Promoting Excellence In Psychological Health & Wellbeing
Meet the Team
Expired
Dr Adrian Whittington
Co-Chair, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Dr Adrian Whittington is National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions at NHS England. Adrian is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. He is passionate about improving mental health and wellbeing by expanding the psychological professions workforce and enabling these professionals and the wider NHS workforce to make the maximum psychological impact for the public. Adrian provides clinical advice to a number of programmes at NHS England including NHS Talking Therapies and other programmes to expand access to evidence-based psychological therapies and interventions across health and care. Adrian has worked clinically through his career in learning disability services, adult community mental health, and NHS Talking Therapies.
Adrian has written and co-edited books on anxiety, CBT, and clinical psychology.
Selected Publications:
Whittington, A. (2024). Next steps for the psychological professions workforce in England – Delivering the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. Clinical Psychology Forum, 375, 29-38.
Davey, G., Lake, N., & Whittington, A. (2020). Topics in Applied Psychology: Clinical Psychology (3rd Ed.). Routledge: London.
Whittington, A. & Grey, N. (2014). How to Become a More Effective CBT Therapist: Mastering Metacompetence in Clinical Practice. Wiley Blackwell: Chichester.
Dr Adrian Whittington is National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions at NHS England. Adrian is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. He is passionate about improving mental health and wellbeing by expanding the psychological professions workforce and enabling these professionals and the wider NHS workforce to make the maximum psychological impact for the public. Adrian provides clinical advice to a number of programmes at NHS England including NHS Talking Therapies and other programmes to expand access to evidence-based psychological therapies and interventions across health and care. Adrian has worked clinically through his career in learning disability services, adult community mental health, and NHS Talking Therapies.
Adrian has written and co-edited books on anxiety, CBT, and clinical psychology.
Selected Publications:
Whittington, A. (2024). Next steps for the psychological professions workforce in England – Delivering the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. Clinical Psychology Forum, 375, 29-38.
Davey, G., Lake, N., & Whittington, A. (2020). Topics in Applied Psychology: Clinical Psychology (3rd Ed.). Routledge: London.
Whittington, A. & Grey, N. (2014). How to Become a More Effective CBT Therapist: Mastering Metacompetence in Clinical Practice. Wiley Blackwell: Chichester.
Dr Bill Tiplady
Co-Chair Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Bill is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and the Associate Director of Psychological Services at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. As a clinician, Bill has worked across the adult mental health pathway and particularly in inpatient and crisis services as well as having an interest in supporting and developing teams and services.
With experience of leading both psychological therapies, and wider mental health services as a Clinical Director, Bill has led and contributed to strategic quality and service improvement programmes at trust, regional, and national level. This has included chairing cross-London NHSE work programmes on improving access to Psychological Therapies for people with serious mental health problems and on improving physical healthcare for this group. Bill is committed to expanding on the contribution which all 12 psychological professions can make to more person centred and effective physical and mental health care - as well as ensuring that psychological services themselves offer great quality evidence based services which are designed around the needs of people who will use them
Kaye Adamson
Programme Manager, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Kaye was appointed to the role of Psychological Professions Network South East Programme Manager in February 2023. Kaye has worked with experts by experience for the past 20 years in a range of different roles including as Head of Membership Services for a business to business trade association in London; rolling out the National Time To Change programme in Hampshire and as project and programme lead on several mental health and autism service development and redesign contracts.
Since February 2018 Kaye has been employed at NHSE (formerly Health Education England) initially working as the lead for project and performance management in the South sub regions of Wessex and Thames Valley offices and then as programme manager within the South-East regional mental health, learning disability and autism team looking after a broad range of mental health programmes.
Kaye was appointed to the role of Psychological Professions Network South East Programme Manager in February 2023. Kaye has worked with experts by experience for the past 20 years in a range of different roles including as Head of Membership Services for a business to business trade association in London; rolling out the National Time To Change programme in Hampshire and as project and programme lead on several mental health and autism service development and redesign contracts.
Since February 2018 Kaye has been employed at NHSE (formerly Health Education England) initially working as the lead for project and performance management in the South sub regions of Wessex and Thames Valley offices and then as programme manager within the South-East regional mental health, learning disability and autism team looking after a broad range of mental health programmes.
Sharon Galliford
Expert by Experience, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Sharon joined the PPN SE in November 2018. Since then she has been involved in strategic meetings, events planning and participation, presentations, research projects and the career map videos.
"The role has definitely been varied and interesting. It feels good to have a voice in the future direction of the psychology professions and to be speaking to the people in a position to actually bring about positive change."
Sharon joined the PPN SE in November 2018. Since then she has been involved in strategic meetings, events planning and participation, presentations, research projects and the career map videos.
"The role has definitely been varied and interesting. It feels good to have a voice in the future direction of the psychology professions and to be speaking to the people in a position to actually bring about positive change."
Bethany Dudley
Expert by Experience, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Beth joined the PPN in mid 2022. She has been a service user since she was a teenager, and as such she is passionate especially about the mental health support young people receive and sharing what she and her close ones have been through. Beth actually found the EbE role through the SABP Recovery College, who she has been volunteering for since 2020, and have been a student with since around 2016. She is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and wants to improve the treatment the community receives when seeking psychological help, as she feels there is a general lack of understanding there.
Beth joined the PPN in mid 2022. She has been a service user since she was a teenager, and as such she is passionate especially about the mental health support young people receive and sharing what she and her close ones have been through. Beth actually found the EbE role through the SABP Recovery College, who she has been volunteering for since 2020, and have been a student with since around 2016. She is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and wants to improve the treatment the community receives when seeking psychological help, as she feels there is a general lack of understanding there.
Mel Rae
Co-Chair of the Aspiring Psychologist Community of Practice, Psychological Professions Network, South East England
Melissa (aka Mel) started as the regional Assistant Psychologist in September 2023. Mel has a BSc in Psychology and Counselling from Staffordshire University and a MSc in Clinical Psychology from Swansea University. She has experience working in a wide range of settings. She has been an Health Care Assistant in inpatient children and adolescents mental health services and and Assistant Psychologist in Older Adult Mental Health services (including inpatient, outpatient, Memory clinics and general health wards). She later went onto supporting inpatient neurorehabilitation for adults with acquired brain injuries as an Assistant Psychologist as well as community forensic services working alongside the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway.
Mel has particular interests in social injustice, inequality, and access to services, as well as clinical interests in the fields of dementia and trauma.
Armandina (Mina) Almanza Gutierrez
Co-Chair of the Aspiring Psychologist Community of Practice, Psychological Professions Network, South East England
Mina obtained an MA(Hons) in Psychology at the University of Edinburgh and an MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences at University College London. She previously worked as Assistant Psychologist in CAMHS and worked in autism and childhood-onset psychosis research. Most recently, Mina was involved in evaluating a PPNSE commissioned EDI project.
Mina has a special interest in supporting evidence-based practice and service improvement as well as increasing awareness of neurodiversity.
Mina co-founded and has subsequently Co-Chaired the Aspiring Psychologist Community of Practice since June 2024.
Dr Bree Macdonald
Co-Chair Crisis Community of Practice, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Bree currently works for Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust, as the professional lead for psychological services in West Sussex; her clinical work is in acute services where she has a trust wide strategic role. She chairs the Complex Emotional Needs steering group in her trust and is part of the transformation of services in Sussex more generally.
She has specialised in crisis teams over the years, working with the UCL CORE study team in their ground breaking CRHT work. She is very excited to be back in the heart of crisis team development with this national opportunity to focus on psychologically informed work. She is passionate about collaborative working and is looking forward to developing a community of practice for psychological therapists working in mental health crisis care. Do get in touch!
Bree currently works for Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust, as the professional lead for psychological services in West Sussex; her clinical work is in acute services where she has a trust wide strategic role. She chairs the Complex Emotional Needs steering group in her trust and is part of the transformation of services in Sussex more generally.
She has specialised in crisis teams over the years, working with the UCL CORE study team in their ground breaking CRHT work. She is very excited to be back in the heart of crisis team development with this national opportunity to focus on psychologically informed work. She is passionate about collaborative working and is looking forward to developing a community of practice for psychological therapists working in mental health crisis care. Do get in touch!
Dr Laura Goody
Co-Chair of the Crisis Community of Practice, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Laura works as a Principal Clinical Psychologist within a Crisis and Home Treatment Team in Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and within independent practice. Having specialised for the past seven years in NHS acute crisis care for suicidality and complex mental health difficulties, Laura is passionate about promoting psychologically informed care for people going through particularly challenging points in their journey.
Laura is keen to enhance the profile and confidence of psychological professionals working within the acute pathway via strategic initiatives, contributing to the evidence base and developing a thriving community of practice.
Laura works as a Principal Clinical Psychologist within a Crisis and Home Treatment Team in Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and within independent practice. Having specialised for the past seven years in NHS acute crisis care for suicidality and complex mental health difficulties, Laura is passionate about promoting psychologically informed care for people going through particularly challenging points in their journey.
Laura is keen to enhance the profile and confidence of psychological professionals working within the acute pathway via strategic initiatives, contributing to the evidence base and developing a thriving community of practice.
Kirsten Brown
Co-Chair of the Psychological Practitioners Community of Practice, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Kirsten is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner based in Sussex and was part of the first ever cohort for the role. Clinically Kirsten is passionate about increasing access to psychological therapies and psychological thinking which is grounded in evidence.
Kirsten is also a qualified teacher, and has a special interest in the teaching & learning aspects of psychological therapies, and encouraging that the communication of knowledge within the NHS is informed by educational theory and evidence.
Kirsten was appointed as Co-Chair in October 2024.
Kirsten is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner based in Sussex and was part of the first ever cohort for the role. Clinically Kirsten is passionate about increasing access to psychological therapies and psychological thinking which is grounded in evidence.
Kirsten is also a qualified teacher, and has a special interest in the teaching & learning aspects of psychological therapies, and encouraging that the communication of knowledge within the NHS is informed by educational theory and evidence.
Kirsten was appointed as Co-Chair in October 2024.
Cicely Hayes
Co-Chair of the Psychological Practitioners Community of Practice, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Cicely is a Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner at NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies. Cicely has a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath and, as part of her degree, worked for the Mental Health Foundation, helping to research and develop programmes for populations with or at risk of mental health difficulties.
Cicely is a gender-based violence activist, delivering talks on consent and healthy relationships, and the prevention of sexual violence at university and has special interests in trauma-informed care and perinatal mental health.
Cicely is particularly passionate about the wellbeing of Step 2 staff in NHS Talking Therapies and advocates for the importance of the role and the positive difference that PWPs make to people’s lives.
Cicely has been part of the PPN SE Psychological Professions Community of Practice since 2021 and was appointed to the role of Co-Chair in October 2024.
Cicely is a Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner at NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies. Cicely has a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath and, as part of her degree, worked for the Mental Health Foundation, helping to research and develop programmes for populations with or at risk of mental health difficulties.
Cicely is a gender-based violence activist, delivering talks on consent and healthy relationships, and the prevention of sexual violence at university and has special interests in trauma-informed care and perinatal mental health.
Cicely is particularly passionate about the wellbeing of Step 2 staff in NHS Talking Therapies and advocates for the importance of the role and the positive difference that PWPs make to people’s lives.
Cicely has been part of the PPN SE Psychological Professions Community of Practice since 2021 and was appointed to the role of Co-Chair in October 2024.
Rachel Balster
Co-Chair of the Psychological Practitioners Community of Practice, Psychological Professions Network, South East England.
Rachel was appointed as Co-Chair in October 2024. Awaiting further details.
Rachel was appointed as Co-Chair in October 2024. Awaiting further details.
Contact Us
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