Written answers
Thursday, 7 December 2023
Department of Health
Healthcare Policy
Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
323. To ask the Minister for Health the rationale of the proposed educational level requirement for registration of psychotherapy and counselling through CORU; for an update on the registration process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54333/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
As the Deputy will be aware, the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and Registration Boards, collectively known as CORU, are responsible for protecting the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct, education, training, and competence amongst the professions designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act (2005).
Each profession designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act has its own independent registration board with statutory responsibility for:
- Establishing and maintaining the register of members for that profession;
- Recognising qualifications gained outside the State;
- Approving and monitoring education and training programmes for entry to the register;
- Setting the code of professional conduct and ethics giving guidance to professionals on Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
The CPRB undertakes an extensive research process which informs the drafting of standards and criteria. This includes a review of contemporary evidence-informed academic literature, an examination of comparator international professional standards, and understanding the contemporary practice of the profession in Ireland. Key stakeholders, including the public (through a public consultation process), are also part of the drafting process.
Throughout the course of 2022 and 2023, the CPRB drafted threshold level standards of knowledge, skills and professional behaviour – its Standards of Proficiency – and the systems and processes that education providers must have in place to ensure consistent and effective delivery of graduates who have achieved the Standards of Proficiency – its Criteria for Education and Training Programmes. Two sets of these requirements were drafted: one for counsellors and one for psychotherapists representing the first attempt to establish distinct standards for each profession in Ireland and the first effort to standardise threshold level education and training requirements for entry to each profession.
The public consultation on the draft Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes ran for 12 weeks from 4 September until 1st December 2023. As part of this consultation, the CPRB encouraged feedback from all stakeholders, including members of the professions, education providers, employers, professional and representative bodies, as well as members of the public. The public consultation is the mechanism through which professional bodies, as well as other stakeholders, are given an opportunity to provide their views on the draft standards.
I am informed that the CPRB will consider all submissions very carefully in formalising Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes for the psychotherapy profession. CORU, on behalf of the CPRB, will brief my Department on the outcome of the public consultation in due course.
No comments