Meet the psychological professions network team

This month we bring you another fantastic team working in the north west. The Psychological Professions Network Team is made up of Clare Baguley, Programme Manager & Clinical Workforce Lead, Polly James, Programme Support Officer and Rhianna Murray, Business Support Assistant.

The team ensure the delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan objectives relating to the expansion of mental health services required across the region. They work closely with colleagues in HEE’s mental health programme and collaborate across HEE with multi-professional workforce colleagues. Externally they work with leadership in the regional Integrated Care Systems (ICS) to promote workforce transformation through the integration of psychological approaches across health and care throughout the NHS.

The team supports a busy and varied work programme, including the promotion and growth of leadership across the psychological professions, including new workforce roles; management of the North West Psychological Professions Network, and provision of high quality, relevant and timely clinical workforce advice and intelligence.

The Psychological Professions Network is a professional workforce network and community of practice for all psychological professionals and other stakeholders in NHS commissioned psychological healthcare across the north west. The membership is over 4000 from across the psychological professions. The network is commissioned in each region of HEE to provide a joined-up voice for the psychological professions in workforce planning and development, to drive education and training initiatives and to support excellence in practice.

The team inform, enable and influence NHS commissioned healthcare to maximise the benefits of the psychological professions for the public by: 

• Engaging and connecting all psychological professionals so that we can have a strong voice together;
• Advising policy-makers, workforce planners and commissioners;
• Supporting the safe and effective expansion of the existing and new psychological professions.

We asked team a few questions:

What are the team’s current priority areas of work are:

• Supporting the delivery of the expansion of the psychological professions workforce required to meet the objectives of the NHS LTP in the North West of England.
• Building leadership within the psychological professions, and in particular across the new roles
• Developing career pathways and promoting widening participation initiatives
• Integrating psychological approaches to mental health awareness and support across the health professions.
• Promoting the role of service user involvement in enhancing the quality and outcomes in education and training.

What is that the team can help with?

The team provides a single point of access for information, support and advice regarding the psychological professions in the north west and integrating psychological approaches across health and care. We can connect you with expertise to input into workforce development and educational transformation initiatives. We also provide support for community of practice events, dissemination of good practice and supporting leadership development opportunities.

What is the best way to contact you?

For more information about the team contact clare.baguley@hee.nhs.uk and for general enquiries contact: ppn.north@hee.nhs.uk