The Professional Standards Authority has launched a consultation into the future shape of its Accredited Registers programme.

The programme provides oversight of a number of registers for health and social care professionals – such as ours - that are not regulated by law.

The PSA’s consultation asks whether the programme is still an appropriate regulatory mechanism for the occupations it covers – including counselling and psychotherapy – and looks at what can be done to improve it.

It also asks for views on how the programme can become self-funding in 2021 to 2022.

In the consultation document, the PSA says: “This is the first time since the programme was introduced in 2012 that we are undertaking a thorough review of its effectiveness. The programme has not achieved the levels of recognition and use which were originally envisaged.

“We think it is timely to consider whether it is an appropriate way of overseeing the occupations within its scope, and if so, how it can be improved.”

We’ll provide an organisational response to the consultation and are looking to find out more about our members’ views on the review.

We’ll be in touch with more details about how you can feed back to us on this in the new year.

You can also take part in the consultation individually.

Read more about the consultation and take part.

The deadline for submitting responses to the consultation is 18 February 2021.