Interview with CAPs and the CAP Community of Practice

Elinor Raw-Rees and Mark Griffiths who work at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. They share their experiences, the challenges they face, and their future aspirations for CAPs in the capital.

Clinical Associates in Psychology bridge a crucial skills gap in the mental health sector, positioned between assistant psychologists and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered practitioner psychologists. CAPs deliver psychological interventions under the guidance and supervision of a fully qualified practitioner psychologist, practicing autonomously within their scope and with the necessary support. This role not only enhances the capacity of mental health services but also provides a unique and flexible approach to addressing diverse psychological needs.

A Typical Day

No two days are the same for a CAP in London. Our broad training allows us to work with adults in community mental health services, inpatient wards, and to support those dealing with trauma, psychosis, or addiction. Our responsibilities include assessing individuals’ needs, developing psychological formulations (a shared and collaborative working understanding of the needs and next steps for the client), and providing brief interventions.

Why We Became CAPs

We chose to become CAPs for career advancement. Psychology is a field where it’s tough to move forward because many people are competing for the same training opportunities. The CAP pathway offered us an alternative way to learn, to enhance our skills, and to gain a higher qualification. What we really like about the role is the variety. We have the opportunity to work within multidisciplinary teams contributing a psychological perspective, engage in diverse clinical work, support with service development, and all the while pioneer a new role within the field of psychology.

Challenges We Face

As the CAP role is relatively new, a significant challenge includes navigating the uncertainty associated with establishing a unique professional identity, and determining how to best integrate this role into services and the broader workforce. Yet, it is precisely this aspect that makes the role exciting. We have the opportunity and flexibility to explore how our expertise can significantly impact the services we are part of.

Our Hopes for the Future – The Community of Practice for CAPs

As Co-chairs of the Community of Practice (CoP), our vision is to foster connection and cohesion between the CAPs in London and the services employing them. We aim to create a space where CAPs can share their experiences and innovations, learn from each other, and think together how the CAP role can be fully utilised and further developed. We are committed to strengthening our role and enhancing its recognition within the health and care system by bringing together our regional insights and sharing them with wider system partners, including NHS England.

For those interested in learning more about the CAP role or joining the Community of Practice, please contact Elinor and Mark at capscop-londonppn@outlook.com

[ from the PPN Newsletter: https://sway.cloud.microsoft/jTtycHTSHMAVCemd]