Guidance on the use of the Title Consultant Psychologist

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Marylou Morrison
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1 Guidace o the use of the Title Cosultat Psychologist

2 If you have problems readig this documet ad would like it i a differet format, please cotact us with your specific requiremets. Tel: ; mail@bps.org.uk.

3 1 Itroductio 1.1. This guidace is produced by the BPS i relatio to the adoptio ad use of the title Cosultat by ay Psychologist to describe themselves ad to promote themselves to colleagues ad the geeral public. The purpose is to provide guidace ad advice to idividual psychologists, ad to those ivolved i the recruitmet ad employmet of psychologists about the appropriate use of the title. It is also iteded to fuctio as a referece documet i relatio to complaits or cocers raised withi the BPS or HCPC The BPS does ot have ay direct cotrol over the adoptio or use of the title by its members. It is issuig this guidace i its role as the professioal body for psychologists to provide clear iformatio o expected stadards for psychologists presetatio to the geeral public, protectio of the public ad also i relatio to the reputatioal itegrity of the professio. 1.3 This guidace will be of value to: Employers who are cosiderig whether a post should be described as a cosultat level positio. Those cosiderig employig or commissioig services from someoe who describes themselves as a cosultat. Idividual psychologists who are cosiderig applyig for cosultat posts. Idividual psychologists who might wish to use the title to describe themselves to others, either colleagues, other orgaisatios or the public This documet updates ad replaces earlier guidace from the BPS. 2. Use of the Cosultat Title 2.1. The use of the term cosultat geerally does ot have a formal defiitio. 2.2 Withi the medical field it is used by doctors who have cosiderable experiece ad prove expertise demostrated through examiatio withi their respective Royal Colleges. The use of this title would therefore be see to reflect both seiority ad specialist expertise. 2.3 Withi the NHS it is used for applied psychologists who are employed i Bad 9, 8C ad 8D positios. 3. Geeral Professioal Guidace 3.1. All psychologists who are members of the BPS are expected to work to the stadards set out i the British Psychological Society s Code of Ethics ad Coduct. The code is based o four ethical priciples which costitute the mai domais of resposibility withi which Psychologists may ecouter ethical issues. The priciples are: Respect, Competece, Resposibility ad Itegrity. The Code ca be foud o the BPS website. 3.2 The HCPC provides stadards for practitioer psychologists who are registered withi them. Stadard 9 of the Stadards for Coduct, Performace ad Ethics (HCPC, 2016) icludes two relevat statemets: 9.2 You must be hoest about your experiece, qualificatios ad skills. 9.3 You must make sure that ay promotioal activities you are ivolved i are accurate ad are ot likely to mislead Ay complait agaist a practitioer psychologist s use of the title cosultat through the HCPC would utilise this guidace as oe aspect of the evidece base. Complaits ca be made via the Fitess to Practice Departmet at ftp@hcpc-uk.org. Guidace o the use of the Title Cosultat Psychologist 1

4 3.4. The Natioal Assessor provisio sits withi the BPS ad is recogised by the Departmet of Health as the source of expertise ad quality assurace i relatio to the use of the cosultat title. Natioal Assessors provide guidace o the Appoitmet of Cosultat Psychologists that outlies the kowledge, competecies ad experiece required for a post to be desigated as cosultat level stated as those associated with a NHS 8c or higher positio. This icludes completio of a accredited postgraduate doctoral level traiig, substatial experiece i a wide variety of settigs ad substatial high level kowledge ad skills. Iformatio o all these areas ca be foud o the BPS website. The Natioal Assessors ca be cotacted via atioal-assessors@bps.org.uk. Whilst the Natioal Assessors work primarily i health ad social care the system is applicable across all areas of psychology ad Natioal Assessors are willig to advise ad provide guidace i relatio to job descriptios ad titles. 4. BPS Guidace for members 4.1 The BPS recommeds that ay member cosiderig their eligibility ad the appropriateess of adoptig the cosultat title should make use of the Natioal Assessor framework, stadards ad methods. 4.2 Psychologists cosiderig usig the title cosultat outside of the NHS should cosider whether their ow traiig, experiece, skills ad competecies are reflective of those of a NHS cosultat i order to esure they do ot mislead the public. The BPS does ot cosider that it is acceptable practice for a idividual to decide that they may adopt this title without some exteral review ad validatio that ca be autheticated agaist the Natioal Assessor stadards; the Natioal Assessors are available for advice ad guidace i this matter. 4.3 The BPS would advise that all psychologists who are eligible to do so should use their protected title. The term cosultat should be used oly ahead of a full protected title, e.g. cosultat cousellig psychologist. Ay exceptio to this would require advice from the Natioal Assessor. 4.4 People who have held the title cosultat ad the leave, or retire from, a NHS or other post, are advised that they may cotiue usig the title where it is appropriate to their curret work ad agaist some exteral review. 4.5 There is a differece, by implicatio, betwee a cosultat psychologist ad a psychologist who provides cosultatios. Where the latter is meat this should be made clear by a descriptio of services rather tha by title. 5. Refereces British Psychological Society s Code of Ethics ad Coduct. Leicester, BPS. (accessed 16/01/2017) Health ad Care Professios Coucil (2016) Stadards of Coduct, Performace ad Ethics. Lodo HCPC. (accessed 16/01/2017) 2 The British Psychological Society

5 The British Psychological Society St Adrews House, 48 Pricess Road East, Leicester LE1 7DR, UK Tel: Fax Website: Icorporated by Royal Charter Registered Charity No INF279/

Code of Ethics and Conduct. Guidance published by the Ethics Committee of the British Psychological Society

Code of Ethics and Conduct. Guidance published by the Ethics Committee of the British Psychological Society Code of Ethics ad Coduct Guidace published by the Ethics Committee of the British Psychological Society August 2009 This code was writte by the Ethics Committee of the British Psychological Society. Published