Measures to Prevent Unregistered Individuals and Companies That Hire Them from Offering Counselling and Therapy Services
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns measures to prevent unregistered practitioners and companies from offering counselling and therapy services following the mandatory registration of psychologists. Dr Charlene Chen inquired about safeguards for the subdiscipline of counselling, to which Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung replied that the Allied Health Professions Act will legally protect five specific job titles. Unregistered individuals will be prohibited from using these titles in advertisements or service agreements, and a public register of psychologists will be established to ensure transparency. The Ministry of Health will also work with the Singapore Psychological Society to raise public awareness regarding the registered sub-disciplines and their professional scopes of practice. Finally, the Allied Health Professions Council will oversee the framework and take enforcement action against errant practitioners or any individuals falsely claiming to be registered psychologists.
Transcript
32 Dr Charlene Chen asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health with the impending mandatory registration for psychologists, including the subdiscipline of counselling, what measures will be taken to prevent unregistered individuals and companies that hire them from offering counselling and therapy services which remain unregulated.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: My reply will also address written Question Nos 9 and 10 raised by the Member in today's Order Paper. [Please refer to "Defining High-Risk Psychological Services and Mandating Unregistered Practitioner Disclosure Under the Psychology Registration Framework", Official Report, 7 May 2026, Vol 96, Issue 31, Written Answers to Questions section.]
The five psychological subdisciplines were selected through structured risk assessments conducted by expert panels of psychologists. These considered the magnitude and probability of harm to clients and patients arising from psychological services provided by clinical, clinical neuropsychology, counselling, educational and forensic psychologists.
Once implemented, the Allied Health Professions Act (AHPA) will protect registered job titles pertaining to the five sub-disciplines and reserve their use for registered psychologists. Unregistered practitioners will not be permitted to use these titles in any context, including in advertisements and service agreements. The Ministry of Health and partner Ministries will also work with the Singapore Psychological Society to raise public awareness of the registered psychological sub-disciplines and their scopes of practice. A register of psychologists will be made publicly available. With this, other unregistered mental health practitioners do not need to explicitly state their status in their advertisements and service agreements.
The Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) will oversee and enforce psychological practice under the AHPA and AHPC's Code of Professional Conduct. Enforcement action will be taken against errant practitioners or those falsely claiming to be registered psychologists.