Considering our Standards: Standard 1
The BPC protects the public by holding a set of standards that all of our Registrants must meet. These standards set out how we expect our Registrants to behave professionally and we use them to help us decide the outcomes of our Fitness to Practise (FTP) processes.
As of April 2025, our Standards, Conduct, Practice and Ethics document came into effect. These standards replace our BPC Code of Ethics and Ethical Guidelines document published in 2011 as the standards all Registrants must meet.
In the Considering our Standards series, we’re looking at each standard with precision from a practice-based and regulatory angle. We’ll be talking to experts in our team to break down the importance of each Standard. In this installment, we’re taking a closer look at: Standard 1.
Any law referred to is subject to amendments by government, we will review this regularly to make sure what we reference is up-to-date. If you notice any out of date legislation on this page, please contact us.
Standard 1: Make the care of patients your primary concern
What does Joanne, our Director of Professional Practice, say about Standard 1?
“One of the main ethical principles of safe practice across the helping professions is to do no harm and to make the care of patients your primary concern. This a defining responsibility of the therapist. However, there are sometimes conflicting obligations and appreciating all of the different dimensions involved can be difficult and complex.
While this might seem straightforward, it can give rise to dilemmas and conflicts when the therapist and the patient have different understandings of what the patient consciously or unconsciously needs. It is not uncommon to be faced with such tensions and it is good practice to create space to think about these issues.
The underlying ethical principles of not inflicting harm and doing what is best for the patient are brought to bear in this standard. This is in line with the ethical terminology: non-maleficence and beneficence as concieved by Alessandra Lemma in First Principles: Applied Ethics for Psychoanalytic Practice. Making the care of parients your primary concern involves balancing harms and risks, protecting boundaries, respecting autonomy and dignity, and being truthful. Taking responsibility as the clinician involves thinking about why we make the interventions we make and reflecting on our practice. Ethical discussion groups or committees are a good place to explore this with colleagues.”
What does Sharon, our Director of Legal, say about Standard 1?
“If a Registrant fails to act in a patient’s interest then there is a risk of potential harm and this harm that can result in public protection concerns. The BPC may investigate these concerns particularly where we are contacted by the patient.
Examples can include: entering into financial relationships that are not a part of the agreed treatment or having a sexual relationship with a patient.
A breakdown in communication can lead to potential harm of the patient and often further FTP concerns. This can be prevented if miscommunications are discussed as they arise in the room as clinically appropriate. Registrants’ must consider the patient’s welfare at all times.“
