UK Council for Psychotherapy appoints new Chief Executive
James Antrican , Chair of the Board of Trustees for the UK Council for Psychotherapy announced today that David Pink has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive.
James said,
"We are very pleased to have a person of David's expertise and background joining the UKCP in the most senior role at a critical time in our development both as an organisation and in the profession of psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic counselling.
"UK Council for Psychotherapy represents psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic counselling within the current rubric of psychological therapies in the United Kingdom and Europe. With the threats and opportunities posed by the likelihood of regulation of the profession by the Health Professions Council (HPC), the work being undertaken by Skills for Health (S4H), Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the government's social welfare/mental health agenda, David's background will provide leadership and guidance to strengthen UKCP's charitable aims. This includes promoting high standards of training and practice in psychotherapy and the wider provision of psychotherapy for the public."
David Pink said,
"I am very pleased to be joining the UK Council for Psychotherapy at a key point in its development.
"Psychotherapists are entering a new relationship with society, with the introduction of statutory regulation imminent. And psychological/talking therapies are being dramatically moved into the NHS mainstream as a result of the IAPT (Improved Access to Psychological Therapies) programme. Skills For Health are developing national occupational standards. These and other changes are developments that psychotherapists can welcome, but it is inevitable that such changes will have a fundamental effect professionally.
"UKCP and its member organisations need to shape the changes that are underway in the best interests of clients and therapists. With regulation, professional standards, and service availability all changing, it is inevitable that UKCP itself will need to change - the model of an umbrella organisation for professional self-regulation has served psychotherapy well for the past 15 years, but we will need a new model that suits new professional circumstances.
"It is evident that UKCP is rising to these challenges in 2009, and I look forward to starting work in May and playing my part in charting a course towards meeting our charitable aims and using our organisation and influence to ensure that the public has access to psychological therapies of the highest standards."
- Ends -
Notes
1. UKCP is exists to promote and maintain the profession of psychotherapy and the highest standards in the practice of psychotherapy throughout the United Kingdom, for the benefit of the public.
2. David Pink joins UKCP as its new chief executive on 18 May 2009. David is currently chief executive of National Voices, an umbrella group for users of health and social care. David has a background in national policy development for healthcare, including having worked for the Department of Health and NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence).
3. The UKCP is considering a new constitution at its AGM on 15 March 2009.
Media enquiries:
Sandra Fletcher, Communications Officer: sandra.fletcher@ukcp.org.uk 020 7014 9973
 |
| David Pink |
UK Council for Psychotherapy | Registered Charity No. 1058545 | Company No. 3258939 Registered in England
|
