At Howlett & Dickinson we are registered with the HCPC. To understand what this means please read the following information from the HCPC
Members of the public
We regulate health and care professionals in the UK and were set up to protect the public
What does this mean for me?
This means that health and care professionals registered with us are genuine and meet national standards. This offers you protection if professionals fail to meet these standards.
You can also check with us that a professional is registered. You may see these health and care professions in an NHS clinic, privately, at home, in hospital or at school.
Each of the professions that we regulate has one or more ‘protected titles’. Only those on the Register can legally use one of these titles.
To protect the public, we:
* set standards for registrants’ education and training, professional skills, conduct, performance and ethics;
* keep a register of professionals who meet those standards;
* approve programmes which professionals must complete to register with us; and
* take action when professionals on our Register do not meet our standards
Who we regulate
We currently regulate 16 health and care professions:
Below is a list of the professions we regulate and their corresponding protected titles.
The titles below are protected by law. Anyone using one of these titles must be registered with us, or they may be subject to prosecution and a fine.
Arts therapists
An Arts therapist is a psychological therapist who has arts-based experience plus training in psychological interventions using drama, music or art as their primary mode of communication.
Art psychotherapist
Art therapist
Dramatherapist
Music therapist
Biomedical scientists
A biomedical scientist analyses specimens from patients to provide data to help doctors diagnose and treat disease.
Biomedical scientist
Chiropodists / podiatrists
A chiropodist / podiatrist diagnoses and treats disorders, diseases and deformities of the feet.
Chiropodist
Podiatrist
Clinical scientists
A clinical scientist oversees specialist tests for diagnosing and managing disease. They advise doctors on tests and interpreting data and carry out research to understand diseases.
Clinical scientist
Dietitians
A dietitian uses the science of nutrition to devise eating plans for patients to treat medical conditions. They promote good health by helping to facilitate a positive change in food choices.
Dietitian
Dietician
Hearing aid dispensers
Hearing aid dispensers work in private practice to assess, fit and provide aftercare for hearing aids.
Hearing aid dispenser
Occupational therapists
An occupational therapist uses specific activities to limit the effects of disability and promote independence in all aspects of daily life.
Occupational therapist
Operating department practitioners
Operating department practitioners participate in the assessment of the patient prior to surgery and provide individualised care.
Operating department practitioner
Orthoptists
An orthoptist specialises in diagnosing and treating visual problems involving eye movement and alignment.
Orthoptist
Paramedics
Paramedics provide specialist care and treatment to patients who are either acutely ill or injured. They can administer a range of drugs and carry out certain surgical techniques.
Paramedic
Physiotherapists
Physiotherapists deal with human function and movement and help people to achieve their full physical potential. They use physical approaches to promote, maintain and restore wellbeing.
Physiotherapist
Physical therapist
Practitioner psychologists
Psychology is the scientific study of people, the mind and behaviour. Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behaviour.
Practitioner psychologist
Registered psychologist
Clinical psychologist
Counselling psychologist
Educational psychologist
Forensic psychologist
Health psychologist
Occupational psychologist
Sport and exercise psychologist
Prosthetists / orthotists
Prosthetists / orthotists supply prostheses and orthoses to patients. A prosthesis is a device that replaces a missing body part. An orthosis is fitted to an existing body part.
Prosthetist
Orthotist
Radiographers
Therapeutic radiographers plan and deliver treatment using radiation. Diagnostic radiographers produce and interpret high-quality images of the body to diagnose injuries and diseases.
Radiographer
Diagnostic radiographer
Therapeutic radiographer
Social workers in England
The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being.
Social worker
Speech and language therapists
A speech and language therapist assesses, treats and helps to prevent speech, language and swallowing difficulties.
Speech and language therapist
Speech therapist
Why check the register?
Professionals must be registered so you can be sure they are genuine;
they meet national standards;
And you are protected.
What is a protected title?
Each profession we regulate has at least one protected title such as ‘chiropodist’ or ‘physiotherapist’. Anyone who practises in the UK using one of these protected titles must be registered with us or we will take legal action against them
Why be registered?
Being registered with the HCPC means that a professional meets national standards and they are practising legally, safely and effectively, and they are entitled to use a protected title.
How does the HCPC monitor standards?
We investigate concerns raised about professions and can take action against those that do not meet our standards. We also approve the training and education programmes which entitle professionals to apply for registration with us. Once registered all professionals must undertake continuing professional development to keep their skills and knowledge up to date.
Our standards
In order to remain registered with us, registrants must continue to meet the standards that we set for their profession. These standards are how registrants’ ‘fitness to practise’ is determined.
There are four sets of standards.
Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
Sets out the behaviour and conduct expected of our registrants
Applies to both registrants and prospective registrants
We set standards of conduct, performance and ethics which apply to the professionals we regulate. You will learn about these standards on your programme.
The standards also apply to people who are applying to become registered with us. If you are applying to be registered, we will ask you to sign a declaration to confirm that you have read and will keep to the standards once you are registered.
The standards help us make decisions about the character of the people who apply to join our Register, and also in cases where we decide whether someone is fit to practise.
Standards of proficiency
Every registrant must meet these in order to become registered and to remain on the HCPC Register
Students must be able to meet these standards when they complete an approved programme
Standars of education and training
Must be met by education providers
Ensures that all those completing an approved programme meet the standards of proficiency
Standards of continuing professional development Must be met by all registrants.
We expect registrants to continue to develop their knowledge and skills while they are registered so we can be confident that they are able to practise safely and effectively
Raising a concern
Anyone can contact us and raise a concern about a professional on our Register (a registrant).
We consider concerns about registrant’s fitness to practise, i.e. whether they have the skills, knowledge and character to do their job safely and effectively. If serious concerns are identified we can, where appropriate, take action including restricting a registrant’s practice in some way. Find out more about what we can and cannot do.
Anyone can raise a concern about a registrant. This includes members of the public, employers and managers, the police and other health and care professionals.
We will not normally take further action if information is provided anonymously (where the person providing us with the information does not give their name). This is because we want to operate a fair and clear process and we cannot go back and ask for more information if we do not know who has contacted us. However, as our main function is to protect the public, if information given to us anonymously relates to serious and credible concerns about a registrant’s fitness to practise, we may consider taking further action.
We can investigate concerns relating to events which occurred at any time however we will not normally proceed with concerns that are made more than five years after the events giving rise to them. This is so we can get the best possible evidence about the concerns, for example, witnesses will be able to recall events easily.
How to raise a concern
If you need to tell us about a concern, you should fill in a referral form. There are two ways to send your filled-in form to us by post or by email.
www.hcpc.org