Annual Psychological Professionals Conference success
The annual Psychological Professionals Conference was held Thursday 19 October 2023 to celebrate the work undertaken by NELFT’s psychological professionals.
With the values of co-production, trauma-informed care, equity diversity and inclusion, community, and parity of access at the heart of this conference, those who attended were greeted with a full agenda which included connection, reflection, and action.
Dr Lisa Wood, consultant clinical psychologist and workforce lead for psychological professions said:
“We had a diverse range of speakers discussing the great work that is being undertaken by our psychological professionals across the Trust. It was an opportunity for networking and coming together as a professional group, which we rarely get to do.”
Where possible presentations given by the many service areas in attendance had been coproduced and were delivered alongside those with lived experiences bringing to life how the health care they had received had made a difference.
From presentations on co-produced training sessions for staff working in adolescent inpatient unit and the use of a multicultural orientation approach to deliver culturally sensitive care in long-term conditions to improving service access to boys in our mental health support teams, and having open conversation on how psychologists can navigate topics such as race the conference was a huge success.
Dr Kate Butt, consultant clinical psychologist and workforce lead for psychological professions said:
“There was also space for some brave, open, and honest reflections on some of the challenges we face in the complex work that we do. We are really looking forward to continuing to develop such events and spaces to continue these conversations. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to and attended the event.”
The conference has led to many discussions that are continuing to evolve and be worked in to future service development, so that not only is patient care is developed positively but that staff can see and feel the difference they make.