PPN NW Newsletter
Friday, 30th May 2025
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Welcome to the latest edition of the Psychological Professions Network North West newsletter. We aim to bring you the latest updates about our work to join up psychological professionals, associated stakeholders, carers and experts by experience in the region.
Counselling Community of Practice Schwartz Round
The Counselling Community of Practice is organising a Schwartz Round open to members the Counselling Community of Practice.
The theme will be The Day I Made a Difference
This will take place on Thursday 10th July 1.00 – 2.30pm.
All members of the Counselling Community of Practice have been invited.
If you have not received your invite please email england.ppn.northwest@nhs.net
If you are a Counsellor but not a member of the Community of Practice you can sign up here.
More information on Schwartz Rounds can be found below.
What is a Schwartz Round?
Schwartz Rounds provide a structured forum where all staff, clinical and non-clinical, come together regularly to discuss the emotional and social aspects of working in healthcare.
What is the purpose of Schwartz Rounds?
The purpose of Schwartz Rounds is to understand the challenges and rewards that are intrinsic to providing care.
What are the benefits of attending Schwartz Rounds?
Schwartz Rounds can help staff feel more supported in their jobs, allowing them the time and space to reflect on their roles. Evidence shows that staff who attend Rounds feel less stressed and isolated, with increased insight and appreciation for each other’s roles. They also help to reduce hierarchies between staff and to focus attention on relational aspects of care.
The underlying premise for Rounds is that the compassion shown by staff can make all the difference to a patient’s experience of care.
Further information about Schwartz Rounds can be found here.
BPS and BABCP registration schemes for Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners
Both the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) have been recognised by NHS England as meeting the requirements to provide individual registration schemes for Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners (MHWP).
Practitioners will be able to choose whether to join the register with the BPS or the BABCP. Both BABCP and BPS will launch their MHWP registers on 30th June 2025.
It will be a requirement for all MHWPs working in NHS commissioned healthcare to be listed on one of these registers no later than the 30th June 2026.
For more information, visit the BPS and BABCP websites.
Integrated Care Board (ICB) blueprint: NHS Structure Changes
Integrated Care Boards and partner organisations are invited to read the Model ICB Blueprint (published 8 May 2025).
The Model Integrated Care Board (ICB) Blueprint outlines the future role and functions of ICBs as strategic commissioners within the NHS. Developed collaboratively by ICB leaders and NHS England, the blueprint provides a clear direction for the evolution of ICBs, ensuring they are well-equipped to improve population health, ensure access to high-quality services, and manage health budgets effectively.
2025 Workforce Census is open for Psychological Professions and NHS Talking Therapies
The 2025 Workforce Censuses for both Psychological Professions and NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression are launching this May.
Throughout the six-week collection period, Workforce Benchmarking will also host a series of weekly drop-in sessions to support participants. Full details and dates for these sessions will be shared on their website.
Why should I participate in this workforce census?
By submitting your data, you will contribute to a comprehensive national report hosted on the NHS England webpages. This report plays a crucial role in supporting workforce planning and transformation efforts — ultimately helping to strengthen the current and future workforce and improve the quality of care for patients.
National Crisis Community of Practice – call for involvement
Following the launch of the ‘New Model of Psychologically Informed Crisis Care’ paper and model PPN - Resources - South East at the PPWeek 2024 following an informative presentation and discussion PPN - PP Week 2024 there was a request to set up and run a crisis community of practice PPN - Crisis Community of Practice. (CCoP)
The PPN SE is inviting national participation to implement and develop the model.
PPN members wishing to join the community just need to go into their PPN regional membership, click SE as well as their hosted region and then send an email to england.ppn.se@nhs.net requesting to join the community.
Following the request, members will receive an NHS Futures invite for the CCoP within a few days which they need to accept.
All meeting invites, comments and papers are held within the NHS Futures dedicated site.
Drs. Bree MacDonald and Laura Goody.
Pride Month in June
Pride Month is traditionally celebrated in June around the world, including in the United Kingdom. In 2025, Pride Month will take place from June 1st to June 30th. This extended period allows for a wide range of events, parades, marches, and discussions to take place, providing opportunities for LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies to come together and make their voices heard.
Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms more common among long-term users
People who have been taking antidepressants for more than two years are substantially more likely to experience withdrawal symptoms compared to short-term users when they come off the medication, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.
Long-term users also tend to experience worse withdrawal symptoms, and for a longer period of time, than short-term users, and are less likely to be able to stop taking the drug when they attempt to do so, according to the findings published in Psychiatry Research.
You can find out more about the study and it’s findings here.
Advancing equalities in Perinatal Mental Health: Domestic Abuse Webinar – free
18 June 2025 11:00am – 1:00pm
This webinar addresses the critical intersection between perinatal mental health and domestic violence and abuse.
The shared learning webinar aims to:
provide PMH professionals and those working across the PMH pathway with insight of how DV&A impacts women’s maternal mental health and their ability to access support
share research and good practice examples to better support and safeguard women, babies and families
we anticipate that the webinar will cover topics such as recording, reporting, what works and barriers.
Free BPS online workshops this month
Pre-Qualification Pride Event
10 June 2025 18:30 - 20:00 ONLINE
The Pre-Qualification Group events working group are proud to host the first pride networking event for pre-quals.
Early Career Researchers’ Creative Methods Showcase
12 June 2025 19:00 - 20:00 ONLINE
This session features three short presentations chaired by Bruno De Oliveira, followed by a panel discussion, with three early career researchers whose work uses creative and arts-based methods to great effect.
Bridging the gap: Health Psychology's contribution to supporting people living with type 1 diabetes
18 June 2025 12:00 - 13:00pm ONLINE
This event will include presentations from Aisling Pigott and Jessica Broughton on current research and practice focused on supporting people with type 1 diabetes.
Foundation in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Continuing Professional Development Unit
The Foundation in CBT Programme provides an introduction to the theory and practice of CBT with adults (including older adults) and young people. It focuses on core CBT stills and competencies; and will introduce students to the application of CBT for common mental health problems including depression, panic disorder and social anxiety. It is validated by the University of Manchester.
Applicants will be considered from mental health, health or social professions with at least two years' experience since qualification. Applicants without a core profession will also be considered. The programme runs for 15 days, every Friday.
Spaces available for September 2025 cohort. Please visit the website for further information and an application form.
Contact us: Christopher.moss@gmmh.nhs.uk
Psychologically Informed…Music as Therapy
Welcome to this week’s Psychologically informed, a space where PPN NW members can share something psychologically related that stirred them in some ways.
This week’s contribution is from Joe Keaney, Expert By Experience.
Music as therapy
Whether it is coming to terms with the cancer death of an esteemed professional colleague or finding support as a mental health episode is so overwhelming suicide seems the only option, music can be that balm and consolation that takes you back from the edge in your moment of most brittle fragility and vulnerability.
Going back to at least 1605, if not longer, this Scottish folk song celebrates people taking one last drink in good company before going away.
As they say in Scotland and in Ireland, Slainte.
Soul Music - The Parting Glass - BBC Sounds
Best wishes,
Joe
If you would like to share something ‘psychologically informed’ please send us your summary in up to 300 words to england.ppn.northwest@nhs.net
Are you a member of one of our Communities of Practice?
By receiving this email you are a confirmed member of the PPN NW; however, have you considered joining one of our Communities of Practice (CoP)? Please see links below for information on how to join one of our CoPs:
PPN NW Mailing List Review
The Psychological Professions Network depends on the engagement of its members. To do this we need to ensure we have an accurate and up to date register and mailing list to enable us to keep you regularly updated with events, policy changes, projects and more.
Due to an error on our website registration form, a number of people who have created PPN NW accounts have automatically been opted out of communications and, therefore, are not receiving professional updates or event opportunities – effectively negating any benefit of being a member! We are therefore in the process of opting all of these members back into communications. Please do email us if you wish to remain opted out of communications.
What are we asking you to do?
Being a member of our PPN NW Mailing List allows us to invite you to bespoke Community of Practice events and workshops, receive our newsletter.
We will not share your information with any third parties or send you any promotional emails that are not connected to delivering psychological health and wellbeing within an NHS-commission space.
Please email the PPN NW at england.ppn.northwest@nhs.net if you wish to be removed from the PPN NW Mailing List.
You can update your own details, for both Membership and Communications Preferences, at any time by visiting the website here, this includes your profile with your most recent job title, professional role, banding and ICB etc.
Share Your News!
Please email the PPN-NW team at england.ppn.northwest@nhs.net if you have an update from your work or local network that you would like featured in one of our upcoming newsletters. We want to boost important events and developments from around our region, so let us know what’s going on where you are!
Interested in joining the PPN?
Anyone can join the Psychological Professions Network! Whether you are a member of one of the psychological professions, another professional of any discipline, an aspiring psychological professional, or a member of the public, you can sign up and join us for free.
