Health Professions Council Public Liaison Group
Counsellors and Psychotherapists
26 & 27 May 2009

The final two day meeting in this phase of the Professional Liaison Group (PLG) took place on 26 and 27 May 2009 and we present our comments on the outcomes below. We think that the recommendations of the PLG are potentially problematic for both counsellors / psychotherapists and practitioner training courses. The next stage in the process is a consultation which we anticipate will take place between July and October 2009. We will notify members when the consultation period begins so that you have the opportunity to respond. We hope that all members will want to contribute. In advance of this if you have any immediate comments to make then please forward these to sally.aldridge@bacp.co.uk

The PLG has been working on common Standards of Proficiency (SoPs) for counselling and psychotherapy. These standards are important key indicators of the level of professional activity of counsellors and psychotherapists. Across Standards 1 and 2, the criteria are common across counselling and psychotherapy. SoP1 relates to expectations of a health professional and covers professional autonomy and accountability and professional relationships. SoP2 relates to the skills required for the application of practice and covers the identification and assessment of health and social care needs; formulation and delivery of plans and strategies for meeting health and social care needs and critical evaluation of the impact of, or response to, the registrant's actions.

In section 3 of the Standards - SoP3: knowledge, understanding and skills - an area of difference was identified by the PLG. This was in section 3a.1 know and understand the key concepts of the bodies of knowledge which are relevant to their profession specific practice. In this Standard there are approximately 10 common SoPs for both counsellors and psychotherapists with three differentiated ones for psychotherapy, as follows:

• Understand typical presentation of severe mental disorder.
• Understand methods of diagnosis of several mental disorder appropriate to the approach and be able to conduct appropriate diagnostic procedures.
• Understand and be able to implement treatment methods to address symptoms and causes of severe mental disorder.

Then two specific to counselling, as follows:

• Understand theories and research on mental health and wellbeing and obstacles to wellbeing and be able to use those to facilitate client development.
• Understand theory and research concerning life problems, issues and transitions that commonly lead to individuals to seek counselling and be able to use these to inform practice.

Sections 3a.2 and 3a.3 contains standards generic to counselling and psychotherapy.

So, we have a situation where there are around 40 Standards generic to both counsellors and psychotherapists, with a further 3 specific to psychotherapy and 2 specific to counselling. Nevertheless, despite the fact that the majority of the SoPs are generic to both counselling and psychotherapy, the proposed threshold levels for entry to the register are level 5 (equivalent to Diploma level) for counselling and level 7 for psychotherapy (equivalent to Masters level). BACP has consistently opposed any differentiation between counselling and psychotherapy. This proposed disparity is not based on clear evidence or research and it appears that the PLG recommendations may create two professions, in a hierarchical relationship. BACP believes there is a lack of evidence upon which to base this far-reaching disparity between counselling and psychotherapy and we registered our disagreement at the PLG meeting on 27th May.

Also at the 26-27th PLG meeting, the group made recommendations on the criteria for voluntary registers. Any voluntary register that applies to the HPC and is judged to meet the criteria provides its registrants with the option of an automatic transfer to the HPC register.

The Group also made recommendations on the protection of the title counsellor. As you may be aware there had been a query as to whether the title of counsellor could be protected on its own because of its use in non therapeutic contexts. The recommendations of the group are that the title should be protected but recognise that this may require an amendment to the Health Professions Order 2001.

Reports on previous meetings can be found on the Regulation pages of the website and copies of the HPC PLG agenda, papers and minutes can be found on the HPC website, www.hpc-uk.org.