The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), formerly the Health Professions Council (HPC), is a statutory regulator of over 280,000[1] professionals from 15 health and care professions in the United Kingdom. The Council reports its main purpose is to protect the public. It does this by setting and maintaining standards of proficiency and conduct for the professions it regulates.[2] Its key functions include approving education and training programmes which health and care professionals must complete before they can register with the HCPC; and maintaining and publishing a Register of health and care providers who meet pre-determined professional requirements and standards of practice.
The Health Professions Council was set up in 2003 under the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002, to replace the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM).
By 2005, thirteen protected titles were regulated by the HPC: arts therapists; biomedical scientists; chiropodists/podiatrists; clinical scientists; dieticians; occupational therapists; operating department practitioners; orthoptists; paramedics; physiotherapists; prosthetists and orthotists; radiographers; and speech and language therapists.[3]
On 1 August 2012, the organisation took over the regulation of social workers in England from the General Social Care Council.[4] The HPC was renamed the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), reflecting its new responsibilities.[5] These changes were made by the UK Government as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The strap line that they use was also changed to "Regulating health, psychological and social work professionals" which was considered better suited to describe the diversity of professionals that they regulate.[6] The HCPC has also reported it was being accorded new powers to set up voluntary registers for unregulated professions or related professions, including students seeking to enter a regulated or unregulated profession or related occupation.[7]
The Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists The British Chiropody and Podiatry Association The Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists The Alliance of Private Sector Chiropody and Podiatry Practitioners
All these professions have at least one designated title that is protected by law, including those shown above. Anyone using these titles must be registered with the HCPC. It is a criminal offence for someone to claim that they are registered with the HCPC when they are not, or to use a protected title that they are not entitled to use.[10]
Maintaining standards
If a professional who is registered with them does not meet the standards which are set, the HCPC can take action which might include stopping an individual from practising.[11]
Other UK healthcare regulators
The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) is an independent body accountable to the UK Parliament, which promotes the health and well-being of the public and oversees the nine UK healthcare regulators. These are:
In 2016, via a Freedom of Information request it was revealed that despite increasing registration costs for healthcare professionals, the HCPC spent over £17,000 on their Christmas party.[12] For 224 attendees, the cost-per-head for one meal was £76.12, comparable to the yearly registration costs for many workers.
After the registration of social workers was transferred to Social Work England, the HCPC's registrants fell by approximately 100,000;[13] the new total of 281,000 represented a fall of around 26%. Despite their workload decreasing, it was found through an FOI request in 2020 that the HCPC had not made any redundancies in their organisation[14] and were increasing registration costs.[15]
After the number of international applications for registration increased in 2021, the HCPC was criticised for the increasing length of time taken to process these applications. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, which oversees the HCPC, reported that by mid-2022 the median time for the HCPC to reach a first decision on international applications was over 90 weeks. The PSA considered that this was serious, "given that the delays could seriously affect applicants and aggravate workforce shortages in the NHS".[16]
^"Register aims to stop bogus health practitioners". The Guardian. 6 June 2005. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
^"Press release: Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) takes over the regulation of social workers in England". Health and Care Professions Council. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
^"Press release: New name for the Health Professions Council". Health and Care Professions Council. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
^"About us: We have changed our name". Health and Care Professions Council. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
^"The regulation of social workers in England has transferred to Social Work England". Health & Care Professions Council. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
^"About registration: Professions". Health and Care Professions Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^"About registration: Protected titles". Health and Care Professions Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^"Complaints". Health and Care Professions Council. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
^"Christmas parties cost - a Freedom of Information request to Health and Care Professions Council". 5 April 2016.
^"How many staff have been laid off since offloading social worker registration - a Freedom of Information request to Health and Care Professions Council". 14 October 2020.
^"The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Performance Review – Monitoring year 2021/22" (PDF). Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
External links
Official website
March 04, 2023
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The Health and Care Professions Council HCPC formerly the Health Professions Council HPC is a statutory regulator of over 280 000 1 professionals from 15 health and care professions in the United Kingdom The Council reports its main purpose is to protect the public It does this by setting and maintaining standards of proficiency and conduct for the professions it regulates 2 Its key functions include approving education and training programmes which health and care professionals must complete before they can register with the HCPC and maintaining and publishing a Register of health and care providers who meet pre determined professional requirements and standards of practice Health and Care Professions CouncilAbbreviationHCPCPredecessorCouncil for Professions Supplementary to MedicineFormation2003 2003 TypeStatutory regulatorPurposeTo protect the publicRegionUnited KingdomMembership 2020 281 000Parent organizationProfessional Standards AuthorityWebsitewww wbr hcpc uk wbr org Contents 1 History 2 Professions regulated by the HCPC 3 Maintaining standards 4 Other UK healthcare regulators 5 Controversy 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory EditThe Health Professions Council was set up in 2003 under the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 to replace the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine CPSM By 2005 thirteen protected titles were regulated by the HPC arts therapists biomedical scientists chiropodists podiatrists clinical scientists dieticians occupational therapists operating department practitioners orthoptists paramedics physiotherapists prosthetists and orthotists radiographers and speech and language therapists 3 On 1 August 2012 the organisation took over the regulation of social workers in England from the General Social Care Council 4 The HPC was renamed the Health and Care Professions Council HCPC reflecting its new responsibilities 5 These changes were made by the UK Government as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 The strap line that they use was also changed to Regulating health psychological and social work professionals which was considered better suited to describe the diversity of professionals that they regulate 6 The HCPC has also reported it was being accorded new powers to set up voluntary registers for unregulated professions or related professions including students seeking to enter a regulated or unregulated profession or related occupation 7 The work of the HCPC and other health professions regulators in the UK the General Medical Council Nursing and Midwifery Council General Dental Council etc is overseen by the Professional Standards Authority On 2 December 2019 the regulation of social workers in England was transferred to a new body Social Work England 8 Professions regulated by the HCPC EditThe HCPC regulates 15 categories of health and care professionals They are 9 Category Protected Titles Number of registrants Professional bodiesArts therapists Art PsychotherapistArt TherapistDramatherapistMusic Therapist 4 725 British Association of Art TherapistsBritish Association of DramatherapistsBritish Association for Music TherapyBiomedical scientists Biomedical Scientist 23 785 Institute of Biomedical ScienceChiropodists podiatrists ChiropodistPodiatrist 13 106 The Society of Chiropodists amp PodiatristsThe British Chiropody and Podiatry AssociationThe Institute of Chiropodists and PodiatristsThe Alliance of Private Sector Chiropody and Podiatry PractitionersClinical Scientists Clinical Scientist 6 917 Association of Clinical Scientists ACS Dietitians Dietitian 10 136 British Dietetic AssociationHearing aid dispensers Hearing aid dispenser 3 263 British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists BSHAA Occupational therapists Occupational Therapist 39 495 Royal College of Occupational TherapistsOperating department practitioners Operating Department Practitioner 14 351 College of Operating Department Practitioners CODP Association for Perioperative Practice AfPP Orthoptists Orthoptist 1 485 British amp Irish Orthoptic Society BIOS Paramedics Paramedic 28 617 College of ParamedicsPhysiotherapists Physical TherapistPhysiotherapist 57 796 Chartered Society of PhysiotherapyPractitioner psychologists e g Clinical psychologists Clinical psychologistCounselling psychologistEducational psychologistForensic psychologistHealth psychologistOccupational psychologistPractitioner psychologistRegistered psychologistSport and exercise psychologist 24 478 British Psychological Society BPS Association of Clinical Psychologists ACP UK Association of Educational PsychologistsProsthetists and orthotists OrthotistProsthetist 1 077 British Association of Prosthetists amp OrthotistsRadiographers Diagnostic RadiographerRadiographerTherapeutic Radiographer 36 234 The Society amp College of RadiographersSpeech and language therapists Speech and Language TherapistSpeech Therapist 16 384 Royal College of Speech and Language TherapistsAll these professions have at least one designated title that is protected by law including those shown above Anyone using these titles must be registered with the HCPC It is a criminal offence for someone to claim that they are registered with the HCPC when they are not or to use a protected title that they are not entitled to use 10 Maintaining standards EditIf a professional who is registered with them does not meet the standards which are set the HCPC can take action which might include stopping an individual from practising 11 Other UK healthcare regulators EditThe Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care PSA is an independent body accountable to the UK Parliament which promotes the health and well being of the public and oversees the nine UK healthcare regulators These are General Medical Council Nursing and Midwifery Council General Dental Council General Pharmaceutical Council General Optical Council General Chiropractic Council General Osteopathic Council Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland Health and Care Professions CouncilControversy EditIn 2016 via a Freedom of Information request it was revealed that despite increasing registration costs for healthcare professionals the HCPC spent over 17 000 on their Christmas party 12 For 224 attendees the cost per head for one meal was 76 12 comparable to the yearly registration costs for many workers After the registration of social workers was transferred to Social Work England the HCPC s registrants fell by approximately 100 000 13 the new total of 281 000 represented a fall of around 26 Despite their workload decreasing it was found through an FOI request in 2020 that the HCPC had not made any redundancies in their organisation 14 and were increasing registration costs 15 After the number of international applications for registration increased in 2021 the HCPC was criticised for the increasing length of time taken to process these applications The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care which oversees the HCPC reported that by mid 2022 the median time for the HCPC to reach a first decision on international applications was over 90 weeks The PSA considered that this was serious given that the delays could seriously affect applicants and aggravate workforce shortages in the NHS 16 See also EditAllied health professions Occupational therapy in the United KingdomReferences Edit Registrant snapshot 1 February 2020 HCPC Retrieved 10 June 2020 Health and Care Professions Council About Us http www hcpc uk org aboutus Retrieved 13 August 2012 Register aims to stop bogus health practitioners The Guardian 6 June 2005 Retrieved 25 September 2016 Press release Health and Care Professions Council HCPC takes over the regulation of social workers in England Health and Care Professions Council 1 August 2014 Retrieved 2 August 2014 Press release New name for the Health Professions Council Health and Care Professions Council 1 August 2014 Retrieved 2 August 2014 About us We have changed our name Health and Care Professions Council Retrieved 2 August 2014 Health Professions Council meeting agenda summary Thursday 10 February 2011 http www hpc uk org assets documents 1000333DCouncil decisions February 2011 pdf Retrieved 14 March 2011 The regulation of social workers in England has transferred to Social Work England Health amp Care Professions Council 4 July 2019 Retrieved 10 June 2020 About registration Professions Health and Care Professions Council Retrieved 1 August 2014 About registration Protected titles Health and Care Professions Council Retrieved 1 August 2014 Complaints Health and Care Professions Council Retrieved 2 August 2014 Christmas parties cost a Freedom of Information request to Health and Care Professions Council 5 April 2016 Social workers in the UK 2021 Statista How many staff have been laid off since offloading social worker registration a Freedom of Information request to Health and Care Professions Council 14 October 2020 Changes to our registration fees The Health and Care Professions Council HCPC Performance Review Monitoring year 2021 22 PDF Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care 31 March 2022 Retrieved 20 December 2022 External links EditOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Health and Care Professions Council amp oldid 1135745561, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
