Singapore to register psychologists to safeguard patient safety, boost public confidence
Source: Straits Times
Article Date: 08 Mar 2025
Author: Lee Li Ying
Psychologists who wish to practise in Singapore will have to ensure that they meet the required standards set by law.
In a move to strengthen mental health services, Singapore will be working towards registering psychologists, amid concerns raised by practitioners over client safety in an unregulated sector.
The change means that psychologists who wish to practise in Singapore will have to ensure they meet the required standards set by law.
An inter-agency implementation committee consisting of practitioners, regulators and service providers from both the public and private sectors has been set up to oversee the process.
Announcing this during the debate on the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) budget on March 7, Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary said the increased focus on mental health in recent years has prompted changes in psychological practice, with more psychologists now working beyond traditional clinical settings, in the community and private sector.
The registration will focus on those providing direct care, including higher-risk assessments and interventions across various sectors.
“This will raise professional standards, safeguard patient safety and increase public confidence in psychological services. Further details will be announced at a later date,” said Dr Janil.
The call for regulation of psychologists has gained momentum in recent years, especially with the increasing prevalence of mental health issues exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, among mental health professionals in Singapore, only psychiatrists are regulated by the Singapore Medical Council.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who oversee interventions such as medication, hospitalisation and other treatments.
While psychologists do not give medical advice or prescribe medication, they can provide diagnoses based on psychological assessment and evaluation tools.
Psychologists have lauded the move to regulate the sector, with many saying it is long overdue.
Ms Mavis Seow, senior principal clinical psychologist and head of psychology at the Institute of Mental Health, said: “This is like a dream come true. I have been hoping for regulation to come through for more than 20 years.”
Ms Seow, who is in the inter-agency implementation committee, has come across some unsafe clinical practices. These include inappropriate psychological assessments provided by individuals practising beyond their scope of competence, and ethical violations, such as practitioners engaging in inappropriate relationships with clients.
“If the sector remains unregulated, there is the potential for variability in the quality of services provided, and this can introduce potential risks to public safety. Also, there is no official body overseeing the practice of psychology, and it makes it difficult to implement ethical standards or address misconduct effectively,” she added.
Singapore Psychological Society president Adrian Toh said that without regulation, anyone can claim to be a psychologist, regardless of their training, qualifications or experience.
“With formal registration, the public can be assured that all practising psychologists meet strict professional requirements, including recognised qualifications, supervised clinical training and ongoing professional development. This will help prevent unethical practices, ensure evidence-based treatment, and provide clear accountability mechanisms for professional misconduct,” he said.
Dr Liew Shi Hui, forensic psychologist at the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s clinical and forensic psychology service, said one form of direct care in forensic psychology is making court-related risk assessments such as the risk of spousal or sexual violence, mental health evaluation, or mental capacity assessment that might be taken into consideration by judges when they make legal decisions.
Other higher-risk services involve managing crisis situations like suicide ideation or violent behaviour.
Ms Seow said that while regulation will enhance public safety and professional standards, practical considerations would include the potential reduction in the number of available practitioners during the transition, increased operational costs for practices, and higher barriers to entry for new practitioners.
“These can be effectively mitigated through careful planning, such as phased implementation to allow gradual adaptation, grandfathering provisions for experienced practitioners, clear timelines for meeting new requirements and enhanced training and education pathways for qualification upgrading, as well as temporary registration options,” said Ms Seow.
Mr Toh said that the society is committed to working closely with MOH and relevant stakeholders to support a smooth transition to regulation, and ensuring that the framework is fair, inclusive and beneficial to both psychologists and the public.
MOH will also review the advertising controls under the Healthcare Services Act (HCSA), to make it easier for certain professionals like clinical psychologists, speech therapists and physiotherapists to advertise their services in a safe and appropriate manner.
Currently, the Act prohibits providers of services not licensed by MOH from advertising that they are able to “treat” a medical condition. This is to prevent the public from being misled.
“However, certain professions, such as allied health and traditional Chinese medicine, are regulated under their respective professional Acts,” said Dr Janil. “Their interventions are low-risk, because they manage conditions in accordance with clear standards of practice set by their professional bodies.”
The change would impact professionals listed in the First Schedule of the Allied Health Professions Act and other selected Acts, such as those governing traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.
MOH said these professionals will still have to adhere to the advertising requirements under HCSA, which include controls on content and the media to ensure accuracy of claims.
For example, their advertisements must not contain exaggerated or inaccurate claims that can mislead the public into consuming unwarranted treatments.
These professionals also cannot claim to treat medical conditions that are not within their scope of practice.
More details will be shared when ready.
Plans are also under way to improve access to youth mental health services.
An expert group will be convened in 2025 to develop guidelines on obtaining parental consent for minors seeking mental health services.
The need for parental consent has been one key barrier preventing some young people from seeking help for their mental health. While common law states that the age of consent is 21 in Singapore, some service providers require parental consent for those under 18.
Dr Janil said that after consulting medical ethics experts and mental health service providers, MOH decided to take a nuanced approach by convening an expert group to develop guidelines in this area.
This is to ensure that parental consent issues do not result in delays for minors accessing mental health services, while also ensuring the involvement of parents in the care and recovery process.
The guidelines will cover various scenarios, applicable conditions and restrictions where parental consent is required, as well as measures to safeguard the interests and safety of minors receiving mental health services.
The guidelines will be incorporated into the practice guide for youth mental health service providers, serving as a resource for professionals working with young people. It will not be legally binding.
Meanwhile, young people aged 13 to 25 and their caregivers will be able to seek mental health support and services at a new integrated wellness centre called “grovve” at the end of 2025.
The 720 sq m centre is located at *Scape, a youth hangout in Orchard Link.
Services include mental health screening, triage and intervention, as well as general wellness activities such as art, yoga and photography.
When it is fully operational, the centre will be open from Mondays to Saturdays, 11am to 8pm.
Young people and caregivers can access the services and resources at the centre either by walking in or through online platforms.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.
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