REGULATING PSYCHOLOGISTS IN NOVA SCOTIA SINCE 1980
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The Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology (NSRP) is the governing body for Psychologists (Practising and Candidates) in Nova Scotia. It is our responsibility to protect the public by ensuring psychologists meet appropriate standards of practice and ethical conduct.
Psychologists may be disciplined for practice that falls below acceptable minimum standards for the profession, or for engaging in malpractice, incompetent practice, or other unethical conduct. Our formal, neutral investigation process serves to:
Uphold Standards: Ensure psychologists follow the laws, regulations, and ethics of the profession.
Provide Accountability: Offer a transparent avenue for the public to raise concerns about professional behavior.
To ensure our process is the right fit for your concerns, please review these legal constraints under the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA):
To ensure a timely and fair review of your concerns, please follow these guidelines regarding supporting materials:
Focus on Relevance: Only provide documents that directly relate to the specific conduct you are reporting.
Avoid “Data Dumps”: Please do not send original records or large volumes of documentation (such as entire medical files or years of email threads) unless specifically requested by the Registrar.
Policy on Recordings: The NSRP generally does not accept surreptitious (secret) audio or video recordings. The NSRP determines the relevance and admissibility of all evidence; please do not send recordings unless the Registrar has explicitly requested them.
Procedural Fairness: Please be aware that under the principles of natural justice, any information or documentation you provide to the NSRP will be shared with the psychologist to allow them a fair opportunity to respond.
Before laying a complaint, you are encouraged to contact the NSRP to confirm that the individual you are making the complaint against is a Registered Psychologist or Psychologist (Candidate Register). You may do so online by checking our Directory of Psychologists (www.ns-rp.ca). NSRP cannot become involved if the individual is not a psychologist.
It may be important and helpful for you review the Complaints Brochure to outline the issues that the NSRP can and cannot investigate.
Please click here to view the document.
You may also wish to check the Standards of Practice (https://www.ns-rp.ca/standards) to read the requirements that govern psychologists registered in Nova Scotia. You may find that reviewing the Standards of Practice is helpful in deciding whether you should file a complaint, and if so, what kind of information to provide to the NSRP to support your complaint
Before lodging a formal complaint with NSRP, you might consider discussing your concerns with the Psychologist. Of course, you are under no obligation to speak to the psychologist when you would be uncomfortable doing so. In some circumstances, the psychologist may not be aware of your concerns until a complaint has been lodged. One of the expectations of the NSRP Standards is that psychologists discuss with their clients the nature of their relationship and clarify any factors that bear upon that relationship. If you are uncomfortable speaking directly to the psychologist, you might choose to explain your concerns in a letter or email to the psychologist. You can also check to see if the psychology practice or institution has a grievance policy that provides information on how they deal with such concerns.
1) If you have experienced administrative concerns, such as timing of appointments, scheduling issues, fees, etc., they may be more appropriately dealt with by another person or organization (e.g., an Institutional Ombudsman, a schoolboard, the psychologist’s employer) rather than NSRP.
2) Psychologists may have to break confidentiality or privacy if the law requires them to make a report under the Children and Family Services Act or the Adult Protection Act, or if they believe that a person is a danger to themselves or others.
3) Consider what you want as an outcome, and note that there are some things that cannot be changed because of a complaint, such as:
a. The NSRP cannot change decisions made by third parties, such as insurance companies, Community Services, employers and family and other courts.
b. The NSRP cannot make changes to written reports. (The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act has processes to address errors and omissions in personal information).
c. The NSRP cannot award financial damages– this would require a civil procedure through the courts.
When you believe that the psychologist’s behavior was unethical or did not meet professional standards, and you would like to make a formal complaint to the NSRP, you can do so by completing and returning the Complaint Form.
Correspondence regarding Investigations may be sent to (addressed to The Registrar, NSRP):
Mail or Courier Address:
The Registrar
Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology
103-287 Lacewood Dr., Suite 331 Halifax, NS B3M 3Y7
Fax: 902-423-0058
Email NSRP: E-mail
If you have any questions about the information in this document, or if you would like to talk to someone about the complaints process, please contact the Registrar or Registrar’s Designate.
Email contact is preferred.
Telephone: (902) 423-2238
Once you have made a decision to file a formal complaint the usual procedure is as follows:
1. You must complete the formal complaint form.
In order to contact the Psychologist about your complaint, we need your permission. Please review the release of information forms included in the complaints package and sign those pertinent to your situation. Document your concerns. Attach any other documentation you think clarifies or supports your complaint. Send this completed package to the Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology.
2. The Regulator will review the allegations of your complaint and decide whether they meet the criteria of a complaint. If upon review, the Regulator determines that the allegation does not constitute a complaint within the meaning of the Regulated Health Professions Act, the Regulator may decline to process the matter.
3. If the complaint is accepted for processing, the Regulator will decide how to proceed based on what is in the public interest. We consider a number of factors including:
At this stage, the Regulator has several options:
If none of these options are appropriate or available at this stage, the Regulator will refer the complaint to the Complaints Committee (as noted below).
Communication and Support During the Process
The NSRP is committed to a fair and transparent process. While the Regulator must remain neutral and does not act as an advocate for either party, the Registrar or Registrar’s Designate is available to both the complainant and the psychologist once a complaint has been accepted for processing.
During the investigation, you may contact the NSRP to:
Request a status update on the timeline of the file.
Seek clarification on the procedural steps of the Regulated Health Professions Act.
To ensure a clear and consistent record of communication, parties are encouraged to reach out via email.
Investigators and Consultants
The NSRP utilizes professional investigators and NSRP staff to assist with interviews and the collection of information. The NSRP may also utilize consultants who have particular expertise when necessary to assist with an investigation.
4. The complaint, the psychologist’s response and any other information are forwarded to the Complaints Committee. Consequently, it may take one to three months after a complaint has been received before a Committee fully begins its investigation. The Committee can respond faster when it believes that the psychologist presents a significant risk to the public.
5. Once the Complaints Committee has reached a decision, you will be notified of the results in writing by the Chair of the Committee.
We do not represent or advocate for Psychologists in the complaints process. We are also unable to act as advocates or representatives for any other participant in the complaints process, including the person who files a complaint. The principles of natural justice require us to conduct investigations and resolve complaints in a procedurally fair and unbiased manner.
In the case of complaints which are before the courts, or which are under investigation by other agencies, the NSRP may decide to put its investigation on hold until the court case or other investigation have been completed. If this is the case, and your complaint relates to an issue (for example, an assessment report) that is pertinent to the court case or other investigation, you should speak to your lawyer to review your options available through the Court.
Also with respect to court matters, section 138(3) of the Regulated Health Professions Act states that “Unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, a decision issued under any process conducted under this Act, or any information set out in subsection (1) relevant to such decision, is not admissible in a civil proceeding other than an appeal or a process under this Act.”
The NSRP only conducts disciplinary investigations. When the results of a custody assessment are in dispute, NSRP does not attempt to resolve the disputed issues. If the Psychologist has followed standard practice in arriving at his/her conclusions, there is no basis for a complaint regardless of the nature of the differences of opinion unless there is clear evidence of unethical or incompetent actions on the psychologist’s part. The Complaint Committee normally does not begin to examine complaints involving custody/access or parenting capacity reports until the Court action is concluded.
Psychologists are required to retain their client files for adults for at least 10 years after the last date that the client was seen. For clients seen as children, files are retained for at least 10 years after the client’s 18th birthday. While there is no time limit for making a complaint to NSRP, please note that if more than 10 years has elapsed since the client was last seen (or it is more than 10 years from a child client’s 18th birthday) the NSRP’s ability to investigate may be hampered if the client files are no longer available.
Please also note that complaints against deceased psychologists cannot be investigated by the NSRP as the psychologist’s right to respond to a complaint is a necessary part of an investigation.
The Complaints Committee is a volunteer committee. The process for reviewing complaints is very thorough. The complexity of the issues under investigation and the response times involved in gathering all the relevant information has a bearing on the length of time. Typically, time to closure is between 6 and 18 months. Complaints that result in reprimands may move to a formal hearing. A formal hearing is a legal proceeding. Once this occurs resolution of the matter may involve time frames of over 18 months.
The NSRP must consider all factors when reaching its decision. Given the range of activities in which psychologists engage (including custody and access, 3rd party assessments, competency assessments, etc.), the process may at times be difficult or uncomfortable. However, the psychologist’s practice is expected to meet professional standards: https://www.ns-rp.ca/standards
2) Psychological assessments must be completed following appropriate standards and may result in findings which are not favourable to all parties. When assessment reports are in question, the Committee will consider whether the psychologist followed appropriate ethical principles and standards in drawing their conclusions.
3) It is important to consider whether all clinically relevant information was available to the psychologist during the assessment or intervention process.
4) Psychological treatment or assessment is a process requiring the participation of all parties. At times, a variety of factors can influence the process, such as, but not limited to the following: the availability of the psychologist, frequency and punctuality of appointments, preparedness for sessions, completion of assignments and understanding of recommended treatment options or recommendations from an assessment.
If the Complaints Committee does not find evidence of practice that has fallen below acceptable minimum standards or of malpractice or incompetent practice or other unethical conduct, the complaint will be Dismissed.
If the Committee is certain that the Psychologist’s services have fallen below minimum standards, but does not constitute professional misconduct, the Committee will issue a Caution to the Psychologist, in writing. A Caution will put the Psychologist on notice about what the Committee expects the Psychologist to do in the future to ensure that his/her services meet expected professional standards. The Caution may be considered by the Committee, in the event of a similar complaint against the psychologist in the future.
If the Committee is certain that the conduct of a Psychologist amounts to professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming the Committee may issue a Reprimand. The Psychologist may be asked to consent to the Reprimand. If Psychologist consents, the issue does not go forward to a formal hearing. If the Psychologist does not consent to the Reprimand, the matter is then referred to a Hearing conducted by the Professional Conduct Committee. If the Complaints Committee believes that protection of the public is an issue, it is within the jurisdiction of the Committee to impose Terms, Limitations or Conditions on a Psychologist’s licence or to conclude that the Psychologist’s licence or registration should be suspended or revoked. This will generally involve referral to a Formal Hearing.
The decision of the Complaints Committee is final and cannot be appealed.
Reprimands, Suspension and Revocation of Registration are considered disciplinary findings. As such, these findings are published on the NSRP website and will include the name of the psychologist but the complainant (if any) will not be identified. Cautions are not considered disciplinary findings, but a summary of the findings may be published on the website if the NSRP believes it can serve an educational purpose. The psychologist and the complainant are not identified in any publication of a Caution.
1) Complaint Form
2) Complaints Brochure
3) Standards of Practice
Please note this section is for visitors to submit comments. Submissions through this form are not responded to. Please see the “Contact Us” section if you are making an enquiry and wish to receive a response.
Copyright © 2021 Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology.