In this post we will be looking at Health and Care Professions Council History, Professions regulated by the HCPC and benefits of HCPC Registration.
INTRODUCTION
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), formerly the Health Professions Council (HPC), is a statutory regulator of over 280,000 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. 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 Council History
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. On 1 August 2012, the organization took over the regulation of social workers in England from the General Social Care Council. The HPC was renamed the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), reflecting its new responsibilities. 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. 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. 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.
Professions regulated by the HCPC
The HCPC regulates 15 categories of health and care professionals. They are:
| Category | Protected Titles | Number of registrants | Professional bodies |
| Arts therapists | Art Psychotherapist Art Therapist Dramatherapist Music Therapist |
4,725 | British Association of Art Therapists British Association of Dramatherapists British Association for Music Therapy |
| Biomedical scientists | Biomedical Scientist | 23,785 | Institute of Biomedical Science |
| Chiropodists/podiatrists | Chiropodist Podiatrist |
13,106 | 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 |
| Clinical Scientists | Clinical Scientist | 6,917 | Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS) |
| Dietitians | Dietitian | 10,136 | British Dietetic Association |
| Hearing aid dispensers | Hearing aid dispenser | 3,263 | British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (BSHAA) |
| Occupational therapists | Occupational Therapist | 39,495 | Royal College of Occupational Therapists |
| Operating department practitioners | Operating Department Practitioner | 14,351 | College of Operating Department Practitioners (CODP) Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) |
| Orthoptists | Orthoptist | 1,485 | British & Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS) |
| Paramedics | Paramedic | 28,617 | College of Paramedics |
| Physiotherapists | Physical Therapist Physiotherapist |
57,796 | Chartered Society of Physiotherapy |
| Practitioner psychologists (e.g. Clinical psychologists) | Clinical psychologist Counselling psychologist Educational psychologist Forensic psychologist Health psychologist Occupational psychologist Practitioner psychologist Registered psychologist Sport and exercise psychologist |
24,478 | British Psychological Society (BPS) Association of Clinical Psychologists (ACP-UK) Association of Educational Psychologists |
| Prosthetists and orthotists | Orthotist Prosthetist |
1,077 | British Association of Prosthetists & Orthotists |
| Radiographers | Diagnostic Radiographer Radiographer Therapeutic Radiographer |
36,234 | The Society & College of Radiographers |
| Speech and language therapists | Speech and Language Therapist Speech Therapist |
16,384 | Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists |
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.
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 practicing.
Benefits of HCPC Registration.
The Health and Care Professions Council’s role is to protect the public. By law, people must be registered with HCPC to work in the UK in a range of professions using protected titles including Clinical Scientist and Biomedical Scientist. The HCPC only register people who meet the HCPC standards so that they can practise safely and effectively. The HCPC also make sure that someone who has trained outside of the UK has met the same standards before they can be put on the register. Benefits of joining the HCPC register include:
- Legal entitlement to practice autonomously under the titles “Clinical Scientist” or “Biomedical Scientist” in the UK. These, and other titles, are protected and reserved under law.
- It promotes patient safety – the HCPC can take action if professionals on the register do not meet the required standards.
- It demonstrates your commitment to maintaining standards of education, competence and conduct and provides assurance for employers, patients and the public.
- It helps to develop common standards for all Healthcare Scientist practice. The HCPC set the standards required for registration, thereby quality assuring education, training and workforce standards.
- Expansion of roles can be made more easily via regulated groups e.g the proposal to amend the medical entitlements of six HCPC professions, including clinical scientists and biomedical scientists, to supply and administer medicines using a Patient Group Direction. This could lead to career development opportunities
- Participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities is a requirement for the HCPC registration – employers may preferentially provide funding for training where it is essential to fulfil this requirement.
- Using the same protected title across all healthcare science specialisms increases recognition. This raises the profile of Healthcare Scientists and provides reassurance to other Healthcare Professionals, Employers, Professional Bodies and the public that you have the appropriate education, training and experience to provide clinical advice affecting patient care.
- Some trusts/specialisms have implemented HCPC registration as part of the banding structure, allowing movement to higher bands more possible if registered.
- Many senior management roles require applicants to be on a statutory register. Lack of this may put Healthcare Scientists at a disadvantage compared to other professions competing for these roles, e.g Registered Nurses, Allied Health Professionals.
- It is a necessary step to enable entrance onto the Higher Specialist Scientific Training (HSST) programme or to gain the Higher Specialist Scientific Equivalence (HSSE) certificate necessary to obtain Consultant Clinical Scientist roles.
- Awarding bodies funding Clinical Academic careers are moving towards accepting applications from professions indicated by their regulatory bodies. This means that some funding may not be available to professionals not on a statutory register.
HCPC registration can be used to satisfy the public that you are practising safely as a professional including pri