British Psychoanalytic Council
Contents:
History
Psychoanalysis and the associated therapies have served the public for a long time. The field of psychoanalytic psychotherapy contains the various disciplines of psychoanalysis, analytical psychology, psychoanalytic psychotherapy and child psychotherapy. In 1993, several societies representing these disciplines decided to create an institution which would formally link all these professions. This became the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC).
Encouragement to define the field of psychotherapy for the benefit of the general public had gained much of its impetus from the publication of the Foster Report in 1971. That Report was the outcome of a government commissioned investigation carried out by Sir John Foster. The Report recommended that, for the protection of the public, psychotherapists in the United Kingdom should be registered. The emergence of the British Psychoanalytic Council is a development from the discussions that took place within the field of psychotherapy following the publication of the Foster Report.
Current role
- The BPC acts as a voice for the psychoanalytic professions, and it is involved in interactions with relevant organisations.
- The BPC continues to play a role in ongoing progress towards the registration of the psychotherapy profession.
- The BPC already functions as a voluntary regulator of the profession. The BPB publishes an annual register of practitioners who meet their required standards in fitness to practice. The aim of registration is to safeguard the public, by requiring registrants to abide by professional standards and to continue to learn and develop as practitioners.
- The BPC publishes a Code of Ethics. The BPC operates a Complaints Procedure which can be used by members of the public if they believe that a psychotherapist has acted unethically or unprofessionally.
- The BPC aims to provide information and stimulate debate and development in the psychoanalytic field.
Structure
The BPC is an association of institutions, which comprise psychoanalysts, analytical psychologists, psychoanalytic psychotherapists and child psychotherapists. These are training institutions and professional associations, which have their roots in psychoanalysis and analytical psychology. As well as serving the public, the BPC was set up to develop the legacy we have inherited from these traditions.
The BPC is administered by a Council of Institutions, made up of representatives from all its Member Institutions. The day to day running of the BPC is undertaken by the Executive Committee which is responsible to the Council. The BPC is accountable to an Advisory Board made up of representatives of mental health professions, which share the BPC's concern for rigorous standards in training and practice in the field of mental health. The Board advises the BPC on its policies and practices.
The BPC is a Member Society of the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the Public Sector (EFPP).
SIP membership of BPC
As a Member Institution of BPC, Severnside Institute members who are practicing psychotherapists are on the BPC register. The BPC issues a Code of Ethics. SIP members are bound by this Code. All BPC registrants are governed by the BPC's Complaints Procedure.
BPC website
For further information, please visit: British Psychoanalytic Council.