UKAHPP Register of Humanistic Psychotherapists and Psychotherapeutic Counsellors –

Introduction

This document governs the re-accreditation of UKAHPP Higher Accredited Registered Members in the categories of Psychotherapist and Psychotherapeutic Counsellor including Member Emeritus and Honorary Life Members who remain in practice.

The purpose of Re-Accreditation is to ensure that UKAHPP standards of practice are maintained in the interest of public protection with the purpose of:

  • Promoting reflective and informed practice within a Continual Professional Development framework
  • Underpinning and supporting the refinement of best practice for the benefit of service users and the advancement of Humanistic approaches

The conditions set out in this document are subject to continuing compliance with the UKAHPP Annual Declaration and Notification of Practice Renewal requirements and are to be read in conjunction with the:

  • UKAHPP Continual Professional Development and Supervision Policy
  • UKAHPP Code of Practice and Ethical Principles.

The requirements contained in this policy are in addition to UKAHPP Annual Declaration and Notification of Practice Renewal requirements.

Unless agreed with the Accreditation Committee Chair, there will be no direct communication, email or otherwise, between applicants and any member of the Accreditation Committee. All correspondence will be conducted via the UKAHPP Administrator.

The UKAHPP Psychotherapist Re-Accreditation Policy complies with the UKCP Re-Accreditation Policy.

PART A: Re-Accreditation Criteria

  1. Written Self Appraisal Statement
    1. Applicants are required to submit as part of their application a written Self Appraisal Statement about their practice, including:
      • How their practice has developed over the past 5 years
      • Caseload demographics for each re-accreditation year
      • Continual Personal and Professional Development strengths and specialities
      • Areas for future development/training – weaknesses and preferences
      • Use of Supervision
      • Contribution to the development of UKAHPP and the wider profession
    2. The Self Appraisal Statement will form the basis of a face-to-face Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting in which all re-accreditation applicants are required to participate – See Part B.
  2. Caseload
    1. For the first five year cycle following initial accreditation Psychotherapists and Psychotherapeutic Counsellors are required to maintain a caseload of 6 clients per week and a minimum of 3 clients per week in subsequent re-accreditation cycles.
  3. Supervision
    1. All Full Accredited Members in practice, including Member Emeritus and other merit classes of membership, are required to engage in supervision consistent with their training and client group.
    2. Supervision is a professional and supportive relationship with an identified supervisor, with the purpose of enhancing clinical effectiveness through reflective practice, with particular emphasis on exploration of significant aspects of the therapeutic relationship and process.
    3. During the first phase of re-accreditation, it is a requirement for one-to-one supervision to be established with a more experienced practitioner in the same approach or modality as the supervisee and who holds UKAHPP Accreditation or equivalent.
    4. During the first phase of re-accreditation (i.e. at first re-accreditation) peer and group supervision cannot be included as part of re-accreditation supervision hours.
    5. On-line and telephone supervision hours are acceptable.
    6. All Full Accredited Members in practice are required to undertake a minimum of 90 minutes of supervision per month.
    7. For CPD, re-accreditation, and registration audit purposes, all Full Accredited Members are required to maintain a record of all supervision sessions, including: name of supervisor, format (individual, group, and peer) date, number of supervisees if group.
    8. Where a Member has a break in practice for one year or over, a signed return to practice declaration from their supervisor is to be submitted to the Accreditation Committee in accordance with UKAHPP Breaks in Practice requirements – See UKAHPP Continual Professional Development and Supervision Policy.
    9. When a Member is faced with unfamiliar client issues or encounters periods of personal stress, they should seek additional supervision in accordance with the UKAHPP Code of Practice and Ethical Principles.
    10. All Re-Accreditation applicants are required to submit a signed supervisor’s report incorporating feedback about the applicant’s re-accreditation application.
    11. With regards to peer group supervision, any group member holding UKAHPP Accreditation or equivalent may submit a supervisor’s report of behalf of a supervision group for the second and subsequent re-accreditation cycles.
  4. Personal Therapy
    1. The UKAHPP expects accredited members to self-monitor and engage in personal therapy when needed, taking note of advice from colleagues when necessary.
  5. Continual Professional Development (CPD)
    1. Full Accredited Members are required to undertake a minimum of 250 hours in any 5-year period, with at least 20 hours in any single year.
    2. A record of all CPD activities is to be maintained, including certificates of attendance and evidence demonstrating how developments in their core approach and understanding of other theories have informed their practice.
    3. CPD activities include workshops, courses, conferences, lectures, peer group meetings, research, writing articles for publication, and informal activities such as webinars and private study.
    4. Holding office on UKAHPP Committees, the Board of Directors and appointed working parties may be included in CPD hours to a maximum of 10% of required hours.
    5. Personal therapy and supervision form part of a member’s CPD but are not included in CPD hours.
    6. The Re-Accreditation process requires Accredited Members to indicate what areas of CDP they may engage with during the forthcoming 5 year accreditation period.
  6. Breaks in Practice
    1. Life circumstances may bring about breaks in practice, whether owing to illness or a planned sabbatical.
    2. If a member is out of practice for more than 3 months they are required to inform the Accreditation Committee Chair via the Association’s Administrator.
    3. If a member has a break in practice of 6 months and over their registration status will be withdrawn and read ‘Not in Practice’‘.
    4. A member is required to inform the UKAHPP Administrator when they return to practice.
    5. Accredited Members with a break in practice between 6-18 months are required to undertake CPD training as specified by the UKAHPP Accreditation Committee and to be completed within 12 months of returning to practice for ‘accreditation’ status to be restored under the auspices of UKAHPP – see UKAHPP Continual Professional Development and Supervision Policy.
    6. Registrants and Accredited Members with a break in practice exceeding 18 months are required to undertake CPD training as specified by the UKAHPP Accreditation Committee and to be completed with 12 months of returning to practice for ‘accreditation’ to be restored under the auspices of UKAHPP.
    7. UKAHPP Accreditation status will not be reinstated following breaks in practice in excess of 6 months until the member has provided sufficient evidence of the completion of CPD requirements set by the Accreditation Committee.
    8. Breaks in practice of 6 months and over are to be detailed in the Re-Accreditation Application Form.
    9. Breaks in practice may affect a member’s accreditation and registration status.
  7. Professional Indemnity Insurance
    1. All Accredited Members are required to maintain continuous and appropriate professional indemnity insurance cover, or equivalent employee workplace cover, at all times while they are in practice and to provide details of such cover if requested by UKAHPP.
  8. Complaints
    1. All Accredited Members are required to declare details of any criminal convictions or professional complaints currently being investigated or upheld over the past 5 years.
    2. The Accreditation Committee will liaise with the UKAHPP Registrar and with other organisations regarding complaints brought against an accredited member seeking re-accreditation.
  9. Therapeutic Executor
    1. Full Accredited Members are required to appoint a Therapeutic Executor, or have an alternative arrangement with their employer, to ensure that in the event of sudden, prolonged or permanent absence, their clients will be informed and alternative arrangements made as necessary. See UKAHPP Guidelines.
  10. Deferred Re-Accreditation
    1. In exceptional circumstances (such as prolonged serious illness, injury, maternity leave, bereavement, sabbatical etc) a Member’s Re-accreditation may be deferred at the discretion of the Accreditation Committee for period not in excess of 12 months – see UKAHPP Continual Professional Development and Supervision Policy.
    2. A member may elect to ‘lapse’ their UKAHPP Accreditation at anytime during a re-accreditation cycle and may continue to practice under the auspices of UKAHPP as an Ordinary Member (Registered) on the basis that their professional standing does not undermine public confidence in the register and that they continue to adhere to UKAHPP Annual Registration Renewal requirements.
    3. A member whose accreditation has been ‘lapsed’ for a period less than 12 months may apply for their accreditation status to be restored by submitting a Re-Accreditation Application – this will alter their previous re-accreditation cycle.
    4. A member whose accreditation has been ‘lapsed’ for a period in excess of 12 months may apply for their accreditation to be restored by submitting a new Accreditation Application – see UKAHPP website.
    5. When an Accredited Member fails to submit a re-accreditation application within 6 months of their re-accreditation renewal date despite repeated requests and has not negotiated a deferment with the Accreditation Committee, their accreditation will not be renewed and their status on the UKAHPP Registration will read ‘Lapsed: Not in Practice’ the Accreditation Committee will refer the matter to the UKAHPP General Secretary – see below.
  11. Submission of Re-Accreditation Application
    1. Before applying for Re-Accreditation members are advised to check the UKAHPP Website to ensure they are aware of the current criteria and are using the most recent version of the UKAHPP Re-Accreditation Application Form.
    2. The Application Form should be completed in 12 point black Arial font and returned with other supporting documents as PDF email attachments to [email protected]

PART B: Appraisal Process

  1. Re-Accreditation Verification
    1. A Re-Accreditation Panel will be appointed by the Accreditation Committee with delegated responsibility for processing all aspects of the Re-Accreditation process for a defined group of members applying for Re-Accreditation.
    2. The Re-Accreditation Panel will conduct a Verification Check of a member’s application against the published UKAHPP Re-Accreditation Criteria and record their findings with any comments on a Verification Form with reference to:
      • Professional Standing: Registration status and complaints
      • Continual Professional Development Requirements: 250 hours
      • Caseload: Minimum of 3 – 6 clients per week
      • Supervision: Minimum of 1.5 hours per month and Supervisors Report
      • Personal Therapy: Optional
      • Breaks in Practice
      • Professional Indemnity Insurance – for each re-accreditation year
      • Therapeutic Executor
    3. Following completion of the Verification Process, applicants who have not met the Re-Accreditation Criteria, due to criteria omissions or non-compliance with the Re-Accreditation process, will not be progressed further. The reasons for this will be outlined in the member’s Re-Accreditation Report – see section below.
  2. Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting
    1. Following successful completion of the Verification Process, the provisional date allocated for the member’s Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting will be confirmed with a minimum of 28 days notice.
    2. The UKAHPP Accreditation Committee will provide group members via email information about the requirements and structure of the Self and Appraisal Group Process, along with Peer Appraisal Forms – a supply of hard copies will be made available at the group meeting.
    3. Whether a deferment is negotiated with the Accreditation Committee or not, if a Member fails to attend their allocated Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting, they are required to attend the next scheduled group meeting. Failure to do so will affect their Accreditation status.
    4. All Re-Accreditation Applicants are required to attend and participate fully in a face-to-face Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting normally consisting of 6 – 8 Re-Accreditation applicants.
    5. Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meetings will have a minimum of two Psychotherapists and two Psychotherapeutic Counsellors in any group or be category specific.
    6. The Self and Peer Appraisal process will be facilitated by two Re-Accreditation Panel Members who will hold the structure and boundaries of the group meeting including time keeping – they will NOT participate in the peer group process or comment on a member’s Self Appraisal Statement.
    7. Each Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting will commence with an introduction to allow for orientation to the process. Once all members have completed the Self and Peer Appraisal Process, time will be allocated for reflection and feedback.
    8. The Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meetings will be structured with allocated time for:
      • Self Appraisal: Presentation of Self Appraisal Statement; Clarifying Questions
      • Peer Appraisal: Challenging feedback; Positive feedback; Suggestions
    9. Audio recording of the procedure is optional with the agreement of all group members.
    10. Group Members will complete a Peer Appraisal Form (provided) for each peer group member and return to the UKAHPP Administrator as an anonymously referenced email attachment within 14 days of the Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting.
    11. In accordance with the Equality Act 2010 reasonable adjustments to the Re-accreditation Process may be agreed on an individual basis with the Accreditation Committee Chair, to enable a member to participate in all aspects of the Re-Accreditation Process. If reasonable adjustment cannot be agreed the member’s Re-Accreditation will be deferred.
  3. Re-Accreditation Report
    1. The Peer Appraisal Forms will be reviewed by three Re-Accreditation Panel Members – the two members who facilitated the Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting and the additional member.
    2. The Re-Accreditation Panel will formulate a Re-Accreditation Report for each member of a Self and Peer Appraisal Group (attendees and non-attendees) combining information from the verification process, the member’s Self Appraisal Statement and Peer Appraisal Forms. The Re-Accreditation Panel Report will confirm one of three outcomes:
      • Renewal: Which may include some suggestions or optional recommendations
      • Conditional Renewal: Subject to requirements emerging from the Self and Peer Appraisal Process at the Re-Accreditation Panel’s discretion which must be fulfilled with specified deadline.
      • Withdraw of Accreditation: Applied to cases that give rise to fitness to practice concerns and will be referred for investigation.
    3. The Re-Accreditation Panel via the UKAHPP Administrator will send within 28 days of the Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting, an Accreditation Report to each group member as part of a Re-Accreditation Pack (see below).
    4. The Re-Accreditation Report will include any conditions and right of appeal. It will also include a detailed summary of those aspects of the Re-Accreditation Criteria and Appraisal Process that have not been met and detail any measures that need to be taken to restore accreditation status – if applicable.
  4. Omissions and Non-Compliance
    1. The Accreditation Panel may defer accreditation renewal (pre or post Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting) for a period not in excess of 6 months during which time the member is required to provide evidence as to how they taken measures to comply with minor Re-Accreditation Criteria omissions – Accreditation Status will not be affected during this 6 month period.
    2. In cases where there are omissions to the Re-Accreditation Criteria that cannot be rectified within a 6 month period and do not pose a threat to public confidence or undermine the member’s professional standing , the member’s accreditation status will not be renewed but they may be permitted to continue in practice under the auspices of the UKAHPP as an Ordinary Member (Registered) on condition of continue to continued compliance with UKAHPP Annual Registration Renewal requirements – the UKAHPP Registrar and will be informed and any queries will be referred to the UKAHPP General Secretary for consideration.
    3. Where a member has not submitted a Re-Accreditation application or provided additional information, despite requests to do so, or has failed to observe or comply with significant re-accreditation requirements that undermine public confidences and the member’s fitness to practice, the Re-Accreditation Panel may recommend that the member’s accreditation is ‘suspended’ and refer the matter to the UKAHPP General Secretary for referral to the UKAHPP Ethics Committee for investigation under the UKAHPP Complaints Procedure.
      1. Where the member holds dual UKCP Psychotherapist Registration, the Accreditation Panel will provide a written report to the UKCP: HIP College Chair for investigation. The UKAHPP will abide by the college’s ruling.
      2. Where the member holds dual UKCP Psychotherapeutic Counsellor Registration, the Accreditation Panel will provide a written report to the Executive Committee Chair of the UKCP: PCIP College for investigation. The UKAHPP will abide by the college’s ruling.
    4. Failure to comply with UKAHPP Ethics Committee or UKCP College investigation constitutes grounds for the member’s name to be removed from the UKAHPP Register and UKCP Register.
  5. Re-Accreditation Renewal Pack
    1. The Re-Accreditation Panel via the UKAHPP Administrator holds responsibility for ensuring that those members who have successfully completed the Re-Accreditation Process receive a Re-Accreditation Renewal Pack, within 28 days of the Self and Peer Appraisal Group Meeting, containing:
      • Cover letter from the Accreditation Panel confirming Accreditation Renewal – signed by the Accreditation Committee Chair
      • Copy of Re-Accreditation Report
      • Copy of UKAHPP Continual Professional Development and Supervision Policy
      • Copy of Policy for Representing UKAHPP Membership, Registration and Accreditation
      • Certificate signed by the Accreditation Committee Chair and the UKAHPP Chair
  6. Appeals Procedure
    1. A Member may appeal against the decision not to renew their accreditation. The appeal must include evidence as to how omissions to published re-accreditation requirements identified in the Re-Accreditation Report have been complied with.
    2. Appeals must be made in writing to the UKAHPP Accreditation Committee Chair within 15 days of the decision being notified, complete with evidence of how identified Re-Accreditation Criteria omissions had been complied with.
    3. The Accreditation Committee will appoint an Appeal Co-ordinator who with the support of the General Secretary will convene an Appeal Panel to consider the appeal.
    4. The appeal will be heard within one month of receiving the appeal. In exceptional circumstances the Appellant and members of the original Re-Accreditation Panel may be required to attend a formal Appeal Hearing.
    5. The Appeal Panel’s decision will be final. The Appeal Panel will normally consist of:
      • A lay-member
      • A member of the Accreditation Committee (not original Re-Accreditation Panel Member)
      • An Accredited Member in the same category as the appellant
      • A member of the UKAHPP Ethics Committee
      • The Appeal Co-ordinator will also be in attendance to advise the Panel on procedure – they will have no involvement in the decision making process.
    6. The Appeal Panel will determine whether:
      • The appeal is upheld in full in light of evidence originally provided – if retrospective affirming evidence is provided the member will be referred to the next Re-Accreditation Panel for further processing
      • The original Re-Accreditation Panel’s decision is upheld in full
      • Where there are fitness to practice concerns the Appeal Panel may hold the Re-Accreditation Panel’s recommendation to ‘suspend’ the member’s accreditation and hand the matter to the UKAHPP General Secretary for referral to the UKAHPP Ethics Committee for investigation under the UKAHPP Complaints Procedure
    7. Where an appellant holds dual UKCP: HIP College Registration, the appeal should be sent to the Chair of the HIP College Assessment Board within 15 days of receiving notification of the decision. The appeal will be heard within one month of receiving the appeal. The Chair of the Assessment Board will be the final authority in appeals.
    8. Where an appellant holds dual UKCP: PCIP College Registration the appeal should be sent to the Chair of the PCIP College Reaccreditation Sub-Committee within 15 days of receiving notification of the decision. The appeal will be heard by the Sub-Committee and reported to the PCIPC Executive within 25 days of receipt of the appeal or face-to-face meeting, whichever is the latter. The PCIPC Executive’s decision is final.
    9. The UKAHPP will abide by UKCP College appeal rulings.RE-ACCREDITATION-APPLICATION-FORM

      UKAHPP CPD and Supervision Policy July 2019

      LINK -SUPERVISOR’S REPORT