The New Zealand Psychologists Board’s statutory
responsibility is to protect the public and ensure safe,
effective psychological care. This decision on a proposed
role has been made with that responsibility at the
forefront.
The Psychologists Board has carefully
considered the proposal to establish a new Psychology
Assistant role within Aotearoa New Zealand’s health
regulatory framework. After consultation, review, and
refinement, the Board has determined that the proposal is
sound and that the role can be introduced with clear
safeguards in place.
The next step is the development
of the training programmes that may be considered for
accreditation by the board and extending the board’s
accreditation framework from its current format. There will
be further consultation on this out to the public and
profession, and this will include consultation on the
proposed prescribed qualifications for the Psychology
Assistant scope of practice. The Psychologists Board will
continue to engage with the profession, employers, and
consumers to support safe implementation and to monitor the
role’s contribution to improving access and mental
wellbeing outcomes.
The concerns expressed by some
psychologists reflect the deep commitment of the profession
to protecting the public and maintaining high standards of
practice.
To inform its decision, the Board undertook
two phases of consultation: an initial survey in late 2024,
and a full six-week consultation in 2025. Input was gathered
through surveys, written submissions, and focus groups,
including a consumer group convened with the support of the
Health Quality & Safety Commission. There were 441
submissions, a mix of individual and group submissions
contributed their views.
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The Board wishes
to emphasise that every submission was read and considered.
Consultation was an important step in shaping the proposal.
Several refinements were made during development, directly
in response to the feedback received.
The
main concerns voiced through consultation
were:
- Workforce substitution risk — that some
services might replace current psychologist positions with
assistant roles which require less training and budget
allocation. - Supervision pressures — the risk of
overburdening psychologists already stretched by workforce
shortages and demand. - Career development — whether
the role would provide meaningful progression or become a
“dead end” rather than a pathway to becoming a
psychologist.
These are serious concerns, and
the Board has weighed them with care.
The Board’s
reasoning
After analysis, the Board concluded that
the Psychology Assistant role is:
- An avenue to
improve access to mental wellbeing and addiction supports
— specially for people with mild or less complex needs,
who often wait a long time to receive support. - A
role to be structured for safe, team-based care — the role
cannot exist outside a team which includes a registered
mental health professional; ensuring oversight and
integration into multidisciplinary health care. - A
response to workforce shortages — enabling psychologists
to focus on complex work while assistants support the wider
service.
Psychology Assistants are not
psychologists and the name Psychology Assistant has been
chosen to avoid any confusion about this. The scope of
practice for Psychology Assistants has been designed to
remain clearly distinct from that of registered
psychologists. Assistants will not diagnose, formulate, or
practise without supervision.
The Board recognises
that concerns about substitution and supervision are
genuine. For this reason, strict safeguards have been built
into the scope proposal:
- A defined scope of
practice that does not duplicate or replace
psychologists. - Mandatory supervision for all
Psychology Assistants. - Where any additional tasks
are carried out by Psychology Assistants under delegation
from their supervisors, supervisors retain professional
accountability.
The Board also acknowledges the
concern about career progression. While the role is not yet
positioned as a guaranteed pathway to becoming a
psychologist, experience gained may support individuals who
later choose to pursue further post graduate
training.
The Board received a wide range of feedback.
Some practitioners saw potential for the role to strengthen
teams and increase reach. Consumers provided mixed views —
some believed the role could increase access, while others
expressed concern that it might be a barrier to receiving
care from a registered psychologist.
The Board has
carefully weighed perspectives and remains committed to
monitoring the role’s impact once implemented.
The
decision to proceed with establishing the Psychology
Assistant role and scope of practise has not been taken
lightly. The Board acknowledges the passion, expertise, and
dedication shown by registrants and academics in engaging
with this process, even where views diverged.
The
Board thanks all who contributed their views, acknowledging
the robust dialogue. Where perspectives differ, the shared
goal remains the same: improving the wellbeing of people and
communities across Aotearoa New
Zealand.
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