The role and scope of forensic clinical psychology in secure unit provisions: A proposed service model for psychological therapies

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to review the role and scope of forensic clinical psychology in forensic services and to develop a service model for psychological treatments in secure unit settings. The paper presents the findings of a one-year audit of the Southwark Forensic Psychology Service between April 2004 and March 2005, completed in order to determine the clinical activities provided by the service. It was found that 67% of working time was spent engaged in patient-related work (i.e., in direct or indirect patient contact), and an additional 11% in supervision of this work. The remainder of the time was spent in consultations and meetings, and in activities relating to recruitment, continuous professional development, research, teaching, and training. Only 19% of the patient-related work involved direct patient contact. Most of the indirect patient contact time related to attendance at management/ward rounds and care planning arrangement meetings, reading medical files, report writing, and conducting risk assessments. The audit findings have been used to produce a strength-based service model, which is based on current philosophy regarding the most effective way to integrate psychology into a multi-disciplinary team.

Keywords:

• Forensic services
• secure units
• audit
• psychological therapies
• patient contacts
• service model