The Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) has published it annual fitness to practise report indicating a 5% increase in fitness to practise complaints.
The HCPC’s fitness to practise annual report provides an overview of the HCPC’s fitness to practise work undertaken between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019 including key statistics and insights.
The HCPC reported there were 2,424 complaints raised in 2018–19, which constituted a 5.3% increase compared to the previous year. However, the proportion of registrants who had concerns raised about their fitness to practise remained very low, at 0.66%, with only 0.06% subject to a sanction.
The largest number of concerns (47%) were submitted by members of the public, followed by registrants’ employers (24%). The third largest group (18%) was registrants themselves.
Of the 2,917 cases we closed:
- 62% were closed as they did not meet our Standard of acceptance or Threshold policy respectively;
- 19% were concluded at Investigating Committee panels as, on further investigation, they did not meet our Standard of acceptance or Threshold policy;
- 12% were concluded at final hearings; and
- 7% were concluded at review hearings.
“HCPC failing in fitness to practise standards”
In the 2019 annual fitness to practise report, the HCPC said it “concluded a major programme of work” designed to address the areas for improvement identified in the Professional Standards Authority.
Key improvements made during 2018–19 include:
- implementing a new Threshold policy for fitness to practise investigations setting out a new approach to investigating concerns in the early stages and to ensure that more serious and high-risk cases are prioritised and advanced;
- implementing a new approach to the investigation of health matters;
- developing e-learning materials to help teams assess and manage risks to ensure public protection;
- publishing self-referral guidance for our registrants; and
- implementing a new Indicative sanctions policy to ensure our decision-making process is more consistent.
Last week (2 December) Social Work England took over the regulation of social workers from the HCPC.
Stephen McCaffrey
I am a HCPC Defence Barrister who has represented a large number of health and care professionals before the HCPC and other regulatory bodies in either first instance proceedings or appeals.
I can help with all matters relating to HCPC Fitness to Practise referrals issues including:
- Applications for Registration
- Registration Appeals
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- Internal Disciplinary and Grievance
- HCPC Referrals
- Fitness to Practice Hearings
- Conduct and Competence Hearings
- Health Committee Hearings
- Interim Orders Hearings
- Preparation for hearings
- Representation at hearings
- Preparation of witness statements

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