Consultancy Competence

Guidelines for the Consultancy Competence

Health Psychology Consultancy is the use of specialist health psychology skills and knowledge to provide a service to an external business client e.g. public, private or third sector organisations. The consultant/ client relationship requires a level of independence in order to ensure that both parties are free to express their needs and boundaries. Any consultancy provided within the same organisation must therefore not be between parties (consultant & client) who have any management or strategic links or relationship.

Consultancy is typically a defined service (provided for a specified fee) and generally relates to services that have demonstrable relevance to health psychology, and which the client does not have the expertise to carry out in-house. The consultancy client is the individual, group or organisation which enters into a negotiated contract with the consultant agreeing the objectives, process and conditions of the health psychology consultancy work. The consultancy project must be a specifically defined piece of work that is negotiated and conducted by the consultant directly and cannot be part of a larger piece of work that has been negotiated by another person e.g. line manager.

The nature of a piece of consultancy requires the consultant to draw upon skills found within the other competencies included within the Stage 2 qualification e.g. teaching and training, interventions etc. However, the consultancy competency and the submitted work for assessment must focus on the key processes of the client/consultant relationship management as defined through the competency framework below.

 

Examples of Health Psychology Consultancy requests might be:

• An NHS Trust who wants health psychology informed interventions developed to improve their diabetes outcomes, and for their staff to be trained to implement these new interventions.
• A charity (third sector organisation) who needs to engage with people from Black and Ethnic Minority groups who have lupus in order to improve exercise levels.
• An older adults’ service wants to set up new processes for joint working between health and social services to improve health outcomes and reduce hospital admissions.

 

Candidates must demonstrate:

1. An understanding of the application of theories of communication, organisational consultancy, organisational development and the management of change within the consultancy process and project delivery.
2. An understanding about the preparatory processes involved in pitching, negotiating and agreeing their scope of work, contract arrangements and project delivery specifications with their client prior to project implementation.
3. An understanding of the barriers and facilitators of effective project delivery (incorporating time, resource, relationship and conflict management).
4. That they are able to plan, document, monitor, review and adjust their consultancy work/project deliverables using appropriate theoretical frameworks/models and procedures.
5. That they can manage the consultancy project deliverables, process and outcomes more effectively by engaging with, and actively planning the client-consultant relationship.
6. That they can exercise ethical and professional behaviour and personal responsibility with autonomous initiative within the consultancy project delivery and setting.

 

Evidence to be submitted:

• (i) A reflexive report of 3,000 words (maximum) in the record of completion, summarizing personal and professional development as a health psychologist. Candidates should reflect on the extent to which their experience has allowed them to acquire specified competence in each component and to have their supervisor approve these comments.
• (ii) At least one case study (maximum 3000 words, excluding appendices) which should include an account of the request and identification of the need for the health psychology consultancy, the negotiating, planning and management of the consultancy project process and reviews of relevant consultancy approaches, theories and techniques, and the consultancy methodology, design and implementation plan. A clear description and report of the consultancy aims, objectives, deliverables, data collection or project work and outcomes and the evaluation process must be included.
• (iii) A contract and working agreement conditions document (maximum 3000 words excluding appendices) that specifies the project negotiations, agreed timescales and outcome deliverables, budget and resource planning, feasibility/scoping evaluation/studies, subsequent contract revisions, summary of meetings and correspondence demonstrating reflection on the communications and management of the client-consultant working relationship, consent procedures where appropriate, client assessments of the consultancy process and evidence of formal evaluation, feedback and reports from clients where appropriate.

4.1 Assessment of requests for consultancy

Attainment of this competence requires demonstrating the ability to:

• 4.1a Identify, prioritise and agree realistic expectations, needs and outcome requirements regarding the proposed consultancy project.
• 4.1b Review appropriate (e.g. psychological, business) literature and other information sources for relevant advice, research findings, research methods and interventions.
• 4.1c Assess feasibility of proposed consultancy and any problems or challenges with providing agreed deliverables. 

4.1a To identify, prioritise and agree realistic expectations, needs and outcome requirements regarding the proposed consultancy project the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Identify and assess the client’s expectations, needs, goals, and deliverables / outcome requirements using valid and reliable elicitation methods (e.g., structured meetings, questionnaires, interviews or focus groups).
2. Identify the context and critical influences (e.g. organisational, personal, and political) that may affect the client’s motivations and ability to support the consultancy process and project delivery.
3. Ascertain the appropriate focus for the consultancy e.g. individual, group or systems/service level.
4. Prioritise the client’s needs, expectations and deliverables to maximise the potential effect and impact of the consultancy on the client’s goals.
5. Identify and negotiate deliverables/outcomes that are commensurate with the needs and requirements of the client.

 

4.1b To review appropriate (e.g. psychological, business) literature and other information sources for relevant advice, research findings, research methods and interventions, the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Use appropriate search methods to critically examine, synthesize and review relevant information necessary to the development of the consultancy proposal, work plan and deliverables, (e.g. including published literature, policy, guidance, databases).
2. Summarise, collate and analyse any relevant evidence base to develop a relevant, realistic and appropriate consultancy proposal and project plan.

 

4.1c Assess feasibility of proposed consultancy and any problems or challenges with providing agreed deliverables, the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Identify the material, environmental, organisational and human resources necessary for the consultancy project to be implemented fully.
2. Identify the possible barriers facing the consultancy project delivery and outcomes and develop strategies to manage these effectively and proactively.
3. Negotiate roles, expectations of the client-consultant relationship and arrangements for financial payment/compensation, confidentiality, data protection and intellectual property agreements between the client and consultant. (And any additional connected stakeholders and partners).

 

4.2 Plan consultancy

Attainment of this competence requires demonstrating the ability to:

• 4.2a Determine the aims, objectives, criteria, theoretical frameworks and scope of consultancy.

4.2a To determine the aims, objectives, criteria, theoretical framework and scope of consultancy the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Identify, develop and record the aims and objectives for the consultancy in an appropriate format.
2. Identify a relevant theoretical framework / models, if appropriate, to be used for the consultancy together with the rationale for inclusion/exclusion.
3. Specify the scope of the consultancy project (e.g. deliverables/outcomes, impact, time management, finances) and taking into account resource availability and all possible constraints/barriers to conducting it.
4. Define clearly the outcome criteria for each stated operational objective.

 

4.2b To produce implementation plans for the consultancy the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Prepare a project delivery plan for the entire consultancy process (e.g. Gantt chart) that outlines time-scales and project task completion actions for the client (individuals, teams, agencies and organisations) and the consultant.
2. Design, document and implement flexible and robust monitoring systems (e.g. regular meetings/updates and reporting systems where problems can be rectified), which will avoid potential problems in project delivery and allow for modifications to meet the changing needs of the project plan.
3. Identify and communicate within the consultancy project plans the roles, areas or responsibility of both the client (individuals, teams, agencies and organisations involved) and consultant.
4. Clarify channels and processes of communication and working practices between the client and the consultant. Document any challenges or difficulties in communication encountered during the consultancy process.
5. Discuss and agree the project delivery plans with, and distribute the plans to the client (relevant individuals, organisations and agencies).
6. Incorporate feedback from the client (and any associated stakeholders/partners the client wishes involved in the consultancy project) into the project delivery plans prior to their implementation.

 

4.3 Establish, develop and maintain working relationships with clients

Attainment of this competence requires demonstrating the ability to:

• 4.3a Identify and engage with client’s contact procedures and plan and prepare for initial discussions regarding consultancy opportunities.
• 4.3b Develop, maintain and monitor working relationships.

 

4.3a To Identify and engage with client’s contact procedures and plan and prepare for initial discussions regarding consultancy opportunities, the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Make arrangements for contacting clients within acceptable time-scales.
2. Abide by the BPS Generic Professional Practice Guidelines when interacting with the client, avoiding personal judgments and identifying any conflicts of interest.
3. Identify documents and discuss the client’s concerns, needs and issues with the opportunity for consultancy.
4. Describe and agree the initial conditions and limits of confidentiality, data protection (including the storage of information) and non-disclosure of proprietary information, between the consultant and the client.

 

4.3b To develop, maintain and monitor working relationships the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Offer information about options for working relationships to enable clients to make informed decisions
2. Identify clients’ issues, concerns and contractual needs and negotiate an optimal working agreement taking account of these.
3. Ensure that the consultancy contract and working agreement states the service(s) being provided and includes agreed time-scales, roles, objectives, costs, review of targets and resources.
4. Implement and maintain effective recording and monitoring systems of the working client-consultant relationship with the appropriate levels of security and confidentiality to ensure protection and management of the project delivery.
5. Negotiate and agree regular reviews with the clients to maintain effective working relationships and ensure the contract remains realistic and deliverable.
6. Facilitate an active collaborative working relationship between the client and consultant that encourages an open communication style, mutual respect and joint decision making to ensure the smooth delivery of the project deliverables/outcomes, and that meets the needs of both parties.
7. Identify and document constructive course of action/s or procedures to manage and enhance working relationships between the client and consultant that are at risk or are impacting on project delivery.

4.4 Conduct consultancy

Attainment of this competence requires demonstrating the ability to:

• 4.4a Agree and document the client-consultant contract. 
• 4.4b Establish systems or processes to deliver the planned consultancy.
• 4.4c Implement the planned consultancy
• 4.4d Close the consultancy.

 

4.4a  To Agree and document the client-consultant contract the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Ensure the client-consultant working agreements, project objectives and plan, deliverables and outcomes, all services being provided, time-scales for the project delivery (and any sub-components/tasks/actions) are clearly agreed and documented in the contract and signed by all parties.
2. Document the client-consultant specific roles and expectations of each party, and confidentiality and intellectual property arrangements clearly within the contract.
3. Specify financial agreements and costs, processes to review targets and all resources required to undertake the project effectively.
4. Ensure all relevant parties associated with the client are aware of the contract agreements, details and specifications and that the appropriate client contact signs the contract (and on behalf of the organisation, stakeholders etc involved).
5. Ensure that the signed contract is disseminated appropriately and stored securely.

 

4.4b To establish systems or processes to deliver the planned consultancy the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Make necessary checks, and obtain resources, consents and agreements for the proposed consultancy.
2. Conduct, analyse and interpret pre-consultancy investigations, using valid and reliable methods, within agreed timescales.
3. Make necessary amendments to consultancy plans in the light of the evaluated outcomes from the pre-consultancy investigations.
4. Gather and prepare all materials, resources, documents and instruments identified as required, to deliver the consultancy project.
5. Implement quality assurance and control mechanisms by setting targets that will enable the progress made within the consultancy to be measured against the objectives.
6. Identify and document contingency measures to deal with changing requirements and circumstances.

 

4.4c To implement the planned consultancy project the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Implement their planned project delivery programme following the actions and conditions agreed within the client-consultant contract and working agreement.
2. Regularly review the consultancy project plans, the contract deliverables and the project goals and objectives, making adjustments agreed with the client as necessary and documenting changes in the contract or working agreements.
3. Identify and manage problems promptly and discuss and document appropriate solutions with the client.
4. Maintain the appropriate levels of security and confidentiality throughout the consultancy project process.
5. 5. Conduct the consultancy project process in compliance with relevant local and national legal, professional, ethical, safety and organisational law, guidelines and requirements.

 

4.4d To close the consultancy the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Document the deliverables / outcomes of the consultancy in relation to its objectives.
2. Assess and communicate the reasons for any parts of the consultancy not being met.
3. Report the deliverables/outcomes and recommendations of the consultancy to the client (and all appropriate stakeholders as agreed with the client). This should comprise of a written/and/or oral presentation as required by the client.

 

4.5 Review the process and outcomes of consultancy

Attainment of this competence requires demonstrating the ability to:

• 4.5a Review the implementation of the full consultancy process and implement changes identified by the reviewing process.

 

4.5a To review the implementation of the full consultancy process, the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Collect data or information as specified in the consultancy plan regarding the review, monitoring or evaluation of the project outcomes.
2. Analyse and compare information and data against the consultancy’s objectives.
3. Prioritise changes according to the consultancy contract and client-consultant working agreement and ensure that the rationale for the proposed changes is clearly justified.

 

4.6 Evaluate the impact of the consultancy outcomes

Attainment of this competence requires demonstrating the ability to:

• 4.6a Design and implement an evaluation process appropriate to the consultancy project process.
• 4.6b Assess the outcomes of the evaluation and present/report and document them for the client’s needs.

 

4.6a To design and implement an evaluation the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Formulate and negotiate the purpose, scope and necessary resources for the evaluation with the client.
2. Select an evaluation methodology using suitable theories, concepts and frameworks that will facilitate the collection of data.
3. Analyse data generated by the evaluation using valid and relevant methods.

 

4.6b To assess the outcomes of the evaluation the competent health psychologist will be able to:

1. Present evaluation conclusions, implications, recommendations and priorities in a comprehensible form.
2. Review and discuss evaluation conclusions and organisational implications with relevant others.
3. Discuss and agree further actions with stakeholders.