Major accreditation success for Trust Psychological Therapies Service

The Psychological Therapies Service of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust is the first such service in Northern Ireland to achieve a highly prestigious accreditation by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and British Psychological Society.

APPTS accreditation is an acknowledgement of high standards of psychological therapy provision and the Northern Trust team was deemed to have met almost 100 percent of the best practice standards, which were assessed in a rigorous examination.

Expressing her delight at the recognition, Dr Petra Corr, Head of Psychological Services at the Northern Trust said:

“Research has shown that the Northern Ireland population has markedly higher levels of mental health difficulties, for example posttraumatic stress disorder, relative to other nations and requires effective, easy access to psychological treatments for these difficulties.

“I am delighted that the Psychological Therapies Service has received this accreditation. It is a tribute to the whole team who have worked to develop a clear vision for the service and to deliver the highest quality of psychological treatment for people who require our services.”

The Trust’s Psychological Therapy Service offers assessment and intervention for individuals with a variety of mental health needs, including depression, anxiety, psychosis and complex posttraumatic stress disorder. The service is delivered in four localities across the Trust – Whiteabbey, Antrim, Magherafelt and Ballymoney/Coleraine – and works in partnership with GPs, Community Mental Health Teams and community sector organisations

Feedback is routinely collected from people who use the service. One service user commented:

“Attending the Psychological Therapy Service has provided a life changing experience. I am now able to lead what I feel is a normal life and feel happy and fear free for the first time in 20 years.”

In addition to individual therapy, the team works with local groups to deliver a range of services including stress control training, an outreach project with community partners and two service user groups.

Pictured below are:
Dr Kevin Dyer (front centre), Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Lead Clinician, pictured with colleagues from the Northern Trust’s Psychological Therapies Service celebrating the APPTS accreditation.

1st December 2015