HS764-8-FY-CO:
Personal and Professional Development 1
2024/25
Health and Social Care (School of)
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Postgraduate: Level 8
Current
Tuesday 01 October 2024
Tuesday 30 September 2025
15
04 July 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
CER C89F24 Applied Psychology,
DIP C89F24 Applied Psychology,
MSD C89F24 Applied Psychology,
DOCTC84036 Clinical Psychology (D Clin Psych)
This module runs throughout the first year of training on the DClinPsych and comprises of the following components
Reflective group
Clinical Seminars
Diversity topic area
Professional issues topic area
During term time, the fortnightly clinical seminars foster reflective practice in relation to trainees experience of training and their clinical practice placements. The regular reflective group likewise aims to further develop trainees reflective practice. The diversity topic focuses on diversity issues relevant to clinical psychology practice, theory and research. The professional issues topic area encompasses a broad range of topics mainly focused on the development of aspects of the professional role and identity of clinical psychologist trainees with reference to various relevant organisation, employment, statutory, regulatory and professional policies, codes of conduct and guidance
The first year Personal and Professional Development module aims to introduce trainees to reflective practice, leadership skills and personal and professional development of the values, skills and competencies required to fulfil the role of clinical psychologist (trainee). The various components of the module have the following aims:
Reflective group:
The reflective practitioner group provides a forum for reflective discussion and dialogue throughout the experience of training. The aims of the group are:
• to integrate learning experience through the training
• to promote self-reflection and personal awareness;
• to promote learning about working with and within groups/teams, including within this group in the here and now;
• to provide a forum for reflection on issues relating to the interface between the experiences of individuals in the year group, the year group as a whole, the course and the wider context.
The intention is that by providing a space for issues and experiences to be voiced and explored, the group will help trainees fulfil their major task of completing and learning from the Programme and becoming effective reflective-scientist practitioners. Enabling trainees to become reflective practitioners is considered an essential part of the training and necessary for effective clinical and research practice.
Clinical seminars:
The aim of the clinical seminars is for trainees to practice presentation of clinical casework to their peers and staff, and to use this as a vehicle for reflecting on the development of their core clinical competencies (engagement, assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation) and on professional issues arising in practice. In addition, they provide a ‘safe’ forum in which complex clinical realities can be shared and reflected on from a range of perspectives. Trainees are helped to reflect on, and acknowledge, the uncertainties and diversity of perspective inherent in complex clinical practice.
Diversity topic area
This topic area has the following general aims and objectives:
• To equip trainees with an understanding of the clinical, professional and research skills which are applicable to working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds reflecting the demographic characteristics of the population.
• To develop trainees’ understanding of clinical practices which meet wider policy agenda, such as social inclusion.
• To develop trainees’ understanding of the influence of power, cultural differences and practices in ways which empower the service user.
A major focus of year one of the Diversity topic area is to introduce trainees to the relevant terminology, concepts and research in relation to diversity within the theory and practice of clinical psychology. The module additionally provides trainees with background on theory production and clinical examples relevant to diversity as applied to practice and theoretical frameworks of clinical psychology.
Professional issues (Year 1)
The main aim of this topic area in the first year of training, is to provide trainees with a grounding in the main issues relating to the development of an emerging professional role and identity. The aims of this topic area include:
- To provide trainees with an understanding of the core philosophy of the profession of clinical psychology
- To develop trainees’ understanding of the nature of professional identity, professional role and professional boundaries within clinical practice and research contexts
- To provide trainees with a thorough understanding of the policies, guidance and requirements of the Health Professions Council (HCPC) and British Psychological Society, NHS policies and frameworks as well as the broader ethical and legal aspects and requirements of psychological practice and research
- To familiarise trainees with the policies and procedures of the host trust and of the general process of clinical governance in other organisations
- To map out the required mandatory training and to ensure that trainees have an understanding of essential risk management practices for all aspects of their role
- To orient trainees to the process of personal and professional development, focusing on NHS appraisal processes, relevant HCPC and BPS guidance and relevant competency frameworks
- To provide trainees with a thorough understanding of fundamental issues and associated policies and procedures including:
o Understanding consent and capacity
o Data protection and confidentiality
o Note keeping and electronic record keeping requirements and best practice
- To develop trainees’ understanding of leadership models
- To provide trainees with an overview of service improvement within the NHS, relating this to the service related projects all trainees need to undertake
- To provide trainees with an overview of the supervision framework for clinical training and beyond
- To develop trainees’ understanding of fitness to practice policies and procedures
- Finally, trainees will also have the opportunity to hear service user perspectives on their experience of their care within the mental health system
Reflective group:
By the end of this module, trainees will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a greater capacity to engage in reflective practice shared in with peers in forums such as the reflective group.
2. Evidence a greater capacity for reflecting on their own practice and identifying issues impacting on their clinical practice.
3. Understand group processes issues and have an increased capacity for formulating group processes.
Clinical seminars
By the end of this module, trainees will be able to:
• Clearly summarise and communicate complex clinical material to an audience of peers.
• Contribute to peer reflection and discussion
• Evidence a greater reflective awareness of core clinical competencies in practice (i.e. engagement, assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation).
• Demonstrate a greater reflective awareness of the process of therapy (e.g. engagement, therapeutic ruptures; managing ending issues; inter-personal issues).
• Relate to clinical practice a critical awareness of professional and ethical issues (e.g. consent; risk; use of supervision; evidence based practice) arising in the context of clinical work.
• Demonstrate a greater capacity for making theory-practice links and to reflect on continuing personal and professional development.
• Better understand how to prepare clinical material for subsequent academic assignments and reports (E.g. CARs etc.).
Diversity topic area
By the end of this module, trainees will:
• Have a detailed understanding of clinical, professional and research skills which are applicable to working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds reflecting the demographic characteristics of the population.
• Have an understanding of how clinical practise should contribute to diversity-related issues, including social inclusion and non-discriminatory practice.
• Have an understanding of the fundamental terminology, concepts and research in relation to diversity issues within the theory and practice of clinical psychology.
• Have an understanding of their own background and of how this may influence their practice.
Professional issues (Year 1)
At the end of this module, trainees will:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the core philosophy of clinical psychology
- Have a thorough understanding of the nature of professional identity, professional role and professional boundaries within clinical practice and research contexts
- Understand the policies, guidance and requirements of the Health Professions Council (HCPC) and British Psychological Society, NHS policies and frameworks as well as the broader ethical and legal aspects and requirements of psychological practice and research
- Understand the policies of the host trust (and placements)
- Understand the importance of maintaining mandatory training, continued professional development and fitness to practise.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and statutory basis for issues such as:
o Understanding consent and capacity
o Data protection and confidentiality
o Note keeping and electronic record keeping requirements and best practice
- Have a developing understanding of the importance of clinical leadership and working within systems such as teams
- Have an understanding of ethical practice guidelines and how to respond in the event that they witness unethical practice
- Understand their role within service improvement initiatives
- Have an understanding of the supervision framework
The personal and professional development module in the first year of the DClinPsych is aimed at supporting trainees in developing the skills to reflect on their practice and professional development. Overall, Personal and Professional development modules in the first, second and third year are aimed at supporting trainees' development as clinical psychologists who:
* Monitor, audit, evaluate and improve their own practice and that of others (for instance through supervision)
* Manage their continued professional development and fitness to practice.
* Practice with an awareness of the clinical, professional and social context in which they work.
* Practice reflectively, using reflective strategies and processes including supervision and continuing professional development to reflect on and improve their practice and to manage the emotional and physical impact of their work.
* Have a greater understanding of group processes and peer supervision networks through the experience of the reflective group
* Demonstrate the acquisition of leadership related competencies and values of relevance to clinical psychology
* Ability to recognize malpractice or unethical practice in systems and organizations and how to respond to these situations.
HS764 is aimed at introducing and further developing competencies related to the professional role of clinical psychologist (trainee) and fostering reflective practice. The module accomplishes this through four independent but related topic areas / activities including: Clinical seminars, a reflective group, the diversity topic area and the personal and professional development topic area, which includes induction processes and mandatory training in the first year.
Lectures & self directed study
This module does not appear to have any essential texts. To see non - essential items, please refer to the module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Personal and Professional Development Portfolio 1 |
03/09/2025 |
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Module is either passed or marked as not completed.
Reassessment
Module is either passed or marked as not completed.
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Ms Caitlin Phillips, email: philcm@essex.ac.uk.
External contributors
E: dcpadmin@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Available via Moodle
Of 35 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
35 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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