are usually required, but you should check individual course details. There are accredited conversion courses open to graduates with degrees in subjects other than psychology (and those with non-accredited psychology degrees). You can find out more by looking on the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) website. A range of colleges and universities offer courses in psychology at undergraduate and postgraduate level including with part time/flexible and distance learning study options.

Funding for courses may be available from the NHS, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and agencies such as the Nuffield Foundation and the Wellcome Trust. The British Psychological Society (BPS) makes a number of awards available each year to recognise excellence in research, practice teaching and education in psychology - some awards are for members only, but many are open to all psychologists working within the UK.

Related careers

Assistant psychologist
Counsellor
Educational psychologist
Nurse – mental health
Psychiatrist
Psychologist
Psychotherapist