Organisation & Governance

Programme delivery is coordinated and governed locally through a committee structure, reporting to a Programme Executive.

Committee Structure

The Programme Executive Committee (PEC) is the management committee for the Programme and meets three times a year.

The PEC is responsible for the long-term strategic planning and management of the Doctorate of Clinical Psychology at The University of Sheffield. Its purpose is to provide a forum in which stakeholders associated with the Programme meet to plan, implement and review all aspects of the DClinPsy Programme. The Terms of Reference and membership of the PEC are provided in Appendix 4.

The detailed implementation of Programme policy is achieved through the following sub-committees:

• Academic

• Selection

• Clinical/Professional

• Research and Empirical Skills

• Equality/Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I)

Sub-committees are constituted by the PEC and each has its own terms of reference and membership (available of Blackboard). Each sub-committee is directly accountable to the PEC and reports back regularly at its meetings. Other sub-committees may be formed at the discretion of the PEC. In addition, the Board of Internal Examiners reports back to PEC about general issues regarding assessment and the academic performance of trainees but its business and minutes are kept confidential from the PEC

The PEC s accountable to the University through the Director of the Clinical and Applied Psychology Unit (CAPU), the Head of Department of Psychology, and the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Science. The University is accountable to the purchaser (NHS England) through the training contract.

Co-Production & Involvement of People with Lived Experience

Our vision is to ensure that the voices and unique attributes of individuals, groups and systems, regardless of disability, ethnicity, age, gender, sexuality, religious or spiritual beliefs (and all other protected characteristics) are used to enrich the training experience of trainee clinical psychologists, and consequently have a positive impact on the health and well-being of the individuals and groups which they serve. We believe that the experience of co-production within clinical psychology training will encourage trainees to become effective, person-centred clinicians. Trainees will work more collaboratively and effectively with individuals, families, and carers across the lifespan. Co-production will encourage trainees to become politically and socially engaged with healthcare systems and organisations and how these impact on people.

Our Co-Production Values

• Mutual respect: Good working relationships are key to successful co-production and mutual respect and understanding often underpin good working relationships. Mutual respect for the views and needs of people with lived experience, programme team staff, trainees and supervisors working with The University of Sheffield clinical psychology programme is our priority. Mutual respect will be reflected in, for example: verbal and written information (e.g. reports, documents, e-mails) and the language we use to communicate with one-another: giving and receiving thoughtful constructive feedback; in our non-judgmental and compassionate understanding and behaviour towards one another; in an openness to, and respect for difference, and the acknowledgement that different opinions and views may be held and that we may disagree with one-another as well as agree that no one voice holds more sway than another; and in negotiating together how our shared goals may be achieved.

• Inclusivity: Co-production work will be inclusive of as large a range of voices as possible. The programme is committed to widening the representation of those with lived experience of distress within the work carried out by the CAPU. Such inclusivity should be mindful of issues around power differences and should explicitly work to overcome tokenism and institutional barriers in ways which are sustainable.

• Empowerment: Co-production work should be an empowering experience that fosters personal and professional growth for all involved. Integral to this is examining and challenging power imbalance and thinking together about how we might re-distribute institutional power to champion marginalised voices, along with recognition that this may not always be a comfortable process.

• Accountability: Co-production work should operate within a framework of transparency, where it is decided fairly who does what task or tasks, and in a clear and open manner regarding the decision making process. Tasks and timeframes will be agreed, and these will be clear and transparent.

• Impact: Co-production work will be evaluated and reviewed by Co-Production consultants, together with programme team staff, on an annual basis, using the ‘Ladder of Participation’. Feedback from trainees and other key stakeholders will continue to inform the processes around impact, change and development.

How do trainees influence the Programme?

Trainees contribute to the Programme in a variety of ways, including through their representation of the PEC and on the various sub-committees. Similarly, supervisors have access to the committee via their Service/Specialty Representatives, memberships of the sub-committees or their Special Interest Groups who are represented on relevant sub-committees.

The PEC and sub-committees, together with an annual feedback survey, are the appropriate formal venue for trainee feedback and suggestions for changes in Programme operation and policy. However, there are less formal but, hopefully, equally effective channels. These include informal contacts with Programme staff, and through representations to Personal and Clinical Tutors. There are specific opportunities within the Year Meetings and teaching feedback forms  and the annual PDR review to provide feedback and feed forward information on the academic teaching and other aspects of the programme .

Staff Year Teams

Each cohort of trainees has a staff year team who, where possible, will oversee their training of that cohort throughout the three years. Staff in the team act as personal/academic and clinical tutors and attend joint staff and trainee meetings for their year group. The aim is to develop strong and sustained relations for each trainee with a small number of the programme team.