You may have heard allegations that the regulation policies of UKCP have not been properly developed or scrutinised before they have been published. The Board has asked me to issue this statement to reassure people about our inclusive approach to policy development.
David Pink, Chief Executive
Regulation
UKCP is in favour of clear and robust professional regulation. This has always been and continues to be our position.
Central to our charitable objectives, is that we work to ensure that regulation is designed in a way that is suitable for psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors and their clients. We have criticised the proposed Health Professions Council (HPC) regulation that is being brought in by government because we are not confident that in its current form it will deliver this, and recognise the upset and fear that this has caused in large sections of our profession.
It is therefore right that in fulfilling our responsibilities as a membership body, and in fulfilling our charitable objectives, we are able to criticise government regulatory proposals and to ask 'awkward' questions. This is not an anti-regulation stance but actually a very necessary part of securing the best regulation for the profession.
It would be wrong for us to act only in the interests of those who are uncritically in favour of HPC regulation, just as it would be wrong to act only in the interests of those who oppose HPC regulation. Our multi-track approach seeks to engage in order to ensure that our members' interests have a voice and our concerns as a profession are addressed.
The multi-track approach
Our multi-track approach has three aspects, covering:
Track 1 We continue to negotiate to get the best possible deal for those psychotherapists who are happy with the proposal that the Health Professions Council should regulate their practice
Track 2 We call for a convention to discuss alternative futures for the profession for those psychotherapists who have serious concerns about HPC regulation
Track 3 We intend to ensure that those who feel simply not able to continue to practise as a psychotherapist under HPC regulation are governed by alternative professional regulation.
A thorough approach to policy development
I can assure you that our policy on regulation has been subject to a very full process of debate and consultation.
Following the election for UKCP Chair last year, our policy on regulation has been discussed twice by the Board of Trustees and at our new independent Psychotherapy Council which is made up of 48 members from a wide cross section of the profession. The Council has had a full and robust debate on regulation policy, and has heard contributions from individuals who support and those who oppose the multi-track approach.
The Board of Trustees are convinced that, having had these debates, our new approach means we will accommodate and represent the viewpoints of all our members rather than allow one group to dictate UKCP's policy in an unrepresentative way. Our Board of Trustees is not dominated by one individual and includes independently-minded professional and lay trustees, who question and challenge to ensure the organisation remains true to its charitable purpose.
UKCP's Chair
During last year's elections the organisation's stance on regulation was both a key feature and a highly contested aspect of the debate that ensued. We recognise that the painful effect of that debate is still being felt among members. The election attracted an unusually high turnout with almost 50% of members voting, which we believe shows how important the issue is to members. The result was decisive with two-thirds of votes being cast for Andrew Samuels, whose manifesto endorsed a multi-track approach.
Moving forward
UKCP's policy on regulation is fully supported of the Board of Trustees. And Andrew Samuels carries the full support of the Board of Trustees as Chair of UKCP. The Board would like to stress that were Andrew not Chair of UKCP, they would still pursue the multi-track policy on regulation.
Most of our effort so far has focused on track one of our multi-track policy - working to improve HPC regulation - and rightly so. Because we have engaged HPC in debate, raised concerns with them and asked tough questions which need addressing, they have asked us to critique their fitness to practise system. UKCP as an organisation continues to be at the forefront with Carmen Ablack and Kathi Murphy continuing to represent us at HPC in a variety of ways. We also are planning to hold an HPC training day.
We have some very promising work going on and, as soon as we have more substantial fruits, will have a formal consultation on how we go forward with our multi-track approach.
On behalf of the Board, I hope that we have been able to reassure you that UKCP will continue to support a responsible, inclusive approach to the regulation of psychotherapy and I hope you will take part in that consultation in due course.
David Pink, Chief Executive
On behalf of the trustees and officers of UKCP
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