Therapists:
Back to TherapistsMental Health and Wellbeing Network
When our customers need to see a mental health therapist, we offer them a choice from our specialist network.
If you'd like to join the network, find out more about the benefits to your practice, and recognition criteria below:
Benefits of recognition
Bupa recognition can help you build and promote your practice. It enables you to:
- raise the profile of your practice
- receive agreed fees for the care and treatment that you provide
- receive payment of your online invoices within seven days of approval using the secure BACS system
- promote your practice online to Bupa customers, GPs and the public
- access a website offering all the information you need to manage your relationship with Bupa
Entry criteria
Each therapist in a practice needs to be recognised individually. To become Bupa recognised, therapists need to:- hold accreditation with the professional bodies relative to your speciality:
- Psychology – Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and British Psychological Society (BPS) chartered status. Based on these qualifications, psychologists can also provide all three therapies listed below
- Counselling – British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
- Psychotherapy – BACP, UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) or British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
If you deliver the following services you will need to meet these additional criteria:
- Family therapy – have dual accreditation from the AFT and UKCP/BACP
- Telephone and video therapy – comply with Section C of the terms and conditions about the delivery of remote therapy
- have a clean record with the relevant professional or regulatory body. If you’ve previously undergone hearings or investigations we will need further information to process your application (please see the additional information section below which explains what we will need from you in order to consider your application)
- have at least five years’ post qualification experience in full time practice
- adhere to supervision guidelines and provide a reference from your supervisor (pdf, 87kb)
- have in place current indemnity insurance up to the amount advised by your professional or regulatory body, and attach a copy of your insurance certificate to your application
- have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate (UK, Wales and Channel Islands), an AccessNI enhanced certificate (Northern Ireland), or a Disclosure Scotland enhanced disclosure or Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) (Scotland) record check that was completed within the three years before applying for Bupa recognition
- submit all invoices to Bupa online for eligible treatment for our customers, receive payment from Bupa via BACs, and not send invoices to our customers
You’ll also need to supply photographic proof of identity. The proof of identity form (pdf, 33kb) explains which documents you can.
Additional information:
- If you’re over the age of 70 please attach a copy of your most recent appraisal in step 3 and complete the online application form.
- If you’ve previously undergone investigations or hearings with any of your professional bodies please attach a copy of any correspondence with them about the investigation in step 3.
- If you’ve told us about any declarations, convictions or previous suspensions please attach a copy of investigation case notes and a covering letter explaining the circumstances in step 3.
Before you apply
You can apply for Bupa recognition online in just four simple steps which should take less than an hour, depending on the complexity of your practice.
Familiarise yourself with the benefits and requirements of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Network
Read the guide to our Mental Health and Wellbeing Therapist Network (pdf, 57kb). It will tell you more about what we ask from you in terms of professional, administrative and customer service criteria that we ask of you.Read our questions and answers for mental health therapists (pdf, 215kb) and disclosure and barring questions and answers (pdf, 69kb) it will help answer any questions you may have about the network.
Please review the terms and conditions
If you apply for Bupa recognition, we’ll take it that you agree to the terms and conditions for joining the Mental Health and Wellbeing Therapist Network (pdf, 67kb).Confidentiality Guidelines
We will only use the information submitted to us as part of this process for the purposes of this application and in our ongoing relationship in the event that you become a Bupa recognised Provider.
We have indicated in the application form which information may be shared with Bupa members, on a Bupa website and through other media.
You have the opportunity to accept or decline this as you complete the application form.
Gather the documents you need
Having the following information to hand will enable you to complete your application:- your professional qualifications
- the clinical conditions you treat and therapeutic approach you routinely use
- your supervisor’s details
- name and address of your therapy room(s)/practice
- a completed reference from your supervisor on the template form provided
- a copy of your enhanced DBS certificate, AccessNI enhanced certificate, or Disclosure Scotland enhanced disclosure or Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) record check
- a copy of your current indemnity insurance certificate
- your photographic proof of identity
Apply online
We’ll send you an email to confirm we’ve received your completed application. Once we’ve received your application and supporting documents, we’ll process them and get back to you within 5 working days.Please don’t start treating Bupa customers until you’ve received an email confirming that your application for Bupa recognition is complete. Your recognition begins on the day you are added to Bupa’s list of recognised therapists, and we’re unable to fund any services provided to Bupa patients before that.