SEPAR Confirmation

The BASES Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route (SEPAR) is a programme of professional development, skill acquisition and supervised practice to ensure that candidates acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience required to be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist. 

In May 2020, four candidates – David Jones, Lisa O’Halloran, David Priestley and Amy Spencer, having been part of the initial trial process, were confirmed by the SEPAR Committee (SEPARC) as being SEPAR complete and eligible to apply to the HCPC register. All have since completed the registration process with the HCPC and are now on the Practitioner Psychologist register. 

On receiving news of the SEPARC decision, David Jones said, “This is great news. Thank you for putting this pathway together and for all your help. The effort BASES has gone to, in order for another pathway to be open to people, will make a huge difference to the profession.” 

Dr Lisa O’Halloran said, “I am delighted to have completed SEPAR and to be on the HCPC register. HCPC accreditation will open the door for me to engage in exciting new career and development opportunities. SEPAR reinforces the commitment shown by BASES to support the continued development of the psychology profession and I am very grateful to those involved in developing this program. We are entering a new era now in sport and exercise psychology training and I highly recommend SEPAR to aspiring sport and exercise psychologists.” 

Dr David Priestley said, ”There were a number of factors which attracted me to SEPAR. Its acknowledgment of my original education and ongoing training. Its thorough assessment of my existing applied experiences, knowledge and skills. BASES development of SEPAR offered a suitable route for me. Essentially to evidence and then externally verify my proficiency as a practitioner, and my wish to meet standards (for - amongst other things - professional standards of conduct, performances and ethics) and to occupy a professional public register within my profession”. 

Amy Spencer said, “With BASES creating the SEPAR pathway, it has allowed me to evidence my competencies and achievements within the sport psychology domain. It has enabled me to take that step back and look at areas to revisit in order to meet the standards and gain access to the HCPC register, as well as enhancing my skills as a practitioner. I will be forever grateful that this route was made available and I am certain that other professionals will find this an invaluable process.” 

Having chaired the inaugural SEPARC, Prof Richard Thelwell FBASES, said, “I am sure that I speak on behalf of all involved in the SEPAR development that we are tremendously proud to see our first graduate of this new and exciting training route. Our collective hope is that the route significantly serves BASES members, our profession as a whole, and the many who will benefit as end-users for years to come". 

Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route (SEPAR) fee update Further to the article which appeared in the Spring 2020 edition of TSES; the cost for the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Competence (APEC) route of SEPAR is currently £1000. This applied to all submissions made for the recent 1 August 2020 cohort and will apply to all submissions made for the 1 February 2021 in-take. After that date, the fee will increase to £1500.