Is the HPC Legal? STOP AND THINK! says new EU report.

Is the HPC Legal? Stop and Think! says the new report issued by The National Council for Psychotherapy.

Italian Barrister Alessandro Amicarelli was commissioned to make a full analysis of the developments of work conducted towards proposed legislation on statutory regulation of psychological therapy practitioners in the UK via the HPC. What follows is a selection of information commentary and quotes from the first half of this important document. Go to the NCP website to download a pdf for yourself.

Richard Mark of the NCP will go to Westminster Hall on Monday and present Anne Milton with a bound copy of the report, together with a full pack of appendices.

Amicarelli’s 72 page report begins by reminding us that the UK does not have a tradition of State intervention in the liberal professions, and in fact is amongst the most liberal countries in the European Union with respect to regulation. Or at least we used to be. However, after reading this report we may well wonder whether we are about to wander off this noble liberal track and turn into something a lot less familiar.

The report clarifies the most perplexing questions and comes up with some surprises:

• Is this state or statutory regulation? It is statutory, but only because the state has abdicated its responsibility.

• Is HPC independent of or accountable to the Government? It is independent, but only because the state has abdicated its responsibility.

• Is there or is there not a link between HPC, SfH, NIMHE, IAPT etc. NO! But only because the State has not thought it through.

• Why have counselling and psychotherapy not been given their own regulatory body (like doctors, dentists, pharmacists etc)? Who can say? Nobody knows.

• Why is there a different approach to regulation of doctors, dentists, midwives and other related health professions? Who can say? Does anybody care?

• What are the similarities and differences between HPC and its predecessor CPSM? The CPSM allowed professionals to choose, the HPC removes choice.