Strategic and methodological aspects of behavioural medicine

There is currently an expanded interest amongst clinical psychologists in extending their clinical service to other medical specialties in addition to psychiatry. The present paper considers the strategic and methodological implications of this trend. It is suggested that the efficient use of limited resources demands an expanded role, which involves the evaluation of service-related problems in addition to traditional casework. A further departure from the traditional role involves the development and refinement of measures of psychological state in clinical research trials. Examples of the way in which involvement may be exhibited on a methodological level are offered by considering psychological aspects of medication. In order to establish the clinical utility of such collaboration, it is necessary to provide biomedical personnel with empirical documentation of the benefits of attending to the psychological aspects of their clinical practice.