The PsyBA sets the registration standards that practitioners must meet in order to register and to practise as psychologists.
Once registered, psychologists must continue to meet all of the applicable mandatory registration standards when they renew their registration with the PsyBA each year. The key ones are continuing professional development, professional indemnity insurance, and recency of practice.
Audit of psychologists’ compliance with the registration standards
Audits are conducted by the AHPRA annually. The audits investigate compliance with the PsyBA's mandatory registration standards for: continuing professional development; professional indemnity insurance; recency of practice; and criminal history.
The audits seek evidence to verify the declarations made by psychologists in their last registration renewal that they had met the mandatory registration requirements in the previous year. Psychologists who are selected for an audit will receive a letter from AHPRA identifying which standard or standards are being audited, and will be required to respond within 28 days.
The following information aims to assist APS members to prepare for the possibility of an audit, and describes the type of supportive documentation that may be required to demonstrate compliance with the four registration standards that are being audited:
Continuing professional development registration standard
Psychologists must provide evidence of the CPD activities they have undertaken to meet the requirements of the PsyBA standard.
The PsyBA fact sheet states:
"If you already maintain a CPD portfolio or online CPD logging for a professional association or overseas registration authority that meets the PsyBA standards you can use the same portfolio or print outs of online records to meet the PsyBA requirements".
The PsyBA suggests for supporting evidence include documentation such as:
- certificates of attendance/completion
- reading list
- evidence of compliance with the CPD requirements of your professional association
- degree certificates or academic transcripts for postgraduate study
- university assignments/theses/research reports/published articles, and
- plans and progress reports for professional supervision and mentoring
Professional indemnity insurance arrangements registration standard
The psychologist must provide evidence of professional indemnity insurance arrangements which meet the requirements of the PsyBA’s professional indemnity insurance registration standard.
- Ensure that your PII cover is appropriate for your practice. All psychologists are required to meet the minimum requirements for PII specified by the PsyBA. The PsyBA places the onus on psychologists to ensure that their PII level is appropriate for the size of the practice and the type of services provided.
- If your practice has changed since your registration renewal, assess whether to review the amount of PII cover you have. If you are unsure, discuss this with your insurer.
- Have a copy of your PII certificate of currency. If you are an employee or a contractor and are covered by your organisation’s PII, find out how to gain a copy of the PII certificate of currency for the organisation
PsyBA criminal history registration standard
The PsyBA employs an independent provider to check criminal history, which will happen automatically at no cost to the psychologist. The psychologist is not required to do anything further unless they are asked to provide more information.
If there has been a change in your circumstances since you last registered that may impact on a criminal history check, it is important to contact AHPRA to discuss your situation.
Recency of practice registration standard
Psychologists may need to provide evidence of recency of practice activities they have undertaken which meet the requirements of the PsyBA standard.
To determine whether the type of practice meets the standard, the PsyBA definition of psychology practice is the best guide:
"Practice means any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a psychologist in their profession. For the purposes of this registration standard, practice is not restricted to the provision of direct clinical care. It also includes using professional knowledge in a direct nonclinical relationship with clients, working in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles, and any other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of services in the profession."