Public health regulation at a crossroads David Kidney, Chief Executive, 01 July 2013

The UKPHR is 10 years old It is a voluntary register No protected titles Exists to protect the public Assures competence of registrants, valuable for public health employers as well as the public

UK-wide operation and application Since 2003 UKPHR has registered Public Health Specialists ◦ General ◦ Defined - PHI is a recognised defined specialty Since 2011 Practitioner registration pilots UKPHR is voluntary – no basis in law – Department of Health planning to remove Specialists

Workforce has means to demonstrate continuing competence What others find valuable: ◦ Employers – competence and registration required for posts ◦ Commissioners of services – assured competence of practitioners ◦ Governments and public – confidence in public health workforce

Regulation ◦ Sets standards & processes for registering ◦ Sets requirements to stay on the register (e.g. CPD) ◦ Promotes registrants’ standards of competence ◦ Removes people from the register ◦ Increasingly requires regular revalidation A public statement that registered members of the public health workforce have met, & agree to maintain, standards of competence appropriate to the work undertaken

Standard route ◦ prospective specialist training programme ◦ UKPHR recognises two programmes: the UK Faculty of Public Health and the Royal College of SurgeonsUK Faculty of Public HealthRoyal College of Surgeons ◦ Satisfactory completion gives entitlement to registration without further assessment Retrospective portfolio assessment ◦ Recognise competence of senior level working ◦ No recognised programmes for defined specialists

Recognition of specialist status ◦ Public health specialists working at a senior level - inappropriate to take formal training programme ◦ Requires retrospective portfolio assessment ◦ Exceptional route, and any prospective applicant must ask for permission to apply via this route Dual Route ◦ The opportunity of dual registration for those on the Specialist Register of either the GMC or GDC

Developmental portfolio route – for defined areas of public health specialist practice ◦ Approved by the Register Board in January 2009 managed by the CIEH and is open to applicants for the Defined area of specialist practice ◦ Applicants are able to build their Portfolio of evidence over a number of years ◦ For more information regarding the Developmental route visit the CIEH websiteCIEH website

Department of Health intends to address “anomaly” Remaining specialists to be regulated by HCPC 12 week consultation due to start this month-URL Department expects NI, Scotland and Wales to agree Possibly UKPHR is supported to operate a practitioner- only voluntary register Feel free to respond to the consultation

David Kidney, Chief Executive UK Public Health Register, Chadwick Court, 15 Hatfields, London, SE1 8DJ Tel +44(0)