13 December 2023
PACFA’s recently held discussions with the Health Complaints Commission (HCC) of Victoria to discuss how they could enhance the accuracy and timeliness of reporting complaints and breaches within the counselling and psychotherapy sector.
CEO Johanna de Wever, along with Head of Practice Sophie Keramidopoulos and Assessment Coordinator Sean Scanlon attended the meetings.
During the meetings, it was highlighted that PACFA's Ethical Practice and Professional Conduct standards serve as a key reference for the HCC when evaluating complaints, reinforcing PACFA's commitment to upholding ethical standards in the industry.
PACFA has made a commitment to working with Healthcare Complaints Commissioners from all states and territories as part of our advocacy for the high quality of the counselling and psychotherapy workforce. Initial analysis indicates that PACFA registrants are under-represented on all prohibition lists in comparison to both other registration bodies, and unregistered practitioners. This is not surprising given PACFA’s high standards for registration which aim to ensure community safety.
PACFA will continue to promote the value and safety of the tertiary qualified counselling and psychotherapy workforce with stakeholders in 2024.
In the spirit of transparency, PACFA maintains a list of de-registered practitioners which includes individuals who have been issued a prohibition order by a state or territory authority, or through PACFA’s grievance process. This public record demonstrates PACFA's dedication to accountability and ethical practice, showcasing past registrants who have been permanently suspended due to findings against them.