Pursuant to sections 11 and 12 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, the following notice is given.

This notice further amends the Psychologists Board’s notice dated 8 January 2018 and published in the New Zealand Gazette, 11 January 2018, Notice No. 2018-gs63 and in a Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 15 September 2004, No. 120, page 2976, setting out scopes of practice and related qualifications.

Please add the following scope of practice, along with its definition and qualification:

Psychology Assistant

A practitioner registered in the Psychology Assistant scope is defined as rendering or offering to render individuals, families/whānau, groups, organisations or the public, a limited range of services informed by psychological knowledge, principles, methods and procedures of understanding, predicting, ameliorating, or influencing relevant aspects of wellbeing, including te taha hinengaro (mental wellbeing), te taha whānau (family wellbeing), te taha wairua (spiritual wellbeing), and te taha tinana (physical health).

Practitioners registered in the Psychology Assistant scope of practice must:

• work under the supervision of a registered psychologist;
• work within multidisciplinary teams that include a senior registered mental health professional;
• practise only within the limits of the Psychology Assistant scope of practice and their individual competence;
• not practise independently or in isolated roles; and
• comply with any supervision requirements prescribed by the Board.

Psychology Assistants may work in a range of settings including community, residential, primary, secondary and tertiary health services, non-governmental organisations, Primary Health Organisations, correctional settings, and other environments where mental health and addiction services are delivered.

Qualifications Set for the Scope

• A minimum of a Bachelors degree in Psychology; and
• A Board accredited Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology Assistance from an accredited educational organisation, which includes a minimum of 600 hours of supervised practice.

This notice takes effect on 9 July 2026.

Dated at Wellington this 2nd day of June 2026.

VANESSA SIMPSON, Chief Executive/Registrar, New Zealand Psychologists Board.