Woman fined for falsely claiming to be a psychologist in ACT Supreme Court

In Ahpra’s first criminal prosecution in the ACT, a woman who falsely claimed to be a psychologist in a criminal trial before the ACT Supreme Court has been convicted and fined $2000. The woman was also ordered by the court to pay Ahpra’s legal costs — to be determined later.

Having worked as a counsellor, the woman signed an assessment report as a ‘psychologist’ and referred to herself as a psychologist when giving evidence in the Supreme Court sentencing hearing.

With the presiding judge repeatedly referring to her as a psychologist and treating her opinions as expert evidence, the report and her verbal evidence were relied upon by the court during the sentencing of an offender, Ahpra said.

Never registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, the woman had not fulfilled the study requirements to be eligible for registration, pleading guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court on 1 July to one count of holding herself out as a registered health practitioner.

The ACT Police Force later found out the woman was not a registered psychologist and referred the matter to Ahpra, the court was told.

“Even though there is no suggestion of any impact on a patient or patients’ health, what occurred was brazen and almost audacious in the manner in which it was done in a public and formal process and that has real potential to impact on the public’s trust and confidence in the healthcare system,” Magistrate Glenn Theakston said in sentencing.

“This decision highlights there are serious consequences if you hold yourself out as a registered practitioner,” Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner said. “Only people who are suitably qualified and registered with Ahpra can call themselves a psychologist.”

Image credit: iStock.com/AnnaStills. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.