Safe and effective services

High competence and conduct underpin safe services. Effective practice means the psychologist: (a) keeps their knowledge and skills adequate; (b) before taking up a new role, obtains enough training, qualifications or support from a practitioner experienced in that area to become competent in it; (c) keeps adequate records (section 8.5); (d) weighs likely benefit against risk of harm in every decision; (e) communicates so that clients know enough to decide about current and future services (section 3.2); (f) offers assessment and intervention options grounded in the best information and not swayed by money or incentives; (g) practises within a current evidence-based framework, falling back on accepted best practice where evidence is lacking; (h) keeps the work aligned with the purpose agreed for the service; (i) supports a client who wants a second opinion from a suitable practitioner; (j) consults another practitioner when that is warranted; (k) uses available resources responsibly (section 6.1); (l) keeps personal views from harming the service; (m) reflects regularly on their services, decisions and actions so that they stay effective, culturally safe and reflective; and (n) gets advice from an experienced practitioner on anything that does or could impair effective, culturally safe service.

• CPD log and peer consultation record meeting the Board's CPD registration standard
• Training certificates, supervision agreements or mentoring records obtained before starting a new practice area or role
• Service agreements stating the purpose of the service, matched against the work recorded in the file
• Notes showing benefit and risk weighed, and second-opinion or consultation requests acted on

• New modality or client group taken on with no documented training or supervision
• Interventions chosen by reference to what a funder pays most for
• No peer consultation or reflective practice recorded for the year