I was interested to see that in its response to the Health Professions Council’s (HPC) ‘Call for Ideas’ regarding statutory regulation, the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) felt able to represent the ‘dissenting voice’, stating that a portion of the membership ‘have strong concerns and misgivings regarding the current movement to bring psychotherapy under the regulation by HPC. Whilst not all of them object to this plan outright, they think it imperative to acknowledge their objections and to let HPC and government know that, under certain circumstances, they might feel compelled, for ethical and professional reasons, to refuse acceptance of the regulation of their practice by the state.’¹ The paper then goes on to outline some of the specific objections to statutory regulation that might lead to such principled noncompliance with a new regulatory system.

What may I ask is BACP doing to represent the dissenting voice among its own ranks (as evidenced in numerous Therapy Today articles) at the relevant meetings with HPC and other groups?

1. UKCP. UKCP submission no. 2 to HPC call for ideas. 2008: 11. Retrieved on 20/11/08 from http:// ipnosis.postle.net/PDFS/UKCP%20 Submission%20No%202%20 Final%5B4%5D.pdf