Statement attributable to Lisa Gestro, Acting Director Mentally Well Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand acknowledges the decision of the New Zealand Psychologists Board to proceed with establishing the Psychology Assistant role and scope of practice.

This new workforce will support the existing clinical psychology workforce and is part of our ongoing work to build a sustainable Mental Health and Addiction workforce to meet the needs of all New Zealanders.

The Psychology Assistant role is a new opportunity for psychology graduates to enter a further training pathway that equips them to work as part of the mental health and addiction workforce and support people with lower complexity issues / mental health and wellbeing concerns.

This role is not about replacing psychologists—it’s about reinforcing the system. With supervision, training, and a clear scope, Psychology Assistants will support people who’ve been waiting too long.

We would like to acknowledge Auckland University of Technology and the University of Canterbury who have committed to the development of this training programme. We are excited to see them complete the development of the qualification and welcome psychology graduates into the training from 2026.

To support the development and implementation of the new Psychology Assistant role we will provide funding support over the next three years to boost supervision for both training and employment in services where there is low capacity.

In line with the approval from the New Zealand Psychologists Board the Psychology Assistant will be a registered role. This means the public can be reassured that anyone working as a registered Psychology Assistant has completed accredited training, has a clear scope of practice and is qualified to work in a team environment providing psychological support to people with mild to moderate mental health needs.

Registration also means Psychology Assistants must have regular supervision by a psychologist and maintain their competencies and ethical standards, helping them stay current and practise safely.  It also adds credibility and legal protection through oversight by the Psychologists Board.

Psychology Assistant is the formal name for the role previously referred to as Associate Psychologist.