Clinical psychology going forward: the need to promote clinical psychology and to respond to the training crisis

Abstract

To provide a context for discussing psychology going forward, this article will begin by briefly providing a historical and international context. It will then argue that establishing a database demonstrating the value of our treatments is not enough, and that we also need to promote what we can accomplish. The question will then be posed as to whether the Australian Psychological Society Colleges should be restructured for maximising the potential of clinical psychology, for example, amalgamating some of the Colleges. The need for political action with respect to national health care reform will be discussed including advocacy related to Better Access, and the need to get psychologists into the newly established Medicare Locals and Local Hospital Networks. Finally, the training crisis in clinical psychology will be discussed along with some recommendations for change, of which the one considered to be most important is getting psychology added to the list of currently five professions who can offer Masters Degrees (extended) with graduates able to use the title "Doctor of (field of study)."