The HPC is a statutory regulator that works to protect the health and well-being of people using the services of the health professionals registered with them. The HPC currently registers over 170,000 professionals from 13 professions. Only register professionals who meet the standards for their professional skills,behaviour and health.

The council reassures the public that a given professional is on their register and has proven that they can work within the standards required, providing a safeguard for any insecurity a patient may have about a professional and their actions. They protect the rights of the patient to have a high standard of care during all stages of the diagnosis and treatment of disease. When registered with the Health Professions Council, the professional has the right to use the protected title associated with their profession.

Protected titles These titles are protected by law. Anyone using one of these titles must be registered with the HPC A person commits an offence if they use a protected title if they are not registered with the HPC. They may be subject to prosecution and a fine of up to £5,000. It is also an offence to imply that you are one of the professions that the HPC regulates. An example of this is if someone states that they provide chiropody services when they are not on the register.

The council reassures the public that a given professional is on their register and has proven that they can work within the standards required, providing a safeguard for any insecurity a patient may have about a professional and their actions. They protect the rights of the patient to have a high standard of care during all stages of the diagnosis and treatment of disease. When registered with the Health Professions Council, the professional has the right to use the protected title associated with their profession. If a patient or member of the public are dissatisfied with the level of service and care provided, they can make a formal complaint to the HPC about the registrant, who have the authority to take action if necessary (for example if the fitness of the registrant to practice is questionable). The HPC have produced documents detailing the standards of proficiency, conduct, ethics and performance that a registrant is required to meet before they can register.

Character Registrants must be of good character. Character reference, signed by someone 'of professional standing in the community'. Sign that they have known the applicant for at least three years, and that they do not know of any reason why they should not practise their profession 'with honesty and integrity'. CRB check While health professionals are registered with HPC, if they are convicted or cautioned, the HPC are informed by the police. In addition, registered health professionals have a responsibility to let HPC know any information about convictions or cautions which they receive while registered.

Health Registrants must always keep high standards of performance Limit their work or stop practicing if their performance or judgment is affected by their health Requirement to tell the HPC about any significant changes in health, especially if they have changed their practice as a result of medical advice HPC will keep this information private, but it is vital they are informed. If registrants do not, the HPC could take action against them

Standards http://www.hpc-uk.org/aboutregistration/standards/

Standards of Education & Training Applicable to educational providers and their programmes for those professions regulated by the Health Professions Council Level of qualification for entry to register; programme admissions procedures; programme management and resource standards; curriculum standards; practice placement standards; assessment standards.

Standards of conduct, performance and ethics The HPC standards of conduct require that registrant biomedical scientists: Act in the best interests of the patient. Respect the confidentiality of patients. Maintain high standards of personal conduct. Provide any important information about conduct, competence or health The HPC also requires that registrant biomedical scientists maintain high standards of performance. For instance, biomedical scientists must: Keep their professional skills and knowledge up to date. Act within the limits of their knowledge, skills and experience and, if necessary refer on to another professional. Maintain proper and effective communications with patients, clients, users, carers and professionals. Effectively supervise tasks they have asked others to carry out for them. Get informed consent to give treatment. Keep accurate patient, client and user records. Deal fairly and safely with the risks of infection. Limit their work or stop practicing if their performance is affected by their health. Finally, registrant biomedical scientists must keep high standards of ethics, and must: Carry out their duties in a professional and ethical way. Behave with integrity and honesty. Follow the HPC guidelines for how they advertise their services. Make sure that their behaviour does not damage the professions reputation.

Standards of Proficiency

Standards of continuing professional development A registrant must: maintain a continuous, up-to-date and accurate record of their CPD activities; demonstrate that their CPD activities are a mixture of learning activities relevant to current or future practice; seek to ensure that their CPD has contributed to the quality of their practice and service delivery; seek to ensure that their CPD benefits the service user; present a written profile containing evidence of their CPD on request.

Professional Bodies and/or Associations Each of the professions regulated by the HPC has at least one professional body and/or association. These organisations do work which may include promoting the profession, representing members, curriculum frameworks, post registration education and training and continuing professional development. Whilst these organisations are separate from the HPC, their role may be complementary Institute of Biomedical Science www.ibms.org

IBMS Sets standards of practice to protect patients Represents interests of BMS to government, media and universities Advises government departments and national organisations Promotes public awareness of biomedical science Awards ‘Chartered Scientist’ status Assesses competence for biomedical scientists Assesses qualifications for registration with the HPC Accredits university degree courses Updates members through scientific meetings and professional events Organises a continuing professional development scheme Issues scientific and professional publications http://www.ibms.org/index.cfm?method=publications.lab_guidelines

Good Professional Practice CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT GUIDE TO GOOD PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 2.1 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES 2.2 Professional Ethics 2.3 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 2.4 Relationships 2.5 Management and Administration 2.6 Staffing and Skill Mix 2.7 Staffing and Workload 2.8 Laboratory Records 2.9 Training 2.10 Professional Development 2.11 Promotion of the Profession and its Ideals 2.12 Quality Assurance 2.13 Poor Performance 2.14 Health and Safety 2.15 Information Technology

Code of Professional Conduct All members of the Institute of Biomedical Science shall always: Exercise their professional judgement, skill and care to the best of their ability. Fulfil their professional role with integrity, refraining from its misuse to the detriment of patients, employers or professional colleagues. Seek to safeguard patients and others, particularly in relation to health and safety. Treat with discretion all confidential and other information requiring protection and avoid disclosing to any unauthorised person the result of any investigation or other information of a personal or confidential nature gained in the practice of their profession. Act in good faith towards those with whom they stand in professional relationship and conduct themselves so as to uphold the reputation of their profession. Strive to maintain, improve and update their professional knowledge and skill. Promote the study and development of biomedical science and the education and training of biomedical scientists.

Professional Education & Training Institute Professional Qualification Structure Training Objectives Organisation Of A Training Programme Higher Professional Education And Training Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Appendix 1: Registration with the Health Professions Council Appendix 2: Roles and Responsibilities for Those Involved in Training Appendix 3: Portfolios Appendix 4: Guidelines for Training for New Skills and Working Practices

Registration Training Portfolio Portfolio provides a record of completion of Education and Training which reproduces each Standard of Proficiency Both the generic elements and those that are specific to Biomedical Scientists. Under each standard is defined the range of knowledge that needs to be gained and the competencies required to show that the standard has been achieved. As every competence is achieved, it must be signed off within the evidence of achievement section.

Registration Training Portfolio Evidence of knowledge Evidence of understanding Evidence of training Evidence of professional skills Evidence of the ability to apply the above elements in the laboratory environment So how do those wishing to register as biomedical scientists prove that they are competent to do so? Up until now the Institute, as the designated awarding body, awarded Certificates of Competence against training completed according to the old CPSM logbook and oral examination. This will continue for those currently in the system who have been assessed under the old rules. Once the HPC standards were published in July, the logbook and oral examination were no longer appropriate - they didn’t relate to the new requirements for registration. It was left to the Institute, as the awarding body, to determine and develop the most appropriate method of assessing competence and the product of this is the Certificate of Competence Registration Portfolio. This is radically different to the Training Logbook you are used to, and it will build into a record of professional knowledge, skills and practical competencies appropriate to HPC’s standards of proficiency. ,

Registration Training Portfolio Suggested examples of evidence: Describe the role of the Health Professions Council and what is required to be a registered biomedical scientist. What is CPA (UK) Ltd? What is the purpose of laboratory accreditation? Describe how the laboratory(s) in which you have been trained stores and disposes of human samples.

Evidence Evidence is not!! Evidence is reference material HPC/IBMS/laboratory SOPs Web-based literature Evidence is witness statements annotated diagrams/results highlighted text + explanatory comments Refer to documentation such as hospital policy and the RCP guidelines on the retention & storage of pathological records and archives But simply including the documentation is not evidence you have read or understood

Guidelines http://www.ibms.org/go/media/publications/professional-guidance