In recent years, the pressures on production companies have grown significantly. Managing contributor welfare, meeting Ofcom’s requirements around the use of 'qualified specialists' to provide duty of care support, and navigating increasing public and regulatory scrutiny have become core parts of production planning.
These challenges are familiar to anyone working in development, casting or production management, particularly on formats that involve members of the public or sensitive subject matter.
At the British Psychological Society (BPS), we have welcomed the industry’s efforts to strengthen duty of care, often under demanding timeframes and with limited access to specialist support.
To help address this, the Society launched the Directory of Media Production Psychologists (DMPP) which is a new resource connecting production teams with chartered psychologists who have experience working in media contexts. Where relevant, many of these psychologists also hold Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration, offering an additional layer of assurance for regulated roles.
The Directory brings together professionals whose expertise span contributor assessment, risk management, staff wellbeing, behavioural analysis, and the psychological dimensions of storytelling.
While duty of care is often the first priority, psychological input can also add value in areas that may not receive the same attention, including script accuracy, the credibility of behavioural portrayals, and shaping storylines involving sensitive themes.
Productions already using psychological support tell us that the benefits often extend far beyond safeguarding: it can strengthen authenticity, reduce avoidable on‑set issues, and support more confident decision‑making in production teams.
We know that many production companies already work with psychologists in different ways. But access to reliable, appropriately qualified specialists is not always straightforward, and finding the right person at the right time can be difficult, especially when schedules are tight. The DMPP aims to make this easier by providing a trusted route to professionally accountable experts who understand both psychological practice and the realities of production environments.
Share Your
Feedback
As we develop this resource further, we are keen to hear directly from people working in the industry.
Every production is different, and it is essential that the Directory reflects the realities and pressures that teams face. We are therefore inviting production professionals to speak with us about:
- the challenges you encounter when seeking psychological support
- the skills, experience and responsiveness you need from specialists
- what would make the process of commissioning psychological expertise more efficient and reliable
- how the Directory can evolve to support your workflows
If you would be willing to share your perspective, even briefly, we would very much like to hear from you. To get in touch or to learn more about the Directory, please email: rachel.scudamore@bps.org.uk.
Your insight will directly shape how this resource grows and how the BPS supports production teams in meeting both their duty‑of‑care responsibilities and their creative ambitions.