Clinical Associate Psychologists: Supervisors' Perspectives on Impact, Barriers, and Facilitators

Aims: Access to psychological therapies in secondary care settings remains a key challenge in healthcare. Clinical Associate Psychologists (CAPs) are a recently introduced profession designed to meet the needs of these services. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of CAPs in secondary mental health teams, and possible barriers and facilitators to their effectiveness in these settings.Methods: 31 practitioner psychologists who had supervised CAPs since 2020 were surveyed online using quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Supervisors were asked to evaluate the perceived impacts of CAPs across several domains. Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.Results: CAPs were perceived to have largely positive impacts on team performance, and psychological mindedness. High levels of confidence were reported in the CAPs’ abilities, and supervisors, teams, and patients reported them as highly valued. Organisational barriers were highlighted such as a lack of role clarity and unclear career trajectories, with suggestions provided on how to mitigate these.Conclusion: CAPs are a promising role for improving access to psychologically informed care within secondary care mental health services. To support the success of this new profession, services should provide greater clarity on CAP roles and career progression for both CAPs and the wider team.