M.K.C. Nair, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS), has said that the shortage of quality professionals in clinical psychology has created a crisis across the country. He was here on Thursday to launch the M.Phil. (clinical psychology) programme at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS).
Dr. Nair said that the main reason for this was the lack of institutions offering quality courses. Stressing the need for maintaining quality and integrity in providing psychiatric counselling, he said that comprehensive mental healthcare required a united approach by a multidisciplinary team comprising a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist and a psychiatric social worker. Dr. Nair said the approach to treatment was as important as the medical degree and medical knowledge. Clinical psychologists had a major role to play in mental healthcare, from the early stage of diagnosis to treatment, he pointed out.
"Quality manpower"
Mr. Nair hoped that the new course at IMHANS would help provide quality manpower in mental health service delivery based on the principles of bio-psycho-social model of mental healthcare.
The programme is affiliated to the KUHS and is the first such course in the State. There are eights seats. It is part of the centre of excellence scheme of the Union government to tackle the shortage of mental health professionals. Those who wanted to take up higher studies in clinical psychology were forced to go out of the State till now and the course would help such people, said sources in IMHANS. V.R. Rajendran, Principal, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, was present.