On-line UKCP Newsletter

UKCP - 2008 AGM
The Shape of Things to Come
Report from the Chair

The UKCP Conference and Annual General Meeting for 2008 took place from Friday the 14th of March to Sunday the 16th at the Palace Hotel in Buxton, Derbyshire. 110 delegates and registrants attended over the three days.

The conference was organised with the apt title of The Shape of Things to Come to focus discussions on the shape and role of UKCP and its future as an organisation. This was the first opportunity for UKCP Member Organisations to discuss the issues that impact our future, including the Department of Health supporting the HPC as the state regulator for psychotherapy and counselling, and the work of IAPT and Skills for Health. Those attending reflected the serious and genuine concern about both the topics under discussion and the various external events that featured in the meetings and conversations.

As the theme of the conference developed on Friday and Saturday, there was an increasing awareness of how the external threats and opportunities impact our multimodality organisation. Various communications with the Department of Health and the response by the Prime Minsters Office to the petition on you.gov show the lack of understanding about the profession that we practice. These issues are not only about regulation but also development of the profession and our careers and work opportunities. The uncertainty that we all face in regulation produces a variety of responses including anxiety, hostility and confusion.

Through the process of sharing the anxieties, outrages and possibilities (however challenging) through dialogue and participation in the conference, there was a coalescence that has been rare in recent General Meetings. It began with the presentation of Horary Fellowships to Christine Lister-Ford, Lesley Murdin, Maura Sills and Heward Wilkinson, which seemed to bring the group together and lift the atmosphere. The acknowledgement of the work of retiring officers from central and section committees and boards drew individuals together in appreciation of the huge amounts of voluntary time and energy being poured into UKCP.

We also made some of the work done by the officers and staff visible in our acknowledgement of the work done over the past year. Many of those who have contributed to the work that has brought us to this junction will go in different directions from this point. These include Mary MacCallum Sullivan, Honorary Secretary; Richard Cleminson, Chair of HIPS and Strategic Planning Advisory Group (SPAG), Bruce Kinsey, Chair of AP-PP Section; Michael Knight, Ordinary Member of the Board of Trustees; David Mazure, Ordinary Member of the Board of Trustees; Shaun Brookhouse, Chair of Hypno-Psychs Section; Sally Openshaw, Chair of FCSST.

On Sunday morning the AGM worked smoothly, with sound questioning and voicing of different interests and concerns. The main motions for change presented to the AGM were:
1. To change the shape of UKCP;
2. To choose Shape 6 as the way forward
3. To affirm that the titles for regulation that UKCP will pursue are Psychotherapist and Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.

The agreement to these motions set UKCP on a course toward a proactive, unified and mutually respectful future. By the end of proceedings the mood was positive with expressions of respect and support for difference, with acknowledgement of the diversity of interests that UKCP will be taking forward in its work to represent the profession and the titles of Psychotherapist and Psychotherapeutic Counsellor. The unity experienced in the votes for the motions reflected a great deal of unity across the modalities and showed the scope for shared experience and collaboration.

The changes made at the AGM give us the opportunity to develop an organisation that enfranchises individual registrants and moves us from having a focus as a voluntary regulator to that of a professional organisation. We will have to work hard to make the organisational changes and have structures in place to put psychotherapy and psychotherapists into public awareness as we have never done before. In order to accomplish this, we will use the successful methods that SPAG developed including consultation and workshops for the implementation of Shape 6 voted on at the AGM.

As individual registrants and member organisations we owe a great deal to those who keep working on the task of making the UKCP relevant in a changing world.

James Antrican
Chair
UKCP

Implementation of NICE Guidelines on Depression and Anxiety

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guidelines on depression and anxiety recommend counseling and psychotherapy as the treatment of choice as part of a planned 'stepped care'. However despite the Government's manifesto commitment to mental health, these guidelines are only very slowly being implemented. Given that some statistics show that only a quarter of those who with anxiety and depression are receiving treatment, which in most cases is medication, not therapy, maybe it is time for the Government to honour its pledge and to ensure that the NICE guidelines are put into practice. You can view the NICE guidelines on Depression (CG23) and Anxiety (CG22) as a PDF file by using these links.

Candidates in Training 

UKCP has launched the new Candidates in Training scheme. The scheme has been introduced to advance those people who have committed to a UKCP Member Organisation psychotherapy training.

UKCP are now offering Candidates (pre-Registrants) the chance to join an informal network where they can source information on training opportunities and career development. UKCP is seeking to develop the UK psychotherapy profession by supporting and developing the next generation of psychotherapists. For further information, click here.

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