Future-Proof Changes in Dutch Healthcare: Impact on the Governance of the Postgraduate Psychology Training

Abstract

Background: The changing and increasing demand for healthcare has consequences for education as the foundation for professional healthcare practice. This contributes to the urgency of the improvement of mental healthcare by a revision of the Postgraduate Psychology internships. Purpose: Exploration of several forms of network governance, in order to find the most suitable one, to perpetuate the desired future regional cooperation in postgraduate internships for psychologists and to achieve national goals. Method: A literature review of various forms of network governance mirrored to a real-life case study of a cooperation in a postgraduate internship program in a Mental health Institute. Results: Three proven effective formats of network governance were compared: the “Shared Governed Network” (SGN); the “Lead Organization Governed Network” (LOGN) and the “Network Administrative Organization” (NAO). Several predictors of the success of a particular format of governance were evaluated: mutual trust between participants, the number of participants, consensus on the purpose of the network and the need for network skills, shared ambition, mutual gains (interests), relationship dynamics, organizational dynamics, and process management. Conclusion: Based on the literature review, the Lead Organization Governed Network (LOGN) appears to offer the highest potential for effective, sustainable and flexible collaboration in Postgraduate internship for Psychologists.