Alastair Campbell: Rogue therapists are a danger to patients

Senior figures from the worlds of politics, entertainment and mental health activists are calling on the government to regulate psychotherapy after i Paper investigation of exposure of therapists who have been excluded but continue to see vulnerable patients.

Alastair CampbellTony Blair’s former press secretary and podcaster, comedian Ruby wax and Telemedicine Dr. Ranj Singh joined MPs from across Parliament to call for action after cases of therapists involved in sexually exploiting clients came to light i and found themselves still working as therapists.

Mr Campbell and Ms Wax, who both campaign for mental health, said it was “simply wrong” and “appalling” that there were no rules to prevent those guilty of serious misconduct from continuing to see clients.

Dr Singh, who is also a well-known mental health campaigner, described the situation as “scary as hell” and called on the Department of Health to intervene. “They need to review the rules for counselors and therapists,” he told The i Paper. “We’re letting people down, we’re putting them at risk, and without that, they’re really vulnerable to exploitation.”

Labor MP Rachel Maskell, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health, told The i In the document, she will raise the issue of regulation with Health Secretary Wes Streeting as it is “absolutely essential… if we are going to protect people”.

On Thursday The i Paper showed that counselors and therapists across Britain, who have been expelled from their professional bodies for having sex with clients, giving drugs to clients or being drunk during therapy sessions, continue to work as therapists because there are no rules preventing them from doing so. Some of the cases involved sexual exploitation, grooming, racism, financial abuse and bullying.

Read it ifull investigation of rogue therapists: Sex with patients, drugs and drunkenness at work: the world of unregulated “Wild West” therapy.

Read about “dirty documentation”: A GP fired for having sex in his hospital works as a therapist under a new name

Mr Campbell said it was “simply wrong” that therapists “found unfit for the work they do” could continue to work “because of the lack of regulation that applies to other types of medicine”. He urged the Government to act.

Mr Campbell said: “A vulnerable person with psychological difficulties has a right to know that the person they are dealing with and often paying is a person of good character, well qualified and there will be consequences if they are treated badly . »

While there are exceptional psychiatrists and therapists who save lives, Mr Campbell added: “What i The newspaper’s investigation shows that there are very bad people.”

He added: “I really hope that the Government – with all the other challenges facing the health service – (will ensure) that mental health is back on the agenda, that it is given the political attention it deserves , and that some of these questions The i The paper lights up properly.”

Presented conclusions of The i Ms Wax, who trained as a psychotherapist herself before writing books on mental health, said it was “crucial” that the government introduced some form of regulation.

She said: “Something needs to change… It’s not a difficult answer. Who would tell you? “Oh yeah, I guess they should keep training”? If they are found guilty of some misdemeanor, then it is meaningless.”

Otherwise, she said, therapists “could do so much damage, (cause) so much suffering if someone is not qualified, or when you get sexually abused. You are at the mercy of another person.”

She added that there are more cases yet to be solved. “I also know stories that cause horror. I know a patient who was sexually abused and then they were sexually abused by their therapist. And they still practice therapy. I think it’s terrible.”

In one case excavated by The i paper, a male therapist found him The organization’s professional conduct committee had a sexual relationship with two clients over several years, giving one of them drugs. But despite the fact that the commission found him to be an “extreme danger to society…if allowed to resume practice,” he was found i Paper for organizing meetings with clients.

Posing as a member of the public seeking help for anxiety, The i Paper contacted several therapists who had been disbarred and were still advertising their services to set up an initial meeting.

In another case, a man now marketing himself as a marriage counselor was disbarred for bringing a client to live with him and his wife, having sex with his client, who then attempted suicide.

Rachel Maskell, MP, said: “The stories that The i The report released … really makes the strongest case for why we need regulation of all medical professions.”

Maskell added: “It’s really shocking that they’ve been kicked out by their own trade union, which they can set up under a different umbrella, no questions asked. And the whole purpose of regulation is to protect the profession, but most importantly, to protect the public.”

There is currently a voluntary scheme run by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) which accredits private professional bodies such as the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

But counselors and therapists do not need to be members of or accredited by any organization to treat and charge patients. Because “therapist” and “counselor” are not protected titles (like a doctor), anyone can call themselves a therapist or counselor without any training or qualifications.

“It’s just amazing that you can hold such an important position that has access to very vulnerable people, sometimes at the most difficult times of their lives, but you don’t have to meet any training standards in this country because they’re not protected titles.” said Dr. Singh i Paper.

After the presentation of The i The report’s findings were passed on to the Department of Health, with a spokesperson defending the current system, urging people to look for PSA-accredited therapists and report anything that goes wrong.

As well as stopping therapists from practicing if they are found guilty of misconduct, enforcement regulation can also enforce standards of training, qualifications, experience and ongoing professional development, campaigners say.

Conservative shadow foreign secretary Alicia Cairns and Dr Danny Chambers, the Lib Dems’ mental health spokesman, also called for increased regulation after i Paper investigation.