Acknowledgement

Bupa acknowledges the First Nations People as the traditional and rightful owners of the land upon which we work and live. We pay our respects to elders past, present, and emerging and acknowledge that First Nations sovereignty was never ceded. Always was, always will be Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Land.

Overview

Bupa's recognition criteria for Indigenous counselling providers enables providers who identify as being of First Nations heritage to apply via the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy & Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) for Bupa Ancillary (extras) provider registration.

Indigenous Counselling providers are either:

• Already Bupa recognised Counselling providers who wish to opt-in as Bupa-recognised Indigenous Counselling providers, or
• Indigenous Counselling or Indigenous Healing Practitioners

All providers must meet (and continue to meet) Bupa's recognition criteria (below).

Bupa recognition criteria

Bupa has absolute discretion in granting recognition to any ancillary provider. Meeting the criteria below does not guarantee recognition. Bupa will exercise this discretion where required on a case-by-case basis.

Psychologists seeking Bupa recognition must refer to Bupa's recognition criteria for Psychologists. Bupa recognised provider status may be granted to applicants who meet all of the following criteria:

Bupa recognised provider status may be granted to applicants who meet all of the following criteria:

1. Private practice^#
   

   Bupa recognised providers are required to be in private practice.

2. Modalities and Interventions

Counselling interventions utilised must have an evidence base for effectiveness. Only interventions that are evidence-based psychological therapies will be accepted.

3. Qualifications

Training at an Australian Registered Training Organisation with a minimum 2 years’ full-time (or part-time equivalent) training in Counselling*:

• Training is at a minimum of a Diploma level (AQF5) in terms of level and training as defined by the Australian Qualifications Framework, and may include (but not limited to):
• 10772NAT – Diploma of Narrative Approaches for Aboriginal People (Counselling Group and Community Work)
• 10401NAT – Diploma of Narrative Approaches for Aboriginal People (Counselling Group and Community Work)
• 10634NAT – Advanced Diploma of Aboriginal Specialist Trauma Counselling
• Training courses include a minimum of 40 hours of supervised client contact during training.

Providers who are qualified at a level higher than an AQF5 Diploma in Counselling from an Australian-based Registered Training Organisation may contact the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the College of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Healing Practitioners (CATSIHP) via the Psychotherapy & Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) to request provider recognition with Bupa.

If providers do not hold a minimum AQF5 Diploma in Counselling from an Australian-based Registered Training Organisation, they may contact the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the College of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Healing Practitioners (CATSIHP) to arrange an equivalence assessment where previous training, skills and work experience will be assessed against a Bupa recognised AQF5 Diploma of Counselling. If ACA or CATSIHP (PACFA) endorse a provider's request, they will be considered by Bupa for provider registration on a case-by-case basis.

*Bupa will only recognise providers for counselling services where the course of study awards a Counselling qualification. Providers are ineligible for Bupa provider recognition for counselling services if they have completed counselling units as a component of a separate course of study.

4. Clinical Experience

The Practitioner must have at least a minimum of 2 years of post-qualifying experience with a minimum of 750 hours of post-qualifying client contact hours and 75 hours of clinical supervision within that period.

5. Association Membership

A current member of either:

Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)

• Providers must have College of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Healing Practitioners (CATSIHP) endorsement



Or

• Australian Counselling Association (ACA)
  Bupa does not recognise providers who hold a student membership or who are recorded with the association as non- practising.


6. Continuing Professional Education

Annual Association requirements for Continuing Professional Education must be met and maintained.

Please speak with your association on these requirements.

7. Professional Indemnity Insurance

Must be current and maintained with the policy covering a minimum of $2,000,000 professional indemnity per claim and $20,000,000 public liability per claim. The provider must supply evidence confirming this on request. The insurance policy must cover each practice address covered by the registration.

8. Provide Senior First Aid or Workplace First Aid certificate (HLTAID011 – 2 days)
9. Agree to abide by Bupa's Ancillary Provider Terms (PDF).

^#Private Practice means a health care practice operating on an independent and self-supporting basis either as a sole trader, partnership, corporate or group practice but is not subsidised by another party such as any type of publicly funded facility for the provision of accommodation, facilities or other services or practitioners. The provision of Treatment at a public hospital or any other type of publicly funded facility is not Treatment provided in Private Practice.