The Health & Care Professions Council delivered a presentation on the importance of Continuing Professional Development at the BPS Annual Conference in May, 2018.

• Download the CPD presentation (members only)

One of the key benefits of being a member of the Special Group for Independent Practitioners (SGIP) is our dedicated email list. It gives members the ability to be in contact with, ask questions of, seek advice from and just chew the fat with a wide range of independent psychologists from all of the BPS divisions and across the UK.

It is easy to join the list and it enables you to post an enquiry and  receive views, feedback and facts from those who have previous experience or are undergoing similar difficulties or opportunities.

To join the discussion list you will need to be a member of SGIP, opt into receiving email communication from the Society and provide a working email address. You can change your settings by logging into the BPS website, clicking on 'My Account' and then 'Preferences'.

To be added to the discussion group you need to email Member Networks at the BPS to request the address. Please include your membership number and you will need to use the email address linked to your membership record to participate in the discussion.

Most psychologists have experience of offering telephone consultations, and there are many similar considerations in having a video session.

There is good evidence that therapy can be delivered competently via different media, is usually acceptable to the client, and that it is possible to build up therapeutic relationships that are as strong as those formed in face-to-face therapy.

The information presented here is a resource for those planning video consultations and is not intended to replace local guidance.

It is recommended that you also consult any policy and/or guidance documents relevant to your NHS Trust/organisation.

• Read our top tips for providing effective therapy via video

The Special Group of Independent Practitioners (SGIP) will be providing support to members to develop their practices in a variety of ways that would not breach Competition Law, such as “how to manage and price your time and market your services”. This will include a special Peer Hub meeting in the Autumn.

Please make sure you are aware of competition law and how this could potentially be an issue when discussing charging practices.

The government website has some helpful information and guidance available using the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/competing-fairly-in-business-advice-for-small-businesses 

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has some specific guidance and a case study describing the action taken against a group of medical consultants and a private health provider who undertook to fix prices for the price of an initial consultation. Full details are available using the link below: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/private-healthcare-provider-fixed-prices-with-consultants

Lessons Learnt

• Never agree to fix prices or share future pricing information with competitors; it can be illegal to agree on pricing even if you don’t have to change your prices as a consequence
• Never suggest or try to facilitate an arrangement where competitors fix or coordinate prices or share future pricing information
• You can find out what prices are charged by your competitors where this information is publicly available, but you must not discuss with rivals their future prices or pricing intentions
• If 2 or more competitors participate in an anti-competitive arrangement, whether written or verbal, it is illegal - it doesn’t matter if not all competitors in the market participate
• If you are approached to join an illegal pricing arrangement – reject the approach immediately and unequivocally, and report the incident to the CMA
• Regardless of whether you are a medical practitioner in private practice, a small business or a sole trader - competition law equally applies to you