not allowed to used the title psychologist post CORU

kitkat.3b4t

Recently I read in PSI's Memorandum and Articles of Association that post CORU the PSI will not be able to use the term 'psychologist' in relation to its members.

Below is a quote from Article 14.0

'Use of the term ‘Directory’ will need rationalizing with PSI’s current ‘Find a Psychologist’ - the term ‘psychologist’ will have to go in any case.
Or are there alternative terms we would like to propose?........use of the term ‘psychologist’ will not be allowed at all post CORU'

What do people think? I'm confused

JuliusCaesar

If psychologists are statutorily regulated then members of the psychology regulating body will be called psychologists.

In the same way as medical doctors are statutorily regulated and registered with the Medical Council, and members of the Irish Medical Council are all called medical doctors; all nurses registered with An Bord Altranais are Nurses. Noone not registered with these bodies can call themselves Medical Doctors or Nurses.

If PSI isn't the registration body - CORU will be - then not all of PSI's members will be Registered Psychologists (registered with CORU). Some might be psychology students and not entitled to call themselves Psychologist.

So...PSI has to have another word for describing their members.

kitkat.3b4t

Thanks for your reply. From what I understand, PSI will have a list of what will be called Chartered Members, which will be available to the public. This list will replace the old 'Find a Psychologist' facility. CORU will have a list of Registered Psychologist, but surely the Chartered Members and the Registered Psychologists will be the same people. Wouldnt it be easier if PSI published a list of CORU Registered Psychologist on its Website? If someone is a Registered Psychologist why cant PSI say so? Having two separate lists - CORU and PSI - will only confuse the public.

Semele

That's what's happening in the UK, since chartered psychologists started having to be registered with the Health and Social Care Professions Council (HCPC). Registration is now voluntary with the British Psychological Society (BPS) as they are no longer the official regulatory body. It is confusing, but the role of the BPS is being forced to change as a result and hopefully for the better- the main push seems to be for it to take on the duties of a Royal College that will act on an advocacy/union/pressure group basis for psychologists in the way that nurses and doctors interests are already represented. This would hopefully bring about some protections for early career psychologists as well and put as stop to the exploitation of graduates in unpaid and poorly supervised roles.

kitkat.3b4t

Does anyone know if PSI will still charge €360 PA for chartered members. I am wondering if it will be just an added expense to something which already costs a lot of money e.g. undergraduate, postgraduate, training placements (unpaid) registration fees, CPD, supervision, counselling and registration fees etc. Will psychologist have to pay fees to both CORU and PSI? As far as I know only Clinical Psychologists and a small number of Counselling Psychologist are eligible to work for the HSE. Will statutory registration be of any benefit to psychologist who work in private practice. Surely they could simply change their title to 'psychotherapist' and avoid all the fees.