Bangor University - North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme

PROGRAMME PHILOSOPHY

Clinical psychology is a compassionate profession with several distinctive features.  Our central aim is to meet the needs of the NHS for HCPC registered clinical psychologists who have: 

• a wide range of clinical, organisational, leadership and research skills;
• developed high standards of professional integrity; 
• an internalised model of reflective practice flexible enough to accommodate change and sensitivity to the needs of service users and carers. 

We train clinical psychologists who promote psychological thinking in health care settings, by integrating their clinical, academic and research skills, combined with critical, reflective, and independent thinking. From a strong value base, they act with integrity to make a positive difference to peoples’ lives.

• We select trainees for their commitment to clinical psychology and their potential to develop a high level of clinical, academic and research competence.  
• We aim to foster this potential by encouraging the development of skills, knowledge and values that underpin these competencies.
• This development takes place within a supportive structure that facilitates personal and professional growth and uses the close links that exist in North Wales between the clinical and academic services.
• We have a positive attitude towards diversity and social inclusion, which is reflected in our selection, teaching, value-based practice ideas and the programme’s overall ethos. 

Anti-Racism, Anti-Discrimination and promotion of cultural humility sub-committee

In January 2021, we established our anti-racism, anti-discrimination and promotion of cultural humility sub-committee.

Trainees from all three years, programme team members and local Health Board Clinical Psychology colleagues are involved in reviewing all aspects of the programme for issues of racism, discrimination, whiteness etc.

Selection, placements, assignments, research are all areas that are being explored for options to address issues of equality and social inclusion. 

All other programme committees report back to the anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and promotion of cultural humility sub-committee about the work they are doing to change our practice. We have organised a range of workshops with trainees, programme team and local clinical psychologist to drive this agenda forward.

Accreditation

The programme was re-accredited by the BPS and re-validated by Bangor University in January 2019.

We were complimented on several aspects of the programme:

• the tight integration and commitment of the People Panel
• the innovative outreach work to secondary schools
• our commitment to meeting the needs of the local population, including our efforts to improve Welsh language mental health provision and develop skills in a cultural, linguistic, and social context 
• the multi-layered support systems available to the trainees
• the engagement and enthusiasm of the local clinical psychologists involved in the training (nearly all 130 local qualified clinical psychologists all are involved in the programme through teaching, supervision (clinical/research), assessing academic work, selection and representation on committees
• the psychological and psychotherapeutic contribution to the regional community and service delivery. 

We were delighted to receive such strong endorsement from the BPS and Bangor University, and we believe this illustrates the robust and cohesive nature of the programme.

Our next accreditation visit is due in 2024. 

The programme is also accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

School of Psychology and Sport Science

Our Programme is part of the School of Psychology and Sport Science at Bangor University and this brings Schools with an interest in wellbeing together, creating an environment for shared research strategies and health-related training activities in terms of professional learning.

The North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme is closely integrated into the academic psychology department, that is highly rated for both research and teaching.

The School of Psychology at Bangor University is a centre of excellence for training in clinical practice and has particular strengths in clinical and health psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and learning and developmental psychology.

During the internal Quality Audit of the School of Psychology in 2019, the North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme was commended for both its teaching and pastoral care of trainees.

The UK’s leading Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice is also based in the School.

 In the most recent Research Excellence Framework in 2022, Bangor University’s School of Psychology maintained its status as one of the top Psychology departments in the UK, with 86% of research output rated as internationally excellent or world leading. It has one of the most vibrant and friendly research communities and was ranked 8th (of 118) for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide, 2022).

Trainee support

• The small size of trainee cohorts enables the programme to have a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.  
• In order to address individual training needs, the programme has a system of allocating a training co-ordinator to each trainee.  The training co-ordinator is a member of the programme team, who oversees and monitors trainees’ development over the three years of the programme.  Each training co-ordinator works with between four and six trainees. 
• We recognise that fellow trainees are often an important source of support, and you are linked with a buddy from the second year when you start the Programme.
• You are funded to receive 16 personal and professional development sessions from recognised counsellors, therapists, or clinical psychologists, who are independent of the programme.  These sessions are voluntary and confidential to you and counsellor; the programme has no knowledge of which trainees take up the sessions.  
• You can also select a professional mentor (a local NHS clinical psychologist) to discuss matters to do with training.  An annual study budget is also available for external conferences and workshops.

Bangor and North Wales

There are few University towns or cities that can rival Bangor's location. 

• It is set in a region of outstanding natural beauty with the mountains, lakes, and forests of Snowdonia National Park, as well as having North Wales's dramatic coastline on its doorstep. The longest zip wire in Europe is also nearby!  
• During the pandemic, we have been able to make the most of nature and the outdoors. There are unparalleled opportunities for outdoor activities, attracting many students to North Wales. 
• The City of Bangor is compact in size and in a rural setting, however it still has a vibrant student life.  Bangor is consistently ranked as one of the most economical places to study in the UK in various cost of living surveys.
• North Wales has a rich cultural diversity.  A significant proportion of the population in North Wales speak Welsh as their first language.  There are several diverse cultural communities in North Wales, reflecting recent and past mobility from other countries. 

Bangor is easily accessible

• It is just over one hour's travelling distance from the M56 motorway, which joins with the M6.  The M56 provides a direct link from Manchester to the A55 coast expressway, while the A5 is a scenic route through North Wales to Shropshire.  
• Regular fast trains run between Bangor and London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Manchester.
• There are regular (fast) ferries from Holyhead to Dublin.