A key step towards regulating the profession of psychotherapist. Unanimous support

• The majority of consultation participants (61%) agreed with the solutions included in the draft act prepared by the Working Group
• 58% believe that it is necessary to regulate the profession of psychotherapist by law
• 7,575 people took part in the consultations, the vast majority of whom (75%) were women.
• As many as 99 percent of the consultation participants represented themselves, which indicates a wide interest in the topic among psychotherapists themselves and potential patients.
• The bill has already been read. Further work is before the parliamentary health committee.

On April 24, MP Marta Golbik informed on social media about the reading of the parliamentary draft Act on the Profession of Psychotherapist and Professional Self-Government. The Committee unanimously adopted the Act as constitutional and compliant with European law.

- There is further work ahead of us in the health committee, but as you can see, we are rapidly approaching a breakthrough moment when we will be able to say that we have ensured the safety of all people using psychotherapy in Poland - wrote Golbik.

The parliamentary social consultations on the draft act on the profession of psychotherapist aroused great interest, as evidenced by the total of 7,575 opinions and comments received.

According to the press release, as many as 72% of respondents supported the introduction of a law regulating the profession of psychotherapist . In turn, 61% of consultation participants agreed with the solutions included in the project prepared by the Working Group, which was the basis for the parliamentary project. Importantly, 58% of consultation participants do not see any other way to regulate the issues raised in the project than through legislation.

Detailed data from the consultations show that the vast majority of participants were women - 75% of all those taking part in the consultations.

A total of 5,672 women and 1,903 men took part in the consultations.

The largest age group among the participants were people aged 40-49 (33%) and 30-39 (30%). The vast majority of participants, as many as 7,487 people (99%), represented themselves. Only 45 people represented entities other than legal entities, and 43 people represented legal entities.

Regarding the need to adopt the Act, the majority of respondents expressed a positive attitude.

On a scale from 1 (strong disagreement) to 5 (strong agreement), 5,236 people (69 percent) selected option 5, indicating strong agreement with the need for the Act. 1,784 people (24 percent) selected option 1, expressing strong disagreement.

The responses to the question about acceptance of the solutions included in the bill were similar. 4,112 people (54%) chose option 5, and 2,312 people (31%) chose option 1.

The majority of consultation participants believed that the regulations contained in the draft directly concern them. 6,849 people (90%) selected option 5 in response to the question whether they agreed with the statement that the regulations concern them directly.

Referring to the possibility of solving the problem in a way other than through the proposed act, 4,363 people (58%) answered "No" and 2,203 people (29%) answered "Yes".

Most consultation participants agreed with the impact assessments of the proposed changes presented in the draft.

3,990 people (53%) agreed with the assessment of the social impact presented in the project, 3,568 people (47%) with the assessment of the economic impact, 3,453 people (46%) with the assessment of the financial impact and 3,781 people (50%) with the assessment of the legal impact.

Regarding the effects of the proposed changes other than those indicated by the applicant, 3,100 people (41 percent) answered "No" and 2,270 people (30 percent) answered "Yes". Regarding the impact of the proposed change on entities other than those indicated in the project - 1,843 people (24 percent) answered "No" and 2,396 people (32 percent) answered "Yes".

The draft act on the profession of psychotherapist was the result of almost two years of work initiated in the previous term of the Sejm by the Parliamentary Team for the act on the profession of psychotherapist.

A Working Group composed of 38 associations representing various psychotherapeutic approaches was involved in the work on the project.

National Consultant for Psychotherapy Łukasz Müldner-Nieckowski expressed his gratitude for the numerous comments and opinions, emphasizing their public availability and the ongoing work on incorporating constructive ideas.

Anna Grzelka, who leads the legislative work within the Working Group, emphasised that the aim is to create a sensible and effective framework for psychotherapists in Poland.

The bill also gained the support of the Main Board of the Polish Psychiatric Association and over 93 scientists, including 20 professors dealing with psychotherapy. Support was also expressed by over 330 supervisors of the Polish Psychological and Psychiatric Association and other associations.

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