Standards of Conduct, Practice & Ethics
Effective from 1 April 2025
The BPC, as a voluntary regulator that protects the public, has a set of standards that all Registrants must meet. The Standards of Conduct, Practice and Ethics (2025) will become the minimum standard that all Registrants must meet from 1 April 2025 and will replace the BPC Code of Ethics and Ethical Guidelines (2011) [link].
Overview
The Standards and corresponding guidance notes are listed below, and the full Standards and guidance notes documents can be downloaded from the bottom of this page. If you choose to print these documents, please ensure you keep up to date with the latest versions as the guidance notes will be updated from time to time. You can find further information about the public consultation we ran on the 2025 standards here [link to consultation page].
General Considerations
It is possible that more than one consideration of conduct, practice and ethics will apply to an issue that arises in your practice and you may feel that there are contradictions or conflicts in trying to resolve a dilemma. You are always accountable for the decisions you make. It is therefore important that you think carefully about your practice and are able to explain how and why you make the decisions you do. For decisions concerning safeguarding, you must keep a written record of decisions you make and your reasons.
It is important to discuss any concerns or dilemmas with a supervisor or experienced colleague through supervision or consultation.
Language in the standards
The language used in these standards is intended to be unambiguous so that everyone can be clear about what we expect of our Registrants.
‘Must’ is used where the standard is compulsory.
‘Consider’ and ‘Unless there are exceptional circumstances’ are used where the standard or part of a standard would not apply in all situations and where there are exceptional circumstances that could affect whether, or how, a Registrant can comply with the requirement.
All text that is in large bold text are our specified standards. Any corresponding guidance notes are in a box with a magnifying glass icon.
As a Registrant, you must:
1.1 Make the care of patients your primary concern.
Registrants must at all times make the care of patients their primary concern, while recognising that patient and clinician may sometimes have differing perceptions of the patient’s needs. The welfare of the patient must always be foremost in the Registrant’s mind, and, taking account of obligations under law, all reasonable steps must be taken to ensure the safety of patients.
1.2 Take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of a patient during treatment, training, or supervision, as patient welfare is paramount.
1.3 Maintain professional boundaries with a patient at all times during treatment and following termination of the treatment, including:
• not asking for, accepting or indicating a willingness to accept gifts or bequests, except token gifts of nominal value;
• not entering into financial or commercial relationships outside the agreed treatment; and
• not having sexual contact or entering into sexual relationships.
Professional boundaries should be maintained at all times including after treatment. Ideally, dual or multiple relationships with patients and previous patients should be avoided. This may not be possible, especially in smaller communities or training institutions, where, for example, ex-patients may
become colleagues.
Mitigation means maintaining clear, firm boundaries where dual or multiple relationships cannot be avoided (i.e. confidentiality must be maintained and information about a patient or ex-patient must not be used in a different setting or context from the therapeutic relationship). Some dual roles must be avoided such as combining being therapist/analyst with any other role (e.g. supervisor, tutor, close colleague) and taking on any role (e.g. supervisor, therapist, tutor) with a friend, partner or family member.
1.4 Ensure that any description of yourself or your practice contained in any publication, including online or any electronic publication, is truthful, accurate, includes a clear statement of your qualifications and is fully compliant with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) advertising codes.
1.5 Inform prospective patients, before work commences, of the fee payable for any initial consultation(s) or preliminary meeting(s).
In initial consultations and preliminary meetings with prospective patients the Registrant should check that the patient understands that any consultation or assessment may not necessarily lead to ongoing sessions.
1.6 Before you and a patient agree to work together, clearly explain, either orally or in writing:
• the fee, including any cancellation policy which affects fees;
• the frequency of proposed sessions including day and time where
this has been agreed; and
• the limits on confidentiality.
If at this or any other stage a patient has other questions, for example regarding the possible length of treatment, the complaints process or data storage, you must be prepared to answer this candidly.
It is helpful to explain to patients at the outset the circumstances under which you might break confidentiality – such as legal requirements or safeguarding issues – and to state that where possible you will seek their permission first. You may wish to explain that you will share appropriate details with a supervisor, or you may share appropriate details with other professional colleagues involved in their treatment, such as a GP or psychiatrist.
1.7 When working in conjunction with other healthcare professionals, explain to the patient that you may share information with these professionals.
1.8 Unless there are exceptional circumstances, notify a patient of any proposed changes to the therapeutic process, the practicalities of the treatment offered and/or the terms and conditions of treatment, and provide the patient with a reasonable amount of time to understand and accept the proposed changes.
1.9 Unless there are exceptional circumstances, give patients appropriate and sufficient notice of the ending of treatment to permit a thoughtful ending phase of appropriate duration, having regard to the length and complexity of the relationship and the continuing clinical needs
of the patient.
2.1 Ensure a safe, secure and private environment for patients.
2.2 Ensure compliance with all relevant Health and Safety legislation.
2.3 Only practise if your work is covered by adequate and appropriate professional indemnity insurance or, if applicable, by your employer’s indemnity arrangements.
3.1 Comply with legal obligations in relation to the safeguarding of
children, young people and adults at risk.
There are a number of pieces of legislation relating to the safeguarding of children, including several Acts and statutory guidance documents which are regularly amended and updated.
Keep up to date with changes in legislation to know what your duties are as a healthcare professional working with children and adults at risk.
The following are some of the laws that exist to protect children (this is a not an exhaustive list):
- The Children Act 1989 and 2004
- The Education Act 1996, 2002, 2004
- The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
- Children and Young Persons Act 2008
- The Children and Families Act 2014
- The Children and Social Work Act 2017
- Working together to Safeguard Children 2018
- Keeping Children safe in Education
You can find further information on legislation for safeguarding children here and adults here:
All Registrants need to be aware of legislation relating to the safeguarding of both children and adults, even if you only work with one of these groups.
3.2 Protect and safeguard children, young people and adults at risk from abuse by:
• being alert to signs of abuse; and
• promptly reporting concerns to an appropriate person or organisation if you believe any such person is at risk of harm.
Clinicians who come into contact with children and adults at risk in their everyday work have a responsibility to safeguard and promote their welfare.
It may be there are a variety of concerns connected to safeguarding that arise as part of the work which you will need to continue to think about with your supervisor.
There may be times when there is an immediate risk of harm that needs to be reported. Ensure you know who to contact for further advice, or how to raise safeguarding concerns, in advance of this situation arising.
You could speak to:
- your supervisor;
- your Member Institution – there may be a safeguarding lead or someone you can speak to about specific concerns;
- a relevant department within a Local Authority (such as Children’s Care Services). You should search for the Local Authority and find out who the safeguarding lead is to assist you further;
- the Police;
- Social Services;
- National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
If you do report a safeguarding concern, or decide not to report a concern, you should keep a note of the decisions taken and why.
There are a variety of different types of safeguarding training you can attend. You may wish to attend a training from a psychoanalytic perspective, or a certificated course about safeguarding more generally. You will need to ensure you keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and decide which trainings to undertake, and with what frequency, to enable you to carry out your work safely and meet legal requirements. There are no statutory minimum requirements for training. There may be minimum requirements by your employer, if applicable.
See further BPC guidance about safeguarding here.
4.1 Not unlawfully discriminate against actual or prospective patients, whether directly or indirectly, on the grounds of:
• age;
• disability;
• gender reassignment;
• marriage and civil partnership;
• pregnancy and maternity;
• race, including colour, nationality, culture, ethnic or national origin;
• religion or belief;
• sex;
• sexual orientation.
4.2 Not let your own religious, moral, political, or personal beliefs and values prejudice or adversely affect the treatment provided to a patient.
5.1 Not offer, practise or advocate conversion practices.
Conversion practices – also referred to as “conversion therapy” – are defined as an intentional attempt to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
The BPC maintains its opposition to all attempts at conversion practices, which are not only potentially harmful to the patient but are in contradiction to the ethics and principles of evidence-based, therapeutic practice with the welfare of the patient as the primary concern.
It is important to recognise that exploration with a patient of their sexual or gender identity does not constitute conversion practice.
6.1 Work within your knowledge, skill, and professional competence.
6.2 Not offer or accept work which is beyond your competence and if, in the course of ongoing work, the work exceeds or is reasonably likely to exceed your competence, you must consult with your supervisor
with a view to taking appropriate action including referral elsewhere.
6.3 Exercise clinical judgement in considering whether to seek a medical opinion about a patient.
6.4 Undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and maintain expertise required to work competently with each of your
patients. Your CPD must at least meet the BPC CPD requirements for registration.
7.1 Only practise if you obtain sufficient and competent supervision or consultation with a suitably qualified supervisor or supervision peer group, having regard to:
• your own level of competence and experience;
• the number of patients in your practice;
• the clinical demands of each individual patient within your practice;
and
• whether the supervisory relationship has, for any reason, ceased to provide the level of challenge and depth necessary for competent work.
Because the psychoanalytic method involves the therapist using themselves in the service of the patient you have an obligation to continuously reflect on yourself and your work. It is your responsibility to make sure that supervision is meeting your needs and the needs of your patients.
Sufficient and competent supervision means that we expect your supervisor to be a senior, more experienced and more highly qualified clinician than yourself, where possible. Supervision should be a reflective process where you can be open and honest with your supervisor about countertransference, conflicts, mistakes or difficulties you are having. The same applies for supervision in a peer group.
If supervision is in a group, consideration should be given to the caseload and the number of group members so that each group member presents their work regularly and reasonably frequently.
It may not be possible to regularly discuss all of your patients in supervision. However, you should consider which patients are not being discussed in supervision and any impact this may have on the treatment.
The amount of supervision you have should depend on how recently qualified you are, how many people you are seeing and the nature of their difficulties. If you are a recently qualified Registrant it is advisable to keep on with regular supervision with a supervisor after training (such as weekly or fortnightly). It would not be appropriate for newly qualified practitioners to have only peer group supervision especially if the peer group members are also recently qualified.
7.2 Take all reasonable steps to ensure Registrants working under your supervision adhere to these standards.
If you are a supervisor and have concerns that a supervisee is not meeting the standards, you should discuss this with the supervisee. If the concerns persist, you may wish to discuss them with your own supervisor or a senior, experienced colleague, or with the chair of ethics of your or the supervisee’s MI.
If you have concerns about the supervisee’s fitness to practise, you should discuss this with the BPC, see further information here.
Also see the BPC safeguarding guidance if your concerns are about protecting people from harm.
8.1 Keep a suitable record of patients’ contact details for your
Professional Trustees.
8.2 Keep a written record of decisions and actions when reporting
safeguarding concerns.
8.3 Where relevant, meet employer obligations on notetaking.
8.4 Preserve the confidentiality of personal information acquired through your professional practice and protect the privacy of individuals and organisations about whom information is held.
8.5 At the outset of treatment, inform patients about confidentiality and how and in what circumstances you may share personal information with others if relevant to their treatment.
You should explain the limits of the confidentiality of the treatment to the patient at the outset. A written outline of how patient information is protected during treatment can be helpful for the patient, or the patient can be referred to the Registrant’s website.
8.6 Consider obtaining legal and ethical advice before providing
information if it is required by law or directed by a court.
It is important to recognise and avoid any pressure to disclose information unnecessarily. Registrants are expected to have obtained the patient’s consent for sharing their personal information in appropriate circumstances relating to their treatment. This would not cover the sharing of information for the purposes of teaching, publishing or research, which would need to be addressed separately.
8.7 Ensure information held about a patient is held securely and protected from unauthorised access.
8.8 When sending patient information electronically or by other means, ensure the process is confidential and secure.
8.9 Comply with all applicable Data Protection and Access to Health Records legislation.
8.10 When sharing confidential information with another person:
• use anonymised information if possible and consider whether it will serve the purpose for which it is shared;
• not share more identifiable personal information than is necessary for the purpose for which it is shared;
• be satisfied that the recipient understands and will respect the confidential nature of the information;
• not share identifiable personal information without the patient’s consent unless it is required or permitted by law (such as in
safeguarding against the risk of serious harm to the patient or others) or is justified in the public interest; and
• tell the patient about any such disclosure unless it would undermine the purpose of the disclosure.
Complete and effective anonymising means considering other information that recipients of any shared information may already have and which, taken together with the published information, would enable the patient to be identified.
8.11 When using clinical material for clinical research or publication:
• carefully consider the potential impact on the patient of publishing material concerning their therapeutic experience; and
• either ensure the patient has given informed consent for its use, which clearly involves considering the impact on the patient of
asking them; or
• ensure that the material is effectively anonymised as far as possible so that the patient cannot be sure of recognising themselves or be recognised by others.
8.12 When using clinical descriptions for training purposes:
• ensure that the material is anonymised as far as possible and appropriately for the audience concerned without losing the purpose of its use in training;
• ensure that your audience understands their responsibility to maintain complete confidentiality.
There are advantages and disadvantages to keeping detailed notes of patient sessions, and careful thought should be given to any decision about the level of information to record for any purpose (such as detailed notes prepared for supervision) and whether or when to destroy notes after use.
For guidance on GDPR and confidentiality, including providing notes to “authority”, see here.
9.1 Work effectively and collaboratively with colleagues with the patient as the primary concern.
9.2 Treat colleagues fairly and with respect.
10.1 Act with honesty and integrity.
10.2 Only practise if you are fit to practise. You must cease to practise if you are unfit to practise for any reason including, but not limited to, poor physical, mental, or emotional health.
10.3 Ensure that your conduct, whether or not connected to professional practice, does not undermine public confidence in you or the profession.
10.4 Avoid conflicts of interest which may affect your professional judgement.
10.5 Notify the BPC immediately if you have:
• been charged with a criminal offence;
• received a conviction or caution in the United Kingdom for a criminal offence or for an offence elsewhere which, if committed in England or Wales, would constitute a criminal offence;
• any proceedings commenced against you, civil or criminal, or by any professional body;
• received an adverse determination (i.e. a complaint has been upheld) by another professional regulatory or registration body, either in the United Kingdom or elsewhere; or
• an adverse physical or mental health condition which affects your fitness to practise.
10.6 Not resign or apply to voluntarily remove yourself from the BPC whilst subject to a Fitness to Practise investigation.
10.7 Fully cooperate with any investigation commenced by the BPC.
10.8 Monitor your own health and seek professional help for any problems which may adversely affect your ability to meet the requirements of safe practice.
11.1 Be open and honest with patients when things go wrong, taking into consideration the impact on the patient’s treatment.
All Registrants have a professional responsibility to be open, honest, and transparent with patients when things go wrong, including when a Registrant makes a mistake. This obligation is known as the professional Duty of Candour.
Things can go wrong in psychoanalytic work; sometimes this is a helpful part of the work and sometimes this can be harmful to the patient. Consider if harm to the patient could have been avoided by you and when you need to be transparent about this with the patient.
Some examples of where you would want to be open and honest about a mistake could include:
- Overrunning a session or making a mistake about the date or time of a session.
- Sending the wrong invoice to a patient or an incorrect amount in an invoice.
It is important to think about how mistakes can be used in the work with the patient and about the implications of apologising or not apologising to the patient. This could also be considered in supervision.
Being candid with a patient should not be misunderstood as admitting liability or wrongdoing, nor should it be confused with complaint handling.
The Duty of Candour applies irrespective of whether a complaint or concern has been raised by a patient and any action taken should always be in the best interests of the patient.
See further information here.
11.2 Respect a patient’s right to complain and ensure that making a complaint does not impact the standard of care, service or treatment provided to the patient.
11.3 Respond to a patient’s complaint in a professional manner.
It is the nature of psychoanalytic work that the patient may direct feelings of disappointment, frustration and anger towards the clinician. If a patient has a concern or complaint, it may be possible to discuss this as part of the work. However, it should not be assumed that this is always transference or countertransference.
The patient may have a genuine complaint about the treatment and it is important to reflect on this as part of your practice with your supervisor. Any complaints made about you or your practice should not impact the standard of care the patient receives.
Acknowledge and address the concerns as soon as possible. If the patient is not satisfied with your response to their complaint, you should provide them with the option to make a complaint to the BPC.
If you are aware of a complaint about your fitness to practise, you should inform the BPC.
Receiving a complaint about your professional work can be challenging and confronting, however it is important to remain calm and thoughtful when responding to concerns.
11.4 Inform the BPC if you are aware of concerns relating to a colleague that may be harming their patients or other colleagues.
You may have reservations about raising concerns about a colleague, especially if you don’t have much information or context. However, if there is a possibility that a patient or colleague could be at risk of harm, it is important to alert the BPC as soon as possible so we can properly investigate the concerns.
12.1 Appoint Professional Trustees who have consented and have access to the relevant patient information when needed. There must be written instructions.
Professional Trustees are sometimes referred to as clinical trustees.
See here for further information and guidance about professional trustees.
13.1 Ensure that you are familiar with and understand the BPC’s published policies and guidance, which are available on the BPC website and/or notified to you by email.
