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Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974)

Regulations

Regulations Defining the Scope of the Profession of Psychology

2. Amendment of the regulations

 

The regulations are hereby amended by the addition of the following Annexure.

 

1. Scope of Practice of Registered Counsellors

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of registered counsellors:

(a) performing psychological screening, primary mental status screening, basic assessment, and psychological interventions with individuals aiming at enhancing personal functioning;
(b) performing psychological assessment excluding projective, neuropsychological and diagnostic tests;
(c) enhancing personal functioning; performing supportive/ compensatory, and routine psychological interventions;
(d) identifying clients requiring more sophisticated or advanced psychological assessment and referring such clients to appropriate professionals;
(e) participating in policy formulation based on various aspects of psychological theory and research; participating in the design/management, and evaluation of psychologically-based programmes in the organisations including but not limited to health, education, labour, and correctional services;
(f) training, and supervising other registered counsellors and practitioners; conducting psychological practice and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct for Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974; adhering to the scope of practice of registered counsellors;
(g) conducting, and reporting on research projects; and
(h) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

2. Scope of Practice of Psychometrists

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of psychometrists:

(a) performing assessments, and contributing to the development of psychological tests and procedures;
(b) measuring psychological functions including cognitive, interest, aptitude, and personality;
(c) identifying clients requiring more sophisticated or advanced psychological assessment and referring such clients to appropriate and registered professionals; providing feedback to clients on the results of psychological assessments;
(d) participating in policy development in respect of psychological assessment;
(e) participating in the design, management, and evaluation of psychological assessment procedure in diverse settings, and organisations including but not limited to health, education, labour and correctional services;
(f) participating in or conducting needs analysis regarding psychological assessment in diverse settings and organisations, select/compile appropriate batteries of tests;
(g) training, and supervising registered counsellors, and psychometrists in supervised practice in psychological measurement;
(h) conducting psychological practice and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974; adhering to the scope of practice of psychometrists;
(i) designing, and implementing research which contributes to the development of psychological assessment instruments, and reporting on such research; and
(j) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

3. Scope of Practice of Clinical Psychologists

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of clinical psychologists:

(a) assessing, diagnosing, and intervening in clients dealing with life challenges, particularly those with developmental and forms of psychological distress and/or psychopathology; identifying psychopathology in psychiatric disorders, and psychological conditions; identifying, and diagnosing psychiatric disorders and psychological conditions; applying evidenced-based psychological interventions to people with psychological, and psychiatric conditions; referring clients to appropriate professionals for further assessment or intervention;
(b) advising on the development of policies, based on various aspects of psychological theory and research; designing, managing, and evaluating programmes dealing with psychological, and psychiatric problems;
(c) training and supervising other registered clinical psychologists in clinical psychology;
(d) conducting psychological practice, and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct for Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974; adhering to the scope of practice of clinical psychologists;
(e) designing, managing, conducting, reporting on, and supervising psychological research; and
(f) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

4. Scope of Practice of Counselling Psychologists

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of counselling psychologists:

(a) Assessing, diagnosing, and intervening in clients dealing with life challenges, and developmental problems to optimise psychological wellbeing; assessing cognitive, personality, emotional and neuropsychological functions in relation to life challenges and developmental problems; assessing developmental processes (e.g. career choice), and adjustment;
(b) identifying psychopathology, and its impact on developmental processes, and adjustment; identifying, and diagnosing disorders of adjustments; applying psychological interventions to clients with developmental challenges, and adjustment problems; performing therapeutic counseling interventions; referring clients to appropriate professionals for further assessment or intervention;
(c) advising on the development of policies, based on various aspects of psychological theory and research; designing, managing and evaluating programmes dealing with developmental, and adjustment problems;
(d) training, and supervising other registered counselling psychologists in counselling psychology;
(e) designing, managing, conducting, reporting on, and supervising psychological research; conducting psychological practice, and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct for Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974; adhering to the scope of practice of counselling psychologists; and
(f) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

5. Scope of Practice of Educational Psychologists

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of educational psychologists:

(a) assessing, diagnosing, and intervening in order to optimise human functioning in the learning and development; assessing cognitive, personality, emotional, and neuropsychological functions of people in relation to the learning and development in which they have been trained;
(b) identifying, and diagnosing psychopathology in relation to the learning and development; identifying and diagnosing barriers to learning and development; applying psychological interventions to enhance, promote and facilitate optimal learning and development; performing therapeutic interventions in relation to learning and development; referring clients to appropriate professionals for further assessment or intervention;
(c) designing, managing, conducting, reporting on, and supervising psychological research, in the learning and development; conducting psychological practice, and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct for Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974; adhering to the scope of practice of Educational psychologists;
(d) advising on the development of policies, based on various aspects of psychological theory, and research; designing, managing, and evaluating educationally-based programmes;
(e) training and supervising other registered psychological practitioners in educational psychology; and
(f) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

6. Scope of Practice of Research Psychologist

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of research psychologists:

(a) planning, developing, and applying psychological research methods; performing assessments relevant to the development of research for research purposes, including the development of psychological measures; researching, monitoring, and evaluating psychological interventions;
(b) advising on the development of policies, based on psychological theory and research; designing, managing and evaluating measurement and intervention programmes;
(c) training and supervising other registered psychological practitioners in research psychology;
(d) designing, managing, conducting, reporting on, and supervising psychological research; conducting psychological practice, and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct for Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974; adhering to the scope of practice of research psychologists; referring clients to appropriate professionals for assessment or intervention; and
(e) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

7. Scope of Practice of Industrial Psychologists

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of industrial psychologists:

(a) planning, developing, and applying paradigms, theories, models, constructs, and principles of psychology in the workplace in order to understand, modify, and enhance individual, group, and organisational behaviour effectively;
(b) performing psychometric, and other assessments in order to determine the potential and/or suitability for training, development and employment and to determine individual, group and organisational effectiveness; referring clients to appropriate professionals for assessment or intervention; designing, developing, standardising, and implementing assessment tools, and procedures related to the work environment;
(c) facilitating individual, and group processes for effective organisational functioning; designing, and implementing training programmes for effective organisational functioning; designing, and developing strategies in consumer behaviour; developing interventions to ameliorate poor performance in work settings; designing, and implementing programmes based on understanding ergonomics;
(d) advising on the development of policies, based on psychological theory and research; designing, managing, and evaluating industrial psychology intervention programmes;
(e) training and supervising other registered psychology practitioners in industrial psychology;
(f) conducting psychological practice, and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct for Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974; adhering to the scope of practice of industrial psychologists;
(g) designing, managing, conducting, reporting on, and supervising the industrial psychology research;
(h) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

8. Scope of Practice of Neuro-Psychologists

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of neuro-psychologists:

(a) assessing, diagnosing, and intervening in the psychological disorders of people experiencing neuropathology or compromised functioning of the central nervous system; diagnosing, and evaluating psychological disorders caused by neurological conditions and differentiating them from other psychological and non-neurological disorders; treating, and rehabilitating the psychological disorders of people suffering from central nervous system dysfunction; referring clients to appropriate professionals for further assessment on intervention;
(b) advising on policy development, based on neuropsychological theory and research; designing, managing, conducting, reporting on, and supervising neuropsychological research;
(c) training, and supervising other registered psychological practitioners in neuropsychology;
(d) conducting psychological practice, and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct for Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974; adhering to the scope of practice of neuropsychologists; and
(e) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

9. Scope of Practice of Forensic Psychology

 

In addition to the scope of the profession as prescribed in the regulations, the following acts fall within the scope of practice of clinical psychologists:

(a) conducting psychological assessments, diagnoses, and interventions, referring clients to appropriate professionals for further assessment or intervention;
(b) providing therapeutic interventions;
(c) advising on the development of policies, based on forensic psychological theory and research;
(d) designing, managing, and evaluating forensic psychology-based programmes, and interventions; designing, managing, and conducting research; reporting on, and supervising research, in forensic psychology;
(e) training, supervising students, interns, and other registered psychology practitioners in forensic psychology;
(f) conducting psychological practice and research in accordance with the Ethical Rules of Conduct for Practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974, adhering to the scope of practice of forensic psychologists; and
(g) providing expert evidence and/or opinions.

 

 

Dr A Motsoaledi, MP

Minister of Health