Employer Support
At Provisional Psychologist Hub, we assist employers in understanding and meeting their obligations when employing provisional psychologists. We offer confidential consultations with experienced psychologists and board-approved supervisors who have managed and owned practices employing provisional psychologists and psychologists. Our support encourages clinical governance, policy and procedure development, compliance, smooth onboarding, and ongoing professional development for your team.
Benefits and Limitations
With the national shortage of professional mental health workers in Australia now is a great time to look at what opportunities exist within your organisation to employ a provisional psychologist.
A provisional psychologist is someone you can shape to grow with your organisation. By employing at this early stage you can help ensure that they develop quality skills and experience within a supportive environment. Within your organisation there is opportunity for growth and career progression for their long term career as a psychologist.
Consider the benefits while acknowledging and taking the time to understand the limitations.
- Employee positions (casual, part time or full time)
- Graduate level remuneration
- Long term career growth planning
- Reduce client waitlist with an available workforce
- Able to provide NDIS funded services
- Triage clients based on varied skill levels, competence and confidence
- Promote peer support and a team environment
- Registered Psychologist at the completion of their internship
- Roles must be within a team, not working in isolation
- No independent contracting or subcontracting arrangements
- Not eligible for a medicare provider number
- Reports are to be co-signed
- 4 to 10 weeks timeframe for provisional registration approval by Ahpra
- Board Approved Supervision to be at a ratio of 1 hour of supervision for every 17 hours of psychological practice
Role of an Employer
There are a number of obligations for an employer when employing a provisional psychologist to be aware of depending on the pathway being undertaken. Here are some examples.
- "The internship plan should be developed by the applicant in conjunction with their principal supervisor with input by secondary supervisors and employers where appropriate."
- "It is important that the intern, employer/s and supervisors all have a good understanding of the requirements of the internship and realistic expectations about the time it will take to complete an internship in a particular work role."
- "The arrangement complies with the goals of the internship as well as privacy, confidentiality, and any other relevant workplace and/or employment policies."
- "When starting employment for the internship, provisional psychologists should ensure their employer is aware of the professional obligation of psychologists to always practice and conduct themselves in accordance with principles of the code."
Group Supervision
Our group supervision sessions cover a range of topics relevant to provisional psychologists, allowing them to access more affordable supervision options whilst also obtaining valuable support, guidance and information. Group supervision gives them the opportunity to learn from various Board Approved Supervisors and connect with other Provisional Psychologists working in diverse roles.
Organisations who employ multiple psychologists, mental health clinicians and provisional psychologists often find that private group supervision for their workplace is a preferable option. Groups consist of up to 5 practitioners and allow open discussion with a Board Approved Supervisor. It's a cost effective way for organisations to support the volume of supervision required to sustain registration while also supporting the continuous improvement of their practice.
Allied Health Employer Consultation
Allied Health Employers can now benefit from one-on-one guidance from experienced practice owners, who are psychologists and board-approved supervisors. This unique opportunity offers insights and first-hand experience to support collaborative practice management. Some questions that can be addressed include team support, suitable workplaces for psychologists, client types, session pricing, client communication, and workforce planning. Book a consultation today under "Consultation for Allied Health Employers" on our portal.
Professional Development
Supervision is a great way to provide support but many forget the importance of quality professional development to increase knowledge. Provisional Psychologist Hub offers an extensive range of Professional Development designed specifically for Provisional Psychologists entering Psychological Practice for the first time or those looking to refresh their skills and knowledge and meet their professional development requirements.
With over 100 professional development workshops, we have a range of subscriptions and stand alone workshops available to suit everyone. Our memberships include professional development to meet the required hours for the pathways to registration with a new workshop drip fed each fortnight so it's both affordable to obtain and feasible to complete.
Simplify the Requirements
Provisional Psychologist Hub has specifically designed its services around the requirements for the pathways to registration. By referring your aspiring provisional psychologists to us you can be confident that your team have consistent access to professional development, board approved supervisors, psychometric resources and application support.
Many employers cover the costs of supervision and professional development either in full or as part of an allowance. We provide automatic receipts for set monthly payments for ease of reimbursement which is the approach we recommend. We think it's fantastic to see so many employers supporting these expenses.
Supervision is for the provisional psychologist to ensure they are reaching competency in their internship and practice. We encourage the supervisee to take responsibility for supervision expenses and seek reimbursement for the agreed amount from the employer. This reduces onus on the employer to manage the process and encourages the provisional psychologist to stay on top of their requirements. It also makes the transition less challenging for both parties if employment ends.
Are you a Key Employer?
Provisional Psychologist Hub offers a 'Key Employer Program' designed to simplify connections between supportive employers and aspiring provisional psychologists. Key Employers, with more than 10 provisional psychologists, receive benefits like professional development upgrades, fee-free consultation fees for supervisees, management support, and more. This program fosters ongoing support and growth within the mental health profession. Becoming a Key Employer is free, and interested employers can reach out to our management team for eligibility details.
