In this issue
Features
My practice
State of flow
Claire Thomas describes her excitement as she makes the听transition from qualifying into private practice
My practice
Finding a common language
Anna Storey reflects on the challenges of working as a听therapist in her second language
My story
Hanging on the telephone
Tamar Posner continued her therapy over the phone when听her therapist was suddenly unable to work face to face, and听discovered the experience had some unexpected benefits
My story
Those first impressions
Rebecca Mitchell considers what we can do to ensure our听clients receive a good impression of us from that precious听first meeting
My story
Time to stand and stare
John Crew reflects on his choice to continue part time in听private practice and, as he approaches 70, wonders when听it will be time to retire
My practice
The human-animal bond
Diane Hunt Hardiman argues that we need to connect more听with animals to appreciate our impact on our planet and to听exist as an integral part of it
Practice matters
Commissioning and collaboration
Nichola Watson and Louise Robinson explain the changes听to NHS commissioning and how they may provide new
opportunities for practitioners in private practice
Regulars
From the chair
Wendy Halsall: Reaping rewards
Articles from this issue are not yet available online. Divisional members and subscribers can download the pdf from the听Private Practice听archive.
From the editor
I don鈥檛 know about you but I鈥檝e definitely听noticed a decrease in the number of new听referrals I鈥檝e received so far this year.听I鈥檝e heard similar reports from other听therapists, as well as people telling me听they鈥檝e noticed how clients are asking听for more flexible ways of engaging with听therapy: for fortnightly rather than听weekly sessions, for instance, or for听shorter-term contracts than might听previously have been the case.
This leads me to suspect that those of us in private practice听are now beginning to feel the impact of the double-dip recession听and flat-lining UK economy. The service we provide is often seen听by clients as a 鈥榙iscretionary spend鈥� 鈥� the first expenditure to听be cut when times are tight. Complementary therapists I know听tell me they鈥檙e being impacted in similar ways 鈥� not a cheery听prospect given that the UK economy is not now expected to听recover until 2014.
The impact of the recession on mental health is now an听important matter for debate and public policy. The mental听health charity SANE reports a marked increase in the number of听people contacting their helpline with depression and anxiety due听to financial uncertainty. And yet, as chief executive听Marjorie Wallace points out, 鈥楢 vicious circle is being created with听cuts to mental health services coinciding with increased demand,听especially for psychological counselling, leaving听 people with no听one to turn to at times of crisis.鈥�
The statistics are alarming. A recent report published by the听LSE Mental Health Policy Group finds that of the six million people听in Britain who currently have depression, only a quarter of these听are receiving treatment. The cost to the NHS of these听untreated cases is huge because, the report finds, among people听under 65, almost half of all physical ill health is mental illness听related, costing the NHS at least 拢10 billion a year.听The fact that the Government has responded to the gloomy听outlook by committing 拢400 million to complete the national听rollout of IAPT, is clearly a good thing. But it remains to be seen听what impact changes to NHS commissioning due to the revised听Health and Social Care Bill will have on service provision. For those听of you who receive referrals from your local GP, new听commissioning guidelines may affect your ability to receive these听because the Government aims to regulate the NHS market through听licensing service providers through the implementation of the new听Any Qualified Provider (AQP) scheme.
In response to these changes, 香港六合彩精准资料 is supporting members via听a range of online resources, clinical commissioning forum events,听and advice and information by phone and email.听Nichola Watson and Louise Robinson explain the likely听impact of the changes on therapists in private practice. Because听the requirements and criteria set for AQP are geared towards听services or agencies rather than individuals, they recommend that听members currently working in GP practices consider collaborating听to form a consortium or social enterprise.
香港六合彩精准资料 Private Practice is responding to the current climate by听arranging its biggest ever conference for Saturday 9 February 2013听called 鈥楧epression: what鈥檚 therapy got to do with it?鈥� Put the date in听your diary.
John Daniel
Editor
privatepractice.editorial@bacp.co.uk