Module code: PSY7023-B
PWPs aid clinical improvement through the provision of information and support for evidence-based low-intensity psychological treatments and regularly used pharmacological treatments of common mental health problems. Low-intensity psychological treatments place a greater emphasis on patient self-management and are designed to be less burdensome for services to deliver than traditional psychological treatments. The overall delivery of these interventions is informed by the COM-B behaviour change model and strategies. Interventions include a range of low-intensity self-help interventions (often with the use of written self-help materials), informed by cognitive-behavioural principles. This module will provide a theoretical understanding and intensive skills practice in delivering low-intensity psychological treatment interventions: behavioural activation, graded exposure, cognitive restructuring, worry management, problem solving, sleep hygiene, as well as building awareness of recommendations for physical activity that raises heart rate, and medication support. Students will learn how to deliver support that is specifically designed to enable people to optimise their use of self-management recovery information and pharmacological treatments. PWP interventions can be delivered via one-to-one treatment and guided self-help groups both of which can be in person or via video consultation. Guided self-help groups should be interactive and support skill development and behavior change. They may include psychoeducation, but pure didactic presentation does not constitute a complete intervention. Students will learn the principles of effective presentation design and delivery. One-to-one sessions can be delivered via telephone, interactive text or computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT). Trainees will be taught essential competencies in delivering all interventions via all of these methods. Furthermore, trainees will learn the meta-competencies as outlined in the Digital Health Skills framework7 such as knowledge of psychological frameworks specific to the online therapeutic relationship (e.g., the online disinhibition effect, screen presence). Students will be taught the boundaries of their role and how to recognise specific interventions which should not delivered by PWPs, for example transdiagnostic interventions or high intensity interventions. Only interventions listed in the NHS Talking Therapies manual as being delivered by PWPs will be taught. This module will equip PWPs with a good understanding of the process of therapeutic support and the management of individuals and groups of patients and will include engagement where appropriate with families and carers. Skills teaching will develop PWPs general and disorder-defined specific factor competencies in the delivery of low- intensity treatments informed by cognitive-behavioural principles and in the support of medication concordance. Download the PDF for PSY7023-B_2024_5.pdf