An introduction to the clinical skills for working with air crew (June 2024)
Public and industry attention has been forced to focus on the psychological wellbeing of aircrew, especially pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance engineers and cabin crew, and a need for developed and specialist psychological skills in aviation. This two-day workshop addresses the systemic and regulatory challenges in working with aircrew to equip Practitioner Psychologists to match an increasing demand for psychological assessment and intervention in aviation. The workshop will introduce the main general clinical skills applied in Aviation Psychology.
This is currently the only aviation psychology course available globally.
Date: Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 June 2024.
Please note, this is a two-day workshop and you will be required to attend both days.
Time: 09:30-16:30
Venue:
The British Psychological Society
30 Tabernacle Street
London
EC2A 4UE
Catering: Lunch included
Special dietary requirements: When you have purchased your workshop place, please go to ‘joining instructions’ where there is a link to a dietary request form. Please submit this form when you register but at the latest by 11:00 on Wednesday 12 June 2024. Meat, vegetarian and fish options will be available as standard. Requests made after this date cannot be guaranteed.
Bookings for this workshop will close at 11:00 on Thursday 12 June 2024. Please note: Places won't be available on the door, only those registered will be allowed into the workshop session.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this two-day workshop you will:
- Understand the unique and specific occupational context of air crew.
- Understand the role of psychologists and range of psychological assessments used in crew licensing.
- Understand about some mental health problems and psychological problems that commonly present in aviation.
- Be aware of psychological factors in flight safety.
- Be familiar with the relevant theory, research and literature in this specialism.
Further information
Psychological problems among crew, especially pilots, are an insidious threat to safety because of impairments to task performance. Crew licensing authorities worldwide specify the minimum medical requirements crew must meet to be able to fly, and psychologists have an increasingly important role in pre-training psychological screening, assessing licensed crew, preparing reports for crew licensing authorities and in supporting aviation personnel who work in safety critical roles in order to prevent mental health problems from arising in the first place. Recent aviation accidents have highlighted the importance of psychological issues in flight safety, and the starting point is an understanding what makes being a pilot unique. Pilots have no office, work shifts, are required to undertake multiple tasks at 35,000 feet, are frequently absent from home and their regular social support and travel across time zones leading to fatigue. They are constantly assessed in the course of their duties or in simulators; their health is comprehensively checked at least annually and they are subjected to scrupulous monitoring of their every action.
This workshop aims to introduce practitioner psychologists with the relevant concepts, underpinning research and skills to begin working with pilots and other occupational groups in aviation. It covers six broad topics: (a) The work and personal lives of pilots and cabin crew (b) Pilot medical licensing requirements, with an emphasis on psychological, psychiatric and neurological exclusions (c) Common mental health problems among crew (d) Psychological assessment and reporting on findings from aptitude, mental health, personality and neuropsychological tests (e) Adapting psychological interventions for aircrew, and (f) A cursory overview of the psychology of human factors and air safety and disaster support.
This workshop is recognised by the European Association for Aviation Psychology (EAAP) as a course for accreditation for Aviation Psychologists and/or Human Factors Specialists. The two day workshop counts for half a course on the EAAP accreditation scheme.
You will have access to the workshop resources until 11 September 2024.
Workshop timetable
09:30-10:00 Registration
10:00 Workshop starts
12:30-13:00 Lunch
16:30 Workshop ends
Is this course right for me?
The workshop is primarily aimed at practitioner psychologists from Clinical, Counselling and Occupational Psychology, and secondarily Forensic and Neuropsychology and Health Psychologists interested in working within the airline industry. It assumes no prior skills or expertise in this specialist area. It is an introductory workshop.
Workshop presenters
Professor Robert Bor CPsychol CSci FBPsS HonFRAeS UKCP Reg EuroPsy is a BPS Chartered Clinical, Counselling and Health Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. He is also a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and an Aviation Psychologist registered with the European Association for Aviation Psychology, where he also serves on the Board. In the NHS, Rob was formerly Lead Clinical Psychologist at the Royal Free Hospital, London. Drawing on his experience as a practising psychologist and a pilot, he and his colleagues provide assessment and treatment services to the airline industry. He teaches on the Aviation Medical Examiners’ courses at Kings College, London. He is the Civilian Psychologist to the Royal Air Force and serves on the ICAO Mental Health Working Group and European Pilot Peer Support Initiative (EPPSI). Rob is the co-editor of several core aviation psychology textbooks. He is a Director of the Centre for Aviation Psychology. In 2017, he received the highest award in aviation, an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is listed on the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Wall of Honour in Washington D.C.He is a Liveryman of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots and also holds the Freedom of the City of London. Rob is a Churchill Fellow.
Dr Alastair Gray PhD, D Clin Psych, PG Dip Neuropsych, AFBPS, C Psychol - After completing his PhD investigating differing neuropsychological profiles of neurodegenerative conditions, Alastair undertook his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, before starting work in the NHS. Initially working in community mental health teams, Alastair specialised in neuropsychological assessment and worked for a number of NHS services in London before moving to East Anglia to manage similar teams there.
Now working full time in the private sector, Alastair works with patients following serious accidents and associated trauma. His work can include anything from supporting a patient with common mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression through to full neuropsychological assessments with a view to getting the patient's life back on track or in the air. In addition, Alastair has incorporated his longstanding passion for aviation into his private practice and after completing specialist training in Aviation Psychology with the British Psychological Society, he now applies over 20 years of clinical psychology experience to the unique world of air crew mental health and well-being. Through his membership of the British Air Display Association, Alastair has provided specialist teaching on anxiety management for display pilots, and is also a member of the European Association for Aviation Psychology.
European Assocatiation for Aviation Psychology (EAAP)
Pricing
Price: £750 (+ VAT)
BPS Members: £450 (+ VAT)
EAAP members: £600 (+ VAT)
In addition to the site policies this course is subject to additional terms and conditions.
Important
If in the unlikely event we have to cancel or postpone a workshop we will issue full refunds for your workshop fees. We do not reimburse travel costs and recommend you seek refunds from your travel provider.
Booking on behalf of an organisation?
If you or your colleagues are looking to book onto this course as a group you can make savings by booking ten or more places. To find out more about our packages contact cpd@bps.org.uk
Invoicing: If your organisation prefers invoicing over online payment that's no problem. We can invoice you for five or more purchases or if your purchase is for more than £250.
Take a look at our guidance to support the process.
In order to request an invoice please send a Purchase Order to cpd@bps.org.uk. This should include, the course title, names and contact details and BPS Membership status (where applicable) for each participant. We will issue an invoice, once paid your learners will be provided with details of how to access their learning.
Packages for BPS Accredited education providers
We can arrange special packages for our partners at BPS Accredited education providers so that you can offer further learning to your students and colleagues. Contact cpd@bps.org.uk to find out more.
Cancellations
In addition to the site policies this course is subject to additional terms and conditions. If you wish to cancel your place, we are unable to issue refunds 14 days or less prior to the workshop date.
Contact
This workshop has been organised by BPS Professional Development. Contact us on cpd@bps.org.uk.
You may also be interested in our other courses on BPS Learn, including those related to private practice and your personal development.
You can also explore the range of BPS books available via Routledge.