The importance of research in regulatory development Anna van der Gaag Chair Health and Care Professions Council Improving professional regulation in health and social care: interdisciplinary insights PSA Conference, Windsor, 28 March 2014

Outline What are the drivers for change? Some examples of the impact of research in regulation Looking to the future

The Health and Care Professions Council UK wide regulator of 16 health, psychological and social work professions Purpose: “to safeguard the health and well-being of persons using or needing the services of registrants” – Article 3(4) Work overseen by Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA)

HCPC Register 321,735 registrants from 16 professions (3 February 2014)

What are the drivers for change?

Drivers for change Policy change practice political context research Source: Overseas Development Institute circa 1999

Drivers for change in regulation Regulatory change Health and care practice Political context Research

Evidence based health and social care A strong imperative to deliver evidence based care Shouldn’t regulators do the same?

Research methodologies in regulation Descriptive Longditudinal ++ Qualitative Quantitative Mixed methods ++++ Randomisation ? (Could be applied in a study of the impact of continuing fitness to practise).

Evidence based regulation HCPC’s strategic objective (2009) To build the evidence base of regulation Commissioning Dissemination Improvement in our processes

Examples of research in regulation Meaning and mechanisms Understanding the fitness to practise experience Service user involvement in education Service user feedback tools Student fitness to practise Public awareness Costs of regulation

Fitness to Practise Expectations of the fitness to practise complaints process (IPSOS 2010) Led to  changes in our literature and communications  changes to the process and  influenced our thinking on mediation and its role in regulation

Professionalism What is perceived as ‘professionalism’? Students and educators Chiropodists / podiatrists, occupational therapists and paramedics

The nature of competence “The way competence has evolved is as a measurement. It has been stripped away from the constructs of care, motivation and confidence. In Ontario, pharmacists are measured on one day, a six hour assessment. Does this mean they are competent? Professor Zubin Austin HCPC seminar, 5 February 2014.

The future? More transformative research Regulators increasingly alert to the contribution of research Emphasis must be on better understanding of the meaning and the mechanics of regulation

Selected HCPC Research Reports Gulland, J (2008) Scoping report on existing research on complaints mechanisms. HPC (2009) Continuing fitness to practise; towards an evidence based approach to revalidation. Morrow et al (2009) Professionalism in healthcare professionals. Ipsos Mori (2010) Expectations of the fitness to practice complaints process. Irvine et al (2011) Alternative mechanism for resolving disputes: a literature review. Chisholm et al (2011) Service user feedback tools: an evidence review. Mitchell, L (2012) Student fitness to practise and registration: a literature review Moore et al (2013) Exploring views on the Fitness to Practise of health and care professionals

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