Clinical psychology as a health profession
Human behaviour is too complex to deal the patient as a whole by a single professional. Rather treatment of the patients with mental illness needs a psychiatric team comprising of psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, psychiatric social worker and psychiatric nurse. Clinical psychology is a heath profession that involves specialised knowledge of psychological functioning and psychological methods, which provides particular expertise in carrying out psychological assessments e.g. psychometric tests, formulating problems psychologically, psychological treatments and psychological methods of research and evaluation. Their work can range from prevention and early intervention of minor problems of adjustment to dealing with the adjustment and maladjustment of individuals whose disturbance requires then to be institutionalised. Clinical psychologists work largely in health and social care settings including hospitals, health centres, community mental health teams, child and adolescent mental health services and social services. Psychotherapy is an important part of the treatment provided by the clinical psychologist. Group therapy, family therapy and couple therapy are also done by a clinician. In addition to research, teaching, the community mental health programmes can be implemented successfully with the role of clinical psychology. The primary new role of the clinical psychologist in this expanding concept of community mental health programming is as consultant. The consultant role consists of interactions primarily with professionals and administrative staff rather than with direct patient or client. More than half a century ago, a post of clinical psychologist was created at Pabna Mental Hospital. But it remained vacant till 2005. A 3-year post graduate training course was started at Dhaka University as a link programme with London University in 1994 by this scribe. The Department of Clinical Psychology has been founded in 1997 to serve the country with clinical psychologist. Still, Bangladesh needs several thousand clinical psychologists that do not exist.
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