How to register as a health

professional with the HPC

 The professional titles which are
protected by law are:
art psychotherapist;
art therapist;
About the Health Professions Council
music therapist;
The Health Professions Council (HPC) is a dramatherapist;
new regulator and its job is to protect the
biomedical scientist;
health and wellbeing of people who use
chiropodist;
the services of the health professionals it
registers. At the moment, members of podiatrist;
12 professions are registered by the HPC. clinical scientist;
However, members of other professions dietitian;
may be registered in the future. The HPC dietician (this is another common way
only registers people who meet its standards of spelling dietitian);
for their professional skills, behaviour occupational therapist;
and health. orthoptist;
prosthetist;
Who is regulated? orthotist;
The health professionals the HPC regulates paramedic;
at the moment are: physiotherapist;
arts therapists; physical therapist;
biomedical scientists; radiographer;
chiropodists and podiatrists; diagnostic radiographer;
clinical scientists; therapeutic radiographer;
dietitians; speech and language therapist; and
occupational therapists; speech therapist.
orthoptists;
prosthetists and orthotists;
paramedics;
physiotherapists;
radiographers; and
speech and language therapists.

Each of the professions above has at least

one professional title which is protected
by law. It is a criminal offence to claim to
be registered with the HPC if you are not,
or to use a protected title that you are
not entitled to use. The HPC will prosecute
people who commit these crimes.
The register
The HPC must maintain a register of
members of the health professions it
regulates. Health professionals on the
register are called registrants.
The register is published online to enable
members of the public to check that the
health professionals who care for them
are registered.
Joining the register
If you wish to practise using a protected
title, you must register with the HPC. At
present, three groups of people can apply
for registration. Each group is dealt with
by a different department.
1. Holders of approved qualifications
The most common route to registration
is via an approved qualification. These
qualifications, which are only awarded
by UK education institutions, have been
approved by the HPC as confirming that
the holder meets the HPCs Standards
of Proficiency. The HPC assesses courses
and approves those which meet its
Standards of Education and Training.
Therefore, if you complete one of these
courses successfully, you will have
obtained the education and training
needed to attain the proficiency which
is needed for you to practise safely
and effectively.
You can then apply to be registered. When
you apply for registration, we will check
your qualification against the pass-list
from the institution. You will also need to
inform the HPC of any criminal convictions
or cautions and any disciplinary proceedings
with any other regulator, here or abroad.
Please note that simply holding an approved
qualification does not guarantee registration.
The HPC has a duty to consider evidence
of health and character as well.
Registration through this route is dealt
with by the UK Registration department,
who have a direct lo-call number on
0845 3004 472.
registration@hpc-uk.org
2. Professionals who do not hold
approved qualifications
If you have been practising under one of
the protected titles without ever having
taken an approved course, you may still
be eligible to apply to join the register.
There are special transitional arrangements,
also known as Grandparenting, for people
in this category. If you wish to apply
through this route, you will have to show
that you meet certain criteria, which are
designed to ensure that only people who
have been practising lawfully, safely and
effectively join the register this way.
Two years after the register opens, this
route to registration will no longer exist,
and the only route to registration for UK
applicants will be via an approved course.
This is why the Grandparenting route is
known as transitional arrangements.
There is more information about this
available in our leaflet, Grandparenting.
Registration through this route is dealt with by
the Grandparenting department, which can supply
you with more information about applications.
grandparenting@hpc-uk.org
3. Non-UK professionals
If you have training and/or experience gained
outside the UK, and you wish to practise in
the UK, you should use the International
arrangements for registration.
If you apply through this route, your
application will be allocated to two assessors
who will assess your education, training and
work experience against the HPCs standards.
The process of assessing your individual
application can be time-consuming. You are
advised to apply for registration, therefore,
as far in advance of the date on which you hope
to start working in the UK as you can. In
particular, the HPC cannot take responsibility
for any financial arrangements you undertake
which are dependent upon your becoming
registered.
Registration through this route is dealt with by the
International department, which can supply
you with more information about applications.
international@hpc-uk.org
Your commitment upon joining
the register
The HPC is an independent body. It was set
up by government legislation, but is run by
health professionals and members of the
public. To maintain its independence, the HPC
is self-financing, and charges registrants 60
per year. This may be paid by direct debit at
30 every six months.
On registration, each registrant undertakes:
to comply with the Councils Standards
of Conduct, Performance and Ethics;
to keep the Council informed of any
changes of address; and
to ensure that they maintain their skills
so that they continue to comply with
the Standards of Proficiency.
In the future, registrants will also have to
demonstrate that they have undertaken
continuing professional development.
Being registered
The register is published online so that
anyone can check the registration of health
professionals. The publicly available register
displays information including a registrants
name, registration number, profession, and
approximate geographical area of practice
(not their full address).
The HPC supplies registrants with a registration
number and an HPC registration certificate.
The certificate is issued every two years,
when registration is renewed.
The HPC will protect registrants personal
details. It will not sell your details to
commercial organisations.
Registration with the HPC gives you credibility
in the eyes of your clients/patients and your
employer. It shows that, as a professional,
you are regulated and recognised. It is an
external validation of the education you
have undertaken, and it shows that you
are qualified and competent.
 The register is published online so

Disciplinary action
that anyone can check the
registration of health professionals.

If you breach the HPCs Standards of

Conduct, Performance and Ethics or do
not meet the Standards of Proficiency,
disciplinary action may be taken
against you. This could result in the
HPC ordering you to be suspended
from, or even struck off, the register.

Any order made against you will be

displayed next to your name on the
register. The HPC must also inform
the UK health departments, and must
seek to inform your employer, about
an order made against you.
More information
If you wish to view the list of approved courses
which lead to registration, please visit the
Education section of the HPC website at
www.hpc-uk.org

Alternatively, you can contact the Education and

Training Department of the Health Professions
Council on education@hpc-uk.org or at the
HPC offices at the address on the back of
this leaflet.

If you wish to apply to join the register, you

can download an application form from the
HPC website. You can obtain hard copies
from the HPCs offices. When requesting an
application form, please specify which form
you need. If after reading this brochure you
are not sure which route applies to you, please
contact the HPC for advice.

Please note that the high level of administration

and individual assessment involved in the
grandparenting and international application
processes mean that if you are applying to be
considered via either of these routes, there is
an extra, non-refundable, scrutiny fee of 200
in addition to the first years registration fee.
Park House
184 Kennington Park Road
London SE11 4BU
[ t ] 020 7582 0866
[ f ] 020 7820 9684
[ e ] info@hpc-uk.org
[ w ] www.hpc-uk.org
024/BR/A5 April 2003
Although HPC has made every effort to ensure this document is accurate it should only be regarded as general guidance. The rules and
other information on which it is based are liable to change at any time and you should not rely upon this document for advice which applies
to an individual's specific circumstances. If you need such advice please contact HPC at the address above.