General Duties of a Clinical Psychologist

Given below are some of the duties of a clinical psychologist:

Advertising Services

A clinical psychologist should not:

• Solicit any person with disabilities, directly or indirectly. This includes advertisements, circulars, hand-bills etc. However, clinical psychologists can formally announce through the press about starting/resumption of practice, change of practice, change of address, winding up of practice, and temporary absence from practice.¹
• Display qualifications on the sign board, letter head pad, prescription slip, visiting card, certificate, report and other documents that carry the psychologist’s signature. The Registration Certificate should also be fixed in the place of practice, in a clearly visible manner.²
• Not undertake practice in any field other than the psychologist’s field of specialization.³

Fee and Payment

Clinical psychologists should not charge an exorbitant fee. Also, a psychologist should not enter into a deal of ‘No payment, no cure’.⁴

Details of Patients

Clinical psychologists should maintain a register of the details of patients, prescriptions issued, fees charged etc.⁵

Moreover, clinical psychologists have the duty to maintain confidentiality. This includes keeping the information about their patient’s mental health, mental healthcare treatment, and physical healthcare confidential.⁶

Treatment and Care of Patients

A clinical psychologist should undertake rehabilitation or treatment of people with disabilities at regular and required intervals, or the proper time.⁷ However, they should not:

• Exaggerate the course of disease or the gravity of the condition of any person with disability.⁸
• Indulge in any indecent activity or have any improper relations.⁹
• Make use of harsh and rough language with any person with disability.¹⁰
• Take undue advantage of the condition of a person with disability.¹¹
• Intentionally and knowingly neglect any person with disability.¹²
• Avail or attempt to avail any benefit meant for people with disability.¹³

Violation of these duties will qualify as misconduct and can make a psychologist liable to disciplinary proceedings by the Rehabilitation Council of India.¹⁴

1. Regulation 3, The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
2. Regulation 8, The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
3. Regulation 11(k), The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
4. Regulation 9, The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
5. Regulation 13, The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
6. Section 23, Mental Health Act, 2017[↩]
7. Regulation 11(h), The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
8. Regulation 10, The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
9. Regulation 11(b) and 11(c)The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
10. Regulation 11(d), The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
11. Regulation 11(f), The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
12. Regulation 11(i), The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
13. Regulation 11(j), The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]
14. Regulation 15, The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998[↩]