14 July 2009

Health Professions Council report on regulating therapy published - UK Council for Psychotherapy says more work to do

On Tuesday 14 July 2009 the Health Professions Council (HPC) published draft consultation on the statutory regulation of psychotherapists and counsellors.

Speaking for the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), Carmen Joanne Ablack, chair of its Standards Board, said:

'We are pleased to see this report, and to see that the HPC has accepted many of the arguments about educational and practice standards that we have made. So far, so good, however, there is still more work to do to create an acceptable way of regulating psychotherapy.'

The UKCP has two important issues that still need serious attention. First, we need a system for handling cases where a psychotherapist's fitness to practice is in doubt. UKCP has argued that the HPC's standard approach is designed for medical care. Psychotherapy and counselling will need a different approach. The fundamental difference between other health professionals and psychotherapists and counsellors is that in therapy the relationship between therapist and client or patient is the very means for delivering the benefit, while for other health professionals a good working relationship is seen as no more than an important and desirable ancillary.

David Pink, UKCP chief executive, said: 'I am pleased to see that the HPC report acknowledges that they need to do more work on professional conduct matters for therapists. We welcome HPC's commitment, and we look forward to our continued working with them on this important issue.'

Second, there are concerns about regulating child psychotherapy, therapy with children and young people. UKCP believes it is vital that specific standards address these areas. There is distinct knowledge and skills-based learning required for therapists working with children that we would want to see in all the HPC regulatory material.

Carmen Ablack said: 'We would like to see an addition to the proficiency description of psychotherapy that includes working with severe and enduring emotional distress. This would speak particularly to the very heart of psychotherapy with children.'

Overall, UKCP thinks that the Health Professions Council has addressed some important issues around educational and practice standards in this report. But the work needs to continue if it is to address the wider concerns around regulating psychotherapy. We would have been much happier to see a Psychological Professions Council set up with specialist expertise to regulate professional conduct in these professions. In order for the Health Professions Council to do these issues justice, UKCP want to see more work done on changing their complaints processes to take account of the differences between medical care and psychological care.

UKCP will respond formally to the HPC consultation once we have had a chance to study and discuss the detail in the reports that have been issued today.

For further information about the UKCP and its views on regulation please go to www.ukcp.org.uk