I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July 2026 to Question 16343.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers provided on 13 July 2026 in response to Questions 15945 and 15946.

NHS England has recently published guidance on the registration requirements for the use of psychological professions titles. The guidance introduces clear, nationally consistent standards for using psychological professions titles in National Health Service commissioned care. Further information and a copy of the guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-on-nhs-registration-requirements-for-use-of-psychological-professions-titles/

The Department does not hold data on complaints relating to counsellors and psychotherapists who are not members of an accredited professional body.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers provided on 13 July 2026 in response to Questions 15945 and 15946.

NHS England has recently published guidance on the registration requirements for the use of psychological professions titles. The guidance introduces clear, nationally consistent standards for using psychological professions titles in National Health Service commissioned care. Further information and a copy of the guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-on-nhs-registration-requirements-for-use-of-psychological-professions-titles/

The Department does not hold data on complaints relating to counsellors and psychotherapists who are not members of an accredited professional body.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers provided on 13 July 2026 in response to Questions 15945 and 15946.

NHS England has recently published guidance on the registration requirements for the use of psychological professions titles. The guidance introduces clear, nationally consistent standards for using psychological professions titles in National Health Service commissioned care. Further information and a copy of the guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-on-nhs-registration-requirements-for-use-of-psychological-professions-titles/

The Department does not hold data on complaints relating to counsellors and psychotherapists who are not members of an accredited professional body.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the transformed services set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Employers across the health system are responsible for ensuring their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver safe and effective care. NHS England commissions four-year Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy training in response to service demand. Across the North West, North East, and Yorkshire regions, this includes 20 new training starts planned for 2026/27, alongside a further 36 trainees continuing from previous years.

To support equitable access into the profession, NHS England also funds pre-clinical training to widen participation for those who may otherwise be unable to meet the costs of mandatory entry requirements. For 2026/27, this includes 27 new starts across the north of England, with 17 trainees continuing from previous years.

Following the decision by the Northern School of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, part of the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, to withdraw from pre-clinical training provision, NHS England is ensuring access to alternative providers and working with stakeholders on a sustainable long-term solution for the North.

There is no statutory requirement for psychotherapists and counsellors to be registered with an organisation that holds a voluntary accredited register with the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). Organisations that hold registers that are accredited by the PSA are independent, representative bodies and as such, they do not fall under Government oversight. Any decisions about the practise requirements for the professions they represent are a matter for those organisations and their members.

The Government would encourage anyone accessing psychotherapy and counselling services to choose a professional that is a member of a statutorily regulated profession or registered with a voluntary accredited register listed on the PSA website.

The Department has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to the counselling and psychotherapy professions.

The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates a voluntary registry programme, which provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions. This sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by setting standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for unregulated health and social care occupations, such as counselling and psychotherapy. There are currently 10 organisations linked to the counselling profession, and eight organisations linked to the psychotherapy profession, listed on the PSA’s website as holding an accredited register.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) regulates the arts therapist profession, which has four protected titles linked to it: art psychotherapist; art therapist; drama therapist; and music therapist. The HCPC also regulates the practitioner psychologist profession, which has nine protected titles relating to the profession: practitioner psychologist; registered psychologist; clinical psychologist; forensic psychologist; counselling psychologist; health psychologist; educational psychologist; occupational psychologist; and sport and exercise psychologist.

The Department has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to the counselling and psychotherapy professions.

The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates a voluntary registry programme, which provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions. This sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by setting standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for unregulated health and social care occupations, such as counselling and psychotherapy. There are currently 10 organisations linked to the counselling profession, and eight organisations linked to the psychotherapy profession, listed on the PSA’s website as holding an accredited register.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) regulates the arts therapist profession, which has four protected titles linked to it: art psychotherapist; art therapist; drama therapist; and music therapist. The HCPC also regulates the practitioner psychologist profession, which has nine protected titles relating to the profession: practitioner psychologist; registered psychologist; clinical psychologist; forensic psychologist; counselling psychologist; health psychologist; educational psychologist; occupational psychologist; and sport and exercise psychologist.

The Department has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to the counselling and psychotherapy professions.

The Department has not made such a specific assessment. The Neighbourhood Health Framework sets out the overall approach to delivering more joined up, personalised and preventative care closer to people’s homes, with services designed to meet local population needs and delivered through integrated, multi-disciplinary teams.

Decisions on the range of services commissioned within neighbourhood health models are made locally by integrated care boards, working with their partners, to reflect the needs of their communities.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) operates a voluntary registers programme, which provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by setting standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for unregulated health and social care occupations, such as counselling and psychotherapy. There are currently 10 organisations linked to the counselling profession and eight organisations linked to the psychotherapy profession, that hold an accredited register on the PSA’s website.

Titles can only be protected for statutorily regulated professions. The titles of 'counsellor' and 'psychotherapist' are not currently protected in law in the United Kingdom. The Department keeps the professions subject to regulation under review but has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to the counsellor and psychotherapist professions.

The number of psychologists and psychiatrists working in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England is published monthly by NHS England as part of their NHS Workforce Statistics Collection. This information includes data on the number of joiners, although it is not detailed enough to show how many psychologists and psychiatrists are newly recruited. It can also include people moving between NHS roles or training placements, so they may not show true new recruitment. The latest data is available at the following link within the file NHS HCHS Workforce Statistics, Trusts and core organisations - data tables, February 2026:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics/february-2026

The data includes staff employed by NHS trusts and other core NHS organisations and will therefore exclude staff directly employed by primary care, general practitioner surgeries, local authorities, and other providers such as community interest companies and private providers.

The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.

The Department keeps the professions subject to regulation under review but has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to psychotherapy professions, including counsellors and cognitive behavioural therapy psychotherapists.

The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.

The Department keeps the professions subject to regulation under review but has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to psychotherapy professions, including counsellors and cognitive behavioural therapy psychotherapists.