Evaluating a psychology graduates work experience scheme at NHS South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust

The psychology graduates work experience scheme, formerly known as the ‘Honorary Assistant Psychologist Scheme’, is an annual programme at NHS South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust which was developed in 2017 to provide psychology graduates with unpaid work experience in the NHS. Early psychological professional roles are highly competitive in nature and before the scheme, existing opportunities were typically gained on a ‘who you know’ basis. The scheme aims to provide psychology graduates, recruited through a centralised equitable recruitment process, with clinical experience working within the NHS to further support them with taking their next step towards obtaining a substantive post within the field. Following a review of the scheme in 2020-2021, the scheme was relaunched in 2022 and the purpose of this report is to share successes and learning from the first cohort, should other Trusts be interested in providing a similar offer.