Complaints and fitness to practise outcomes for counsellors and psychotherapists
The Partnership of Counselling and Psychotherapy Bodies (PCPB) brings together six organisations that hold Professional Standards Authority accredited registers and work collectively to support high standards, public confidence and trust in counselling and psychotherapy.
What fitness to practise means
Fitness to practise (FtP) is about whether a counsellor or psychotherapist is able to practise safely, ethically and professionally. Concerns may relate to conduct, competence, health, behaviour or other matters that could affect public protection, professional standards or confidence in the profession.
How partner organisations manage concerns
Each PCPB partner organisation is responsible for its own complaints and FtP process. This means that the way concerns are considered, investigated and decided may differ between organisations. If you have a concern about a practitioner, you should contact the organisation that holds that practitioner’s registration or membership.
Published outcomes
Partner organisations publish FtP outcomes on their own websites. Publishing outcomes helps members of the public see when a concern has been upheld and understand any action taken by the relevant organisation.
The links below take you to each partner organisation’s published outcomes or FtP information.
Association of Christians in Counselling and Linked Professions: removals suspensions and sanctions
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy: professional conduct notices
British Psychoanalytic Council: interim orders and fitness to practise outcomes
Human Givens Institute: current upheld complaints
National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society: professional conduct notices
UK Council for Psychotherapy: decisions and hearings
How to raise a concern
If you want to make a complaint about a counsellor or psychotherapist, contact the organisation that registers or accredits them. The PCPB partners are all linked below. PCPB is a partnership body and does not investigate or resolve individual complaints.
If you are unhappy with the outcome of a complaint handled by an organisation on a Professional Standards Authority (PSA) accredited register, you may be able to raise your concern with the PSA.
