Submitted by Connor George David Whiteley on Monday 16th March 2026
Published on Thursday 23rd April 2026
Current status: Open
Open until: Friday 23rd October 2026
Current Signatures: 57
(count is updated approximately hourly)
Relevant Departments
Tagged with
2023 ~ Boost ~ Clinical ~ Create ~ crisis ~ Economy ~ Government MUST ~ mentalhealth ~ NHS ~ Nurses ~ part ~ Psychology ~ Recruitment ~ Reported ~ Reviewed ~ skills ~ The NHS ~ work
Review requirements to become mental health practitioner
The Government must review how psychology students can gain the practical experience and clinical skills needed to become qualified mental health practitioners as part of an undergraduate degree. This could help to solve the mental health, NHS recruitment and graduate employment crisis.
Those with a psychology undergraduate qualification are not recognised as qualified professionals, unlike social work or nursing graduates. It has been reported that mental health costs the UK £118 billion annually. In 2023 the Government said the NHS needs 8,500 more practitioners, and over 42,000 students graduated in psychology that same year, but recruitment remains unsolved. We believe introducing licensing degrees would create a workforce, boost the economy, and strengthen mental health support.
If you want to sign this petition (as opposed to merely discuss it), you need to do that on the government's e-Petitions website.
216.73.217.179 Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:12:51 +0100
