On June 1 st 1999, music therapists, art therapists and drama therapists became State Registered Arts Therapists. They joined other professions supplementary to medicine who are also state registered and who work with the medical profession offering a wide range of specialist skills. Each profession is regulated under the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act (PSM) 1960. Each also has its own professional association which is responsible for advancing the interests of the profession.

Each profession has its own specialist Board that is co-ordinated and supervised by the Health Professions Council (HPC). The Boards keep registers of those who have met their requirements for state registration and provide assurance that someone on the register is judged to be competent in a particular profession. All registrants agree to abide by a Statement of Conduct appropriate to the profession and each Board has an Investigating and a Disciplinary Committee. This function is to protect the public from unethical and unprofessional behaviour.

Anyone wishing to become state registered must meet the current requirements of the appropriate Board, make formal application and pay the application fee.

In order to be employed in a wide range of posts including the NHS and local authority social services, state registration is a necessity.

Further information regarding state registration can be obtained from: -

The Registration Officer
HPC
Park House
184 Kennington Park Road
London SE11 4BU
UK

Health Professions Council