The role of a regulator in learning and development Mark Potter - Stakeholder Communications Manager 29 February 2012, AHP Conference

Overview About the Health Professions Council (HPC) Developments at the HPC Setting standards Consultation and professional involvement Continuing professional development

Health Professions Council Independent UK statutory regulator of 15 professions Derives powers from Health Professions Order 2001 Purpose is “to safeguard the health and well-being of persons using or needing the services of registrants” – Article 3(4) Separate role from professional bodies and trade unions

HPC Register, January ,000 registrants from 15 professions

Developments Regulation of 85,000 social workers in England Likely start date 1 August 2012 New name – ‘Health and Care Professions Council’ Regulation of further professions Herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners Adult social care workforce in England Powers to establish voluntary Registers

Processes and standards The Register

Consultation Normally consult for 3 months Information posted online in dedicated ‘consultations’ section of website Also sent to consultation list of over 300 interested organisations. Certain consultations (ie: CPD, fees) may go out to all registrants We may also hold a series of meetings. Respond to other peoples’ consultations

Professional input 703 ‘Partners’ working across six partner roles Professionals and lay persons Provide expertise for good decision-making Education, registration, fitness to practise Council and Committees ETC – each profession represented Professional Liaison Groups (PLGs)

Current programme of work Consultation on student fitness to practise and registration Service user involvement in education Forthcoming changes to the standards of proficiency Alternative mechanisms to resolve disputes Professionalism in health and care professionals

CPD standards A registrant must: 1.maintain a continuous, up-to-date and accurate record of their CPD activities; 2.demonstrate that their CPD activities are a mixture of learning activities relevant to current and future practice; 3.seek to ensure that their CPD has contributed to the quality of their practice and service delivery; 4.seek to ensure that their CPD benefits the service user; 5.upon request, present a written profile (which must be their own work and supported by evidence) explaining how they have met the standards for CPD.

Activities and evidence Work-based learning (eg in-service training, reflective practice) Professional activity (eg mentoring, professional body involvement) Formal / educational (eg courses, conferences, research) Self-directed learning (eg reading journals and books, internet research) Other (eg voluntary work, public service)

Audit results from May 2008 – January 2012 Accepted6,46479% Deferred7329% Deregistered (voluntary)3484% Deregistered (lapsed)3203% Under assessment3294% Appeal1<0.1% Removed20<0.1% Total8,214

Contribution of CPD to public protection Ensures that registrants demonstrate a commitment to updating knowledge and skills Outcome-based audit encourages self-reflection and understanding of own learning needs Demonstrates that regulator is proactively monitoring Compliments existing processes – renewal / fitness to practise Failure to comply = removal from Register

Resources and information Sample profiles Audio-visual presentations CPD guides

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