NORTH WEST OF ENGLAND BRANCH

MINUTES

For the meeting of the North West of England Branch of the British Psychological Society

Date: Wednesday 26th July 2017 at 6:30pm.

Venue: Manchester Conference Centre, Manchester M1, 3BB

1.APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Marianne Valkass; Claire Elliott; James Yeomans; Martin Brennan; Mike Crouch

2.PRESENT: Jon Coldwell; Liz Robins; Saman Changiz; Tom Belfield; Esmira Ropaj; Rebecca Darcy

3.REGISTER OF INTERESTS: None

4.MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING (20/06/17, Quaker Meeting House Liverpool): Jon proposed; Esmira seconded

5.MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING NOT ON THE AGENDA: None

6.CORRESPONDENCE: Email received from Artur Cybula (student member of the BPS, based in Crewe) regarding the potential for an event focusing on ADHD in adults. Committee agreed that this is a good idea. Jon has replied to Artur with a suggestion to contact the NW DCP as their remit is more specific around clinical psychological issues such as ADHD. Jon to invite Artur to the AGM.

7.TREASURER'S REPORT & Budget planning for 2017/18: Jon distributed copies of our half year report. Our financial situation continues to be very difficult in terms of administration and access to our budget. We have spent £2,063 in total, according to the member network report (available on MOR). Jon reminded everyone to submit expenses claims!

8.STUDENT WORKING GROUP: Work should resume after the AGM. Esmira has expressed interest in promoting the branch amongst students at Liverpool Uni, specifically through the student mental health conference which she helps to organise there.

9.COMMUNICATIONS TEAM (Newsletter; Member network blog; Website): Last PitC in Manchester on 20/07/17 with Gill Haddock was very well attended. No further update re. communication specifically. Next meeting to be arranged.

10.EVENTS

  • Jon has put together an overview of the types of events we run and draft guidelines for organizing these. Jon asked for comments on the draft circulated to date with a view to expanding the document. Jon to share with committee members not present at this meeting.

a.Psychology in the Pub

i.Manchester: Next event 28/09/17, Dr Clare Allely – Pathways to Violence in Mass Shooters. Gulliver's, 7pm.Liz has distributed poster around committee members.

ii.Liverpool / Chester: Mike sent an update stating that Sam Roberts has left the department at Chester, therefore making it difficult to ask him to speak at an event for us. However, Mike still maintains strong ties to Chester, despite leaving the course, and aims to encourage students to attend our upcoming events. He is also willing to offer mentoring to students who wish to join the committee.

Esmira has now also contacted Marco Bertamini about doing an event with his illusions talk in Oct/Nov in Liverpool.

iii.Lancaster: No update.

iv.Joint event with NE branch (Huddersfield, Oct 2017): Arranged for 11/10/17, Marco Bertamini – Programming Visual Illusions for Everyone. Magic Rock Tap, Willow Lane, Huddersfield, 7pm. Liz has arranged for a flyer to be distributed to BPS members in the September edition of The Psychologist. Liz has shared flyer with the committee.

b.Psychs in the City

i.Manchester: 20/07/17, Gill Haddock, event was very well attended.It is noted that there was a good mix of different professionals and students, which is positive and more in line with the ethos of PitC. The committee debated the suitability of the room at the Royal Exchange as more people attended than was perhaps anticipated.

After the AGM and PitC in Oct, committee agreed the next event should be January 2018.

Discussion was had about routes of advertising and engaging members in different ways, eg. Linkedin and Clinical Psychology groups.

ii.Liverpool: Esmira offered to organise an event in Liverpool. Esmira to contact Richard Bentall regarding an event in December.

iii.Chester : Mike sent an update. See 10.a.ii

c.AGM 18th of October 2017 – Friends Meeting House Manchester.

Rebecca has kindly organised this and Esmira has agreed to put together a flyer/advert for the event (PitC to be incorporated). Esmira to design flyer and share with the committee once ready.

Rebecca highlighted that we need to ensure we make it clear in advertising that there is a limit for the number of attendees we can accommodate, as a number of people had to be turned away last year.

Expressions of interest for Honorary Secretary as Liz is to step down at the AGM.

11.SOCIETY STRUCTURAL REVIEW (Papers Circulated separately)

a.Branch Boundaries: The committee was surprised that a suggestion from the BPS structural review group to change the branch boundaries and split the North West Branch into two was made without discussion with the NW Branch Committee.

b.The committee agree that the geography of the Branch makes it difficult for the Branch Committee to serve the membership and does not oppose making changes that would enhance services to all members in the current NW Branch.. However there are a number of factors to consider:

c.One. The proposal to make a simple split on the basis of postcodes is problematical. It does not take into account the flow of psychologists in and out of each of the proposed new Branches. The motorway network (M6, M66, M61, M62 and M65 makes commuting from areas where house prices are low (generally but not exclusively in the North) into Greater Manchester. Psychologists who work in the Greater Manchester, Merseyside, conurbations but who live outside the area in the proposed new North West Branch are likely to identify with the area in which they practice rather than the area in which they reside. It is suggested that individual members should be permitted to chose which of the two Branches they wish to be affiliated to.

d.Two. The committee also noted that the proposed new North West Branch remains a large geographical area with relatively few psychologists in population centers that are some considerable distance from each other - in some cases that distance is significantly greater than the distance into greater Manchester or Liverpool. The committee was uncertain how this new Branch might be organized; especially if the suggestion regarding reconfiguration of Branch structure (the Northern Ireland model) is implemented. Whatever model is introduced the problem of the Isle of Man will remain.

e.Three. The committee would welcome more information on the analysis and tactical planning that has, presumably, been undertaken to, identify the viability of the broad strategic plans outlined in the structural review document.

12.IMPROVING ENGAGEMENT WITH MEMBERS

a.Distribution of minutes: This continues to happen and Jon noted that Alun Thomas in particular has been sharing Neuropsychology SIG material and has been distributing NW Branch minutes to Neuro SIG members.

Links with Society Structural Review.

13.ANNUAL REVIEW: As previous minutes.

14.LINKS WITH OTHER MEMBER NETWORKS: Jon is a member of NW DCP; the Division of Forensic Psychology and DCP Forensic Faculty Group (as well as the American Psychological Association). We also have an upcoming joint event with the NE branch and hope that this will enhance services to psychologists living in the large urban conurbations transected by the M62.

15.BRANCH CALENDAR/EVENTS PLANNER: All to continue to update although some people have had difficulties with accessing the calendar.

16.PSYPAG REPRESENTATIVE – CONFERENCE 26th – 28th JULY; No further correspondence received from John S. Esmira mentioned that she knows a uni PsyPAG rep who may be interested. Esmira to invite to the AGM.

17.ANY OTHER BUSINESS: Esmira mentioned the student mental health events that she is involved in at Liverpool University and will endeavour to encourage student involvement with the BPS and NW branch.

Martin has been in contact with Sharon from Social Psychology section regarding an event themed around media interpretations of psychological research.

DATE & LOCATION OF NEXT MEETING - 19/09/17, Manchester. Venue tbc

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