The responsibility and respect of the public

Dear Dr Anna van der Gaag (President of the HPC)

You were kind enough to welcome us as members of the public, to the first meeting of the PLG for Counselling and Psychotherapy (4 December). In now occurs to me that you might be the person to ask for something quite mundane yet vital in preparation for the next two day ordeal (28 and 29 January).

I found it very uncomfortable at the last meeting partly on account of the strange arrangement of the seating. I had expected to be seated in a 'public gallery' which would afford me the opportunity to view the proceedings and aid my listening and understanding. As it turned out, we were crammed into a corner, and forced to look at the backs of several heads. It was often difficult to know who was speaking as the name tags were not at all visible, this made it difficult for me to follow the discussion at times.

I am rather dreading the repeat of this experience, especially as it will be spread over two days. I have raised this with Messrs Bendall and Seale, but have yet to receive a reply.

But the discomfort of the public gallery was also caused by the substance of the meeting. For example, there were two members of the HPC panel present in this meeting who took up a lot of valuable time apparently reassuring the new professional representatives that in spite of widespread objections from the profession, resistance was going to be futile. This might have been amusing had it been said succinctly, but it was said more than once and at length, which suggests that humour was not the intention. This was odd - what can have been their meaning? Resistance is futile. Wasn't this what the Borg were famous for saying? I should very much have liked to have asked.

A second occasion arose when the spokesman for Skills for Health said there was evidence that 5% of therapists were a serious threat to the public. Can this really be true? Shocking! The HPC say that only 0.23% of other professions represent such a menace. No-one on the committee challenged him. Someone should have. I did wonder whether we had a duty in the public gallery to shout out at that point. What would happen if a voice of conscience were to emit from the back of the room?

It is difficult to know where to post one's questions in all this, and this is why I have finally come up with the idea to write to you. There was more than one moment in the proceedings when our quiet cramped corner was shuffling and muttering under its breath as some committee member or other talked rot. Perhaps there could be a way for the meeting to tolerate or even benefit from some of this frustration. After all, any theatre, even a court of law, can benefit from the feedback of the audience if the performance is outstanding in any way. I hope that the Chairman of the Group is capable of tolerating a groan, a guffaw, or a gasp at least issuing from the back of the room, tho I am sure this would be altogether better managed if we were first accorded the dignity of a properly constructed space.

I do hope you are able to respond.

Yours sincerely