Psychologists Warn: New “Psychology Assistant” Role Risks Public Safety

20 August 2025

The New Zealand Psychologists Board has announced its decision to establish a new Psychology Assistant role within Aotearoa’s health regulatory framework. While the Board has said the role can be introduced with safeguards, psychologists nationwide are warning the public that this move places clients at risk.

There are risks to the public which include:

A Lower standards of care: New Zealanders may unknowingly be seen by minimally trained assistants instead of qualified psychologists. This risks poorer quality care, misdiagnosis, and missed opportunities for effective treatment. Dr Brigette Gorman, a senior Clinical Psychologist from Christchurch notes: “The public deserves safe, evidence-based psychological care. Diluting standards by introducing minimally trained assistants risks harm to those already in vulnerable situations”.

Dr Kumari Valentine, a senior Clinical Psychologist from Dunedin says: “This is not about protecting our profession — it’s about protecting the public. If you or your loved ones seek psychological help, you should be able to trust that the person you see is a fully trained, registered psychologist. I ask the NZ Psychologists Board and the Minister of Mental Health, Hon Matthew Doocey – Would you take your family members to a Psychology Assistant?”

Lack of transparency: Unless services clearly disclose who is providing care, the public may not realise they are being treated by an assistant rather than a registered psychologist.

Legal accountability gaps: Under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance (HPCA) Act, clinical psychologists are responsible clinicians. However, responsibility for mistakes made by undertrained assistants would still fall back onto psychologists — leaving the public with blurred lines of accountability. We request clarification from ACC if treatment injuries sustained by people seen by Psychology Assistants would be covered.

Insurance risks: Psychology Assistants are unlikely to hold professional indemnity insurance. This means if something goes wrong, the assistant themselves cannot be held accountable in the same way as a registered health professional.

Rachel Fletcher, a Senior Clinical Psychologist from Wellington notes: “Supervision will not prevent harm if assistants are given responsibilities beyond their training. We cannot ethically endorse or supervise a role that creates a second-class service for New Zealanders”.

Concerned Psychologists are urging the public to always check the credentials of those providing psychological services. Given the risks to the public, concerned psychologists are recommending there is a boycott providing supervision to Psychology Assistants. To supervise is to legitimise a role that has not been proven safe, that risks public harm, and that places unfair liability on supervising psychologists. Psychologists are calling on the Board and the Government to:

1. Continue to invest in training and retaining qualified psychologists and to look to other registered fully qualified professionals such as registered counsellors and psychotherapists, rather than creating a lower standard of care. Please investigate the lower vacancy rate in the presence of trained professionals and professionals leaving for Australia.
2. Guarantee transparency, so the public is clearly informed when they are seeing an assistant rather than a psychologist and
3. Protect client safety by ensuring accountability and insurance safeguards are in place before any new role is implemented.

On behalf of concerned psychologists
Dr Kumari Valentine is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist based in Dunedin

© Scoop Media