UKCP successfully lobby NICE

Originally Published by UKCP: 02/04/2015

UKCP successfully lobby NICE to change policy on depression guideline development group

As a result of lobbying by UKCP and other professional bodies, counsellors and psychotherapists are now recognised as eligible to apply to join the NICE guideline development group.

Work by UKCP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the British Psychoanalytic Council and the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships has led to NICE changing its original decision to exclude counsellors and psychotherapists from the list of professions encouraged to join the guideline development group charged with revising the 2009 Depression in Adults guideline.

In our letter to NICE, we highlighted that the proposed list of professionals for the development of the guidelines didn’t include either a psychotherapist or a counsellor despite both professions being more involved in the treatment of depression than any other professional grouping.

The letter also highlighted NICE’s responsibility to ensure its guideline development groups reflect, as far as is practically possible, the views and experiences of the range of stakeholders and groups whose activities, services or care will be covered by the guideline.

NICE’s amendment to the fifth item on the list now means that professionals who are counsellors or psychotherapists will be able to apply to join the guideline development group without, as NICE had originally stated, having to be either a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist as well. 

The professions of ‘counsellor’ and ‘psychotherapist’ should never have been omitted in the first place, and this oversight is one we took to NICE in the strongest possible terms. 

We would encourage members with an expertise in working with depression to consider applying to join the group. If you would like any advice or support in doing so please contact policy@ukcp.org.uk