There is a shortage of funded posts for clinical psychologists in the NHS (Pic: PICRYL)
A fresh crisis is brewing in the NHS as a result of years of chronic underfunding and privatisation.
In the north west of England alone, some 77 newly qualified clinical psychologists face the prospect of unemployment or leaving the NHS for private practice this September.
Many have spent close to a decade training alongside delivering care on the NHS frontline.
But now that they are ready to begin their NHS careers, they are finding that there are too few NHS posts available for them to do so.
“We’re angry because we’ve invested so much in our training only to find out there’s no jobs for us,” James told Socialist Worker. “It feels like we are not being valued, our time hasn’t been valued.”
James is one of the newly qualified clinical psychologists in the north west who finds himself in the crossfire of the government’s failure to plan, fund and protect the NHS properly.
“Trainees have to go through rigorous and thorough training for years to become qualified clinical psychologists,” he said.
“Psychology is so important for thinking about the social factors that affect mental health. This is something that must be embedded in the NHS to support people.”
He told Socialist Worker that more people than ever need mental health support, yet there are not enough NHS health workers to meet that growing demand.
The NHS has invested £19.25 million of public money in training this year’s soon to be unemployed cohort of future NHS clinical psychologists. Without immediate action, much of that investment risks being lost.
“Tax payers’ money is going down the toilet—what a waste of our skills and of public money,” said James.
“There’s no shortage of private therapists. Unfortunately, most people can’t afford to go private.
“And mental health care should not be a privilege that is only accessible to those who can afford it.”
James told Socialist Worker that he and his colleagues don’t want to be forced to work in the private sector.
“People want to work in the NHS because they care about upholding the value of free healthcare for all. But we all have bills and rent to pay too.”
He said he thought it was “morally irresponsible” that consecutive governments had failed to invest in the NHS and its workforce.
“There’s plenty of money out there. We need to be a lot more radical in our approach to the crisis. Where’s the windfall tax on BP and private water companies to properly fund the NHS?
“And it’s not just affecting us as clinical psychologists. We’re very aware that there are also not enough places for newly qualified nurses and doctors.”
Across the NHS, newly qualified nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, paramedics, social workers and many other healthcare professionals are struggling to secure permanent NHS jobs.
James said that without investment across the workforce there was the risk of creating a race to the bottom where cheaper, temporary contracts becomes the norm.
“The government is going to have to wake up and smell the coffee. This crisis is only going to get worse and if they don’t do something about it now, eventually they will be forced to.”
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