As a member of the The National Counselling Society I am listed on their Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) which has been accredited under a new scheme set up by the Department of Health and administered by the Professional Standards Authority who are an independent body, accountable to Parliament.   The Authority oversees statutory registers such as the General Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council.  The AVR scheme was set up by the Department of Health to ensure that the public are able to choose safe, ethical and competent professionals for their health and social care needs.   The Accreditation Mark is recognisable to the general public to enable them to identify a competent counsellor.