By Theresa Tan

PSYCHOLOGISTS are likely to be the next group of health caregivers to be regulated by the state.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has begun talks with the Singapore Psychological Society (SPS) and other members of the psychology profession on 'the need for formal regulation of psychologists'.

Asked the reason for this, a ministry spokesman noted that other allied health-care workers have already been registered, such as advanced practice nurses, dental hygienists, optometrists and opticians.

With the population ageing, more health-care workers are required with skills that are expansive enough to meet the diverse needs of patients.

The spokesman added: 'Our legislation needs to keep pace with these developments, and hence the MOH is preparing to register the rest of the allied health professionals.'

She did not give details of plans, but formal regulation usually means that only those who meet certain qualifications will be allowed to practise.

Other requirements such as continuing education to update skills are also usually required.

It is not clear how many psychologists there are here but the professional body for psychologists, the SPS, has about 800 members.

It has its own register, or a list of names which the SPS recognises as those of qualified practising psychologists, with about 140 psychologists on it at the last count.

To get on the register, psychologists must meet the society's requirements such as having a master's degree or PhD in a field of applied psychology from a recognised institution, among other criteria.

The SPS welcomed the ministry's plans to regulate psychologists as it 'will be in the public interest to be assured of standards and the quality of psychological support' provided by psychologists here.

It said that 'anyone with a psychology degree can call themselves a psychologist in Singapore'.

'There's no means to ascertain that the person is properly trained and the advice he gives to the public is sound.'

Increasingly, people are turning to psychologists not just for mental health, but also to boost their performance - for example, in sports or work, said SPS president Bernard Lim.

'Hence, the potential for psychology practitioners to mislead the public has increased, particularly when the practice is not regulated,' he added.

While both psychologists and psychiatrists help people with mental problems, psychiatrists are doctors who can prescribe medicine and come under the watch of the Singapore Medical Council.

In Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, psychologists have to be licensed by the government before they can practise.

In Singapore, this is not the case - yet.

Psychologists interviewed cheered plans to regulate their profession, saying this will give the public more confidence.

Mr Daniel Koh, 38, a psychologist of nine years, said: 'Regulation is a good thing because that means setting certain standards that everyone has to follow.'

theresat@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Straits Times.