Applying the principles of community transformation through integration: A pilot study of the effectiveness of CBT-informed training and supervision for an older adult crisis team

The Psychological Professions Network (PPN, 2024) guidelines for crisis services emphasise psychologically informed training for all staff, delivery of psychosocial interventions by trained multidisciplinary clinicians, and access to evidence-based interventions by psychological professionals. Crisis services across the UK vary considerably, with some universal teams supporting all adults regardless of age, while others recognise the distinct and complex needs of older people. In Northumberland, crisis services are delivered via separate working-age and older people’s teams. Although the working-age team benefits from integrated clinical psychology provision, the older people’s crisis team currently lacks dedicated psychological input. In the absence of dedicated funding, a pilot initiative was developed in collaboration with the Older Person’s Psychology Community Team. This involved CBT-informed training delivered over nine months, alongside monthly group supervision to support skill development and provide a restorative reflective space. Self-report questionnaires completed pre- and post-training indicated statistically significant improvements in clinicians’ reported knowledge, confidence, and application of CBT principles. Qualitative feedback highlighted the value of case-based learning, theory-practice integration, and restorative supervision. These findings suggest that, even in the absence of dedicated funding, structured psychological skills-based training and supervision can enhance workforce capability and provide essential restorative support within older people’s crisis services.