There are many similarities between these psychological disciplines, so it’s easy to miss the subtle distinctions in their objectives, methods, and approaches. When you register with HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council), most types of psychologist roles come under the same category of “practitioner psychologist”.
According to the HCPC, both clinical and health psychologists engage in:
“the scientific study of people, the mind and behaviour…[and] attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behaviour.”
They’re both applied psychologist roles, working with patients to improve their behavioural outcomes and mental wellbeing. They also use many of the same principles and tools to achieve their aims – assessing patients and applying an understanding of human biology and behaviour to treat them.
However, clinical psychology and health psychology are not the same. The main difference lies in the perspective they approach patients from, and therefore the types of cases they each specialise in treating.