NEST is an acronym for the Network of Emergency Service Therapists. NEST provides member organisations with a register of therapists who have relevant experience of working with beneficiaries from the emergency services. Feedback shows that a lack of understanding of the unique working conditions in this sector contributes to impairing psychological treatment uptake and reduces successful outcomes.
NEST aims to correct this by establishing a sustainable national network of experienced providers who can deliver effective and bespoke treatment for emergency responders, delivered through leading charities. This will be the first sustainable and collaborative model of treating mental health issues on the UK’s front line.
NEST is funded by the Royal Foundation and is being developed in collaboration between Police Care UK, The Fire Fighter’s Charity, The Ambulance Staff Charity, the National Police Wellbeing Service, and the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy.
There will be three phases involved in creating NEST.
Phase 1 – Creating the Register of NEST Therapists – We will seek applications from suitably qualified and experienced therapists to join our register. This process will include checking credentials and associated documentation. Once approved, therapist details will be added to our searchable database.
We expect this process to begin in Autumn 2023.
Phase 2 – Allocating Police Care UK Beneficiaries to NEST Therapists
In Phase 2, Police Care UK will ask NEST to match suitable beneficiaries with NEST therapists, identifying therapy requirements and the number of sessions authorised. When NEST receives a request, it will identify a therapist from its register and check whether they have capacity to accommodate that client. If so, Police Care UK will then contact the therapist direct to pass on information about the client and outline how and when contact should be made with Police Care UK (e.g. interim and final reporting, safeguarding issues and payment of invoices).
Phase 3 – Other Organisations Accessing the Register of NEST Therapists
Following on from Phase 2, other organisations involved with the emergency services will be invited to become part of the NEST project. At this stage, these organisations will be able to access the register themselves. When they identify a suitable therapist, they will arrange with them for a contract to be agreed between that organisation and the therapist, which will include details of how and when to contact the member organisation.
Phase 3 will begin when we are confident, we can deliver an effective service for both beneficiaries and therapists alike. We expect this to be around six months after the start of Phase 2.
During the period of Phase 2, access to the register will be limited to Police Care UK via NEST. This will allow us to check our processes are working properly. Following an evaluation, NEST will be open to relevant organisations supporting all the emergency services.
To be a NEST therapist, you will:
We will also consider applications from practicing clinical or counselling psychologists who are HCPC registered.
If you think you meet the criteria, we would love to hear from you. Please complete the online form. You will be asked to upload a current CV at the same time. These will be assessed and, if it is deemed that the criteria are met, you will be asked to submit verifying information. Once that has been checked, we will add your details to the NEST register. You will then receive a contract signed on behalf of Police Care UK.
The verifying information you will be asked to provide will include:
The supervisor reference confirms that you receive regular supervision from a suitably qualified clinical supervisor.
We expect the process to take 3-4 weeks.
When you submit your initial application, you will be asked to identify which pathway is most relevant to you. These will be:
We would suggest you choose the modality which best reflects your practice. Whichever application path you choose, you will be available for all relevant modalities for which you meet NEST’s criteria.
You will be considered for any therapy for which you meet the NEST criteria. For example, if you meet the criteria to deliver both integrative and EMDR therapies, however choose the EMDR pathway to apply, once on the register, you will be considered for beneficiaries who require integrative or EMDR therapy.
During Phase 2, which will be restricted to beneficiaries from Police Care UK, they will conduct a clinical assessment to determine the most appropriate form of therapy, including the number of sessions. Thereafter, they will contact NEST, who will search the register to identify a therapist which best meets the needs of that beneficiary. That therapist will then be contacted by NEST to confirm they have the capacity and appropriate level of competence to take the client on. If so, they will then be contacted by Police Care UK to pass contact details, confirm interim/final reporting requirements and safeguarding procedures.
In Phase 3, Police Care will be joined by other member organisations. At this stage, these organisations will be able to access the NEST register themselves. When they identify a suitable therapist, they will arrange with them for a contract to be agreed between that organisation and the therapist, which will include details of how and when to contact the member organisation.
A key feature of NEST is the potential for it to become a world leading forum for exchanging current thinking regarding the mental wellbeing of emergency service workers. Regular CPD opportunities will seek to share that combined learning and experience. We are still considering what that will look like. If you have any thoughts yourself on what it could or should include, please let us know.
We hope that the NEST CPD programme will be too good to miss! It is, however, not necessary to attend the CPD events organised by NEST. Therapists will, however, be expected to demonstrate that they have maintained their relevant levels of accreditation.
You must provide evidence of continued suitability with regard to accreditation, insurance, ICO registration and EDBS/PVG checks.
A clinical assessment will be made prior to you being contacted about providing therapy to a beneficiary. That assessment will specify the number of sessions, however additional sessions can be requested when accompanied with clinical justification.
There is no restriction on whether therapy can be offered in-person, online or both. The mode of delivery will be specified by the member organisation.
There is no specific criteria regarding the space you use to deliver face to face therapy. We hope to provide the best service possible to our beneficiaries. A PCUK employee may wish to visit your therapy space face-to-face or virtually to assess for suitability. Where it is not possible to visit premises in person, we will request up-to-date photographs instead.
When you are allocated a beneficiary to work with, the member organisation referring the client to you will specify their requirements for interim and final reporting, including roles and responsibilities for any safeguarding concerns.
You will be responsible for the security and storage of your own session notes, in accordance with relevant legislation and guidance from your professional body.
NEST understands that rates for therapy vary widely, depending on levels of experience and location, amongst many other factors. We therefore ask you to identify your specific rate. This information will be available to member organisations, who can include this factor in deciding whom to match a beneficiary with.
No, only member organisations within NEST will be able to see how much a therapist expects to be paid.
This will vary depending on the member organisation asking you to work with a beneficiary. Payment arrangements will be specified in the initial contract with you. During Phase 2, Police Care UK will pay invoices after individual sessions via BACS transfer and will aim to do this within 30 days of the invoice being received.
Only member organisations will be able to access the register. If you feel you need support, please contact https://www.policecare.org.uk/get-help-now/
At this stage we feel it is easier to restrict access initially whilst we have limited capacity to process applications and then expand, rather than encourage too many applications we cannot deal with and have to limit access at a later stage.
Once we have a better understanding of the number of therapists applying to join the register and the demand for those therapists, we hope to open up access to a wider group
