When David Ensor steps into his role each morning as CEO of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), the mission is crystal clear: protect the safety and wellbeing of the Australian public.
In a nation where one in five Australians experiences mental health challenges each year, the role of APAC is critical – helping ensure that millions of people can rely on psychologists who are properly trained, competent and ready to provide safe care, wherever they live.
APAC oversees more than 1,000 psychology courses across Australia, making sure universities and higher education providers properly train students who want to become psychologists. It’s meticulous work. Every accredited program is responsible for students who can one day enter the profession and provide support that Australians can trust – whether they’re in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Bendigo or remote communities. For Ensor, ensuring this consistency is non-negotiable: “If someone you love knocks on a psychologist’s door, I want them to receive safe, equitable care no matter where they are.”
But the path forward isn’t without its challenges. Australia faces an unequal distribution of psychologists, leaving rural and regional communities underserved. At the same time, rapid advances in technology and artificial intelligence are reshaping both education and the delivery of psychological services and the way Australian’s seek help for their mental health. APAC must balance innovation with safety, encouraging virtual delivery, simulation-based learning and telehealth, while ensuring standards keep pace with new risks.
To support their critical work, APAC needed an accounting and finance partner that could not only improve its financial systems, but help the leadership understand their trajectory. “The more time that we have to spend trying to put out fires and deal with issues in relation to financial management, the more we’re going to be distracted from what we should be doing” says Ensor.
The partnership with Saward Dawson has allowed APAC to strengthen its internal systems, embed clearer controls and automate processes that once required significant manual effort. Fast responses, clear accountability and thoughtful advice have helped APAC reduce risk and focus on what matters most: accreditation, fairness and public safety.
For Ensor, the value of the relationship goes beyond numbers and compliance. It’s about trust. “We feel secure and supported and safe in having the level of thought and consideration that Saward Dawson puts into their support for us” he says. That confidence means fewer distractions, better decision making and greater transparency for universities, students and the profession as a whole. It also means APAC can continue evolving its standards and keep supporting innovation in psychology education without losing sight of the organisation’s core purpose.
By strengthening the systems behind the scenes, APAC is ensuring the psychology profession remains trusted, consistent and ready for the future –helping keep Australians safe, wherever they live.
