Health | Counseling psychologists not to be included in new qualification regime

Counseling psychologists will not be  included in the range of professional activities covered by a bill that will regulate the qualification and registration of health professionals.

The clarification issued by the Health Bureau (SSM) comes after the government received several suggestions and concerns that the new law could, in the future, influence such a professional category.

In the statement, the SSM notes that the psychotherapy category includes clinical diagnosis, medical treatment, rehabilitation, and follow-up programs after recovery, noting that the bill only regulates the issuance of a psychotherapist license, following a consensus achieved in talks with this professional sector.

In this way, the SSM remarks that all counselors can continue to operate normally without any restriction by the law, since such activities do not require a special license under the bill.
The bureau also noted that, during the preparation of the law project, the government took into account the situation of Macau and already anticipated situations like the one noted, remarking that the bill applies specifically to 15 categories of health professionals only. All others will continue to be governed by existing laws. RM