COVID has had a detrimental impact on national mental health. How will this affect your career as an NHS mental health worker, therapist or counsellor?

Data from Public Health England’s COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHW) Surveillance Report tells us that self-reported disorders such as anxiety, stress and depression have worsened in the pandemic, and remain a problem in 2021. There has been a huge impact on the nation’s psychological health, making this an important time for the NHS to retrain and reskill where possible.

If you’re passionate about this field of healthcare, this could be a fantastic time to take a Psychology Conversion course at the University of Bolton in Greater Manchester.

We’ve been ranked No.1 in the UK for Student Satisfaction in Psychology Courses* for the second year running, making us a great place to study if you’re looking to switch careers or take your undergraduate degree to the next level.

Why mental health matters more than ever

If you’re a psychology graduate, or looking to turn your existing degree into a Psychology master’s, your skills are needed now.

According the mental health charity, Mind, one in every four people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year. And one in every six people will experience a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England.

Mental health problems can affect people in everyday life, including their work, their home life and their relationships with others. Targeting issues at the root can help to prevent further complications, and that’s why talking therapies are vital to national health.

Supporting patients in a post-COVID world

As vaccines roll out across the country, people are seeing light at the end of the tunnel, with hope that life can return to normal later this year. However, psychological health concerns will continue to be an issue, and trained counsellors and mental health workers will be much needed to support people after the pandemic is over.

Alongside Coronavirus, we’re also dealing with a mental health pandemic, and the key focus in 2021 and beyond will be self-care.

Our Psychology Conversion master’s is designed to translate your existing knowledge into suitable skills for this exciting career path. If you have an upper second class honours degree (2.1) or higher in a relevant subject (such as Social Science or Science), or you can show relevant work experience, you can apply to join our programme.

Demand for NHS psychologists is set to grow

The employment outlook for this specialist field looks promising, with projections showing an upward trajectory in job demand until 2026.

Some of the fastest growing fields include vocational psychology, school mental health support, family and marriage support, clinical psychology and counselling, and psychiatry. If you’re interested in helping others and you want to turn your existing degree into transferable skills for this fascinating and vital profession, a Postgraduate Conversion course could be for you.

There’s nowhere better to study than the University of Bolton, located just 15 minutes from the dynamic and metropolitan city of Manchester. As well as having a friendly and supportive campus, we also pride ourselves on exemplary teaching, and are in the Top 5 in the UK for Teaching Quality.**

To find out about January 2021 start dates for the MSc Psychology Conversion programme, head over to our course page. Apply today for a brighter future, and enjoy #UniAsItShouldBe at a university where your needs come first!

* Complete University Guide in 2021 and 2020
* The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 2019