Social media in professional practice

Katherine Timms, Head of Policy and Standards, explains how professionals can use social media appropriately

Just over a year ago, we published our new Guidance on social media, to help registrants navigate the complexities of this area. A year on, we are reflecting on how this guidance has helped registrants, and what more we can do to support them.

Social media has some clear benefits to health and care professionals. It helps develop individuals’ skills and knowledge, allows them to network with other professionals, helps the public understand what they do, and raises the profile of their profession.

In using social media, registrants should follow the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. In particular, they should:

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is an essential consideration in all areas of a professional’s practice, and is particularly important in the context of social media. Our Guidance on confidentiality talks registrants through the principles of confidentiality. We explain that any identifiable information about a service user is confidential. In the workplace this is typically understood to include information such as name, address, treatment, etc. However, identifiable information goes beyond that and can include details about a service user’s personal life, health or circumstances, or images relating to their care.

Where a registrant wishes to share service user information, they should have express consent. The service user must understand and not object to:

For consent to be valid, it must be voluntary and informed, and the person giving consent must have the capacity to make the decision.

Social media in practice

There are many social media platforms available to our registrants. We know that some use WhatsApp groups to help them network with colleagues across hospitals to ensure service user care is the best it can be; checking approaches with supervisors, and considering complex cases in a time effective way. In doing so, registrants should be mindful not to share personal details, and take care to follow employer policies.

A great deal of learning is carried out through Facebook, where colleagues undertaking weekend CPD activities come together to discuss specialist areas of practice, making use of a wider pool of individuals, available at any time. Registrants should be mindful to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and not to post inappropriate material.

LinkedIn can provide excellent networking options and opportunities to write articles and share information, but registrants should think before they post and consider who can see what they share.

Another social media platform our registrants use is Twitter; predominantly to raise the profile of their profession and reach out to the public. Twitter can be a quick and easy way to show people how dedicated and hardworking our registrants are, show the public what they do, and highlight the services they provide.

A key challenge in the use of Twitter is confidentiality. In providing health and care services, HCPC registrants’ primary consideration should be their service user; raising the profile of their profession should only ever be a secondary consideration, and should not impact the service user’s privacy or dignity. When live tweeting in order to raise the profile of the profession, registrants should take care to only share information required to achieve that objective. They should post in a modest manner; only providing the information the public needs to understand the role, and they should ensure any additional information, in particular service user identifiable information, isn’t included.

What next…

After reflecting on the use of our social media guidance over the past year, and the challenges still faced by HCPC registrants in applying this guidance, we intend to update the document with further advice and support on the topic of confidentiality.

Where to go for more information

-       Professional bodies provide guidance and advice about good practice which can help registrants meet the standards we set.

-       The Policy and Standards team at the HCPC can provide further assistance in how to apply the standards we set.

Consultation on the revised Indicative Sanctions Policy

Policy officer Olivia Bird discusses our consultation on revising the current Indicative Sanction Policy, what may change and why it’s important to have your say. 

We are currently consulting on a proposed revised version of our Indicative Sanctions Policy, which sets out the principles that our Fitness to Practice (FtP) panels should consider when deciding what, if any, sanction should be applied in FtP cases.

The policy is an important one, as it aims to ensure that all FtP decisions are fair, consistent and transparent. The current policy has been kept up to date when required, for example to take account of any changes in case law. However we are now taking this opportunity to undertake a thorough review of the existing Policy and are seeking the views of our stakeholders on a revised version.

We have used market research, input from professional bodies and unions and a review of similar documents produced by other health regulators in order to put together a number of proposed changes to allow the policy to adapt to an increasingly challenging regulatory landscape.

With this in mind some proposed changes to the document include:

• Providing clarity on what mitigation means. Following feedback from the independent market research we commissioned, we have outlined the differences between insight, remorse and apology, the relationship between these factors, and how their presence is likely to reduce the risk of harm to public and public confidence in the profession.
• The new policy seeks to provide further clarity and detail to panels in relation to aggravating factors. We have been clearer about what aggravating factors are, providing detail on the key types and the reasons why they increase the risk to the public and public confidence in the profession.
• The revised policy seeks to provide clarity on the differences between the sanctions available to the panel.
• The revised policy introduces guidance on the approach panels should take at review hearings; including the purpose of those review hearings, and the factors the panel should take into account when deciding the outcome.

These are not the only changes, and we encourage registrants and other HCPC stakeholders to read the full document and respond. It is important that those who are interested in, or could be affected by, these changes take part to ensure that the policy is useful, clear and fit for purpose. 

You can respond to this consultation in one of the following ways:

By completing our easy-to-use online survey. 

By emailing us at: consultation@hcpc-uk.org

By writing to us at:
Consultation on revised Indicative Sanctions Policy
Policy and Standards Department
The Health and Care Professions Council
Park House
184 Kennington Park Road
London
SE11 4BU

End of life care and the HCPC standards

Katherine Timms, Head of Policy and Standards, talks through end of life care and the HCPC’s standards

We know end of life care is extremely challenging and emotionally demanding, but it can also be extremely rewarding where health and care professionals have the right knowledge, skills and support.

In 2008 the then Department of Health published its End of Life Care Strategy which set out a vision for giving people approaching the end of their life more choice about where they would like to live and die.

The strategy highlighted that most people receive excellent care as their life draws to a close however, it did focus on the opportunities and the on-going challenges providing end of life care presents. In particular, that there was insufficient training available to health and care professionals in how to identify individuals approaching the end of their life, how to communicate and plan their care with them, and how to provide them with the care they need.


Ambitions for palliative and end of life care: a national framework for local action 2015-2020 (‘the ambitions’)

A great deal of work has been done since the End of Life Care Strategy was published:

• new care processes have been developed;
• new indicators of quality have been set;
• new systems for scrutiny have been devised;
• new systems for funding are under development; and
• investment and innovation has led to significant progress, particularly in reversing the long term increase in the numbers dying in hospital.

The ambitions build on these positive changes and seek to improve outcomes to better individuals’ experience and quality of care. They set out what is needed across the whole system for good palliative and end of life care, and includes a focus on families, carers and staff.

How do these ambitions align with the HCPC’s Standards of conduct, performance and ethics?

The Standards of conduct, performance and ethics are the ethical framework within which our registrants must work, and include, amongst other things, expectations around treating service users and carers with respect, communicating appropriately and effectively, working within the limits of knowledge and skills, and managing risk.

The ambitions embody the principles outlined in the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics, in particular:

What does this mean in practice?

The ambitions require a change in focus, considering quality of life rather than rehabilitation or healing, which can be a challenging shift for health and care professionals who are used to providing active interventions intended to make people better.

Embodying the ambitions in practice means service users should be able to:

These practical applications are supported by the Government in the choice commitments they made in 2017 and can be found here along with an update on the national actions being taken to address these. Registrants should consider how they can enable the above ambitions, and where they face challenges in doing so, determine what support and training they need.

Where to go for further information

The Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care website is being developed in to a knowledge hub providing useful information and resources including assessment tools, best practice examples and case studies.

You can also get in touch with us at policy@hcpc-uk.org or on 020 7840 9815.

The ins and outs of CPD

CPD is vital, but it doesn’t need to be daunting. This blog will break down why the HCPC asks registrants to maintain CPD, and aims to address any concerns around practicing and keeping track of your CPD.

Meeting our CPD standards is a requirement of your registration. Most of the professionals on our Register selected for audit demonstrate that their CPD is adequate and up to date. However, we know many people still worry about whether the CPD they are doing is sufficient. We also recognise that health and care professionals often work in challenging and complex environments with limited time and access to formal learning and development.

Below we highlight the HCPC’s flexibility when it comes to CPD, and give some background on what we expect from those selected for audit.

Why do CPD?

We all know that CPD is important because you continue to learn and develop, keeping skills and knowledge up to date so you are able to practise safely and effectively throughout your career. 

A flexible approach based on outcomes

Our approach to CPD is flexible, taking into account different working roles, learning needs and variation in access to certain types of CPD for professionals registered with us. We don’t set a number of hours or points and we do not ‘approve’ or ‘endorse’ any CPD activity.

The choice of appropriate activities is up to the individual. We are much more interested in the outcomes of their learning, how this has benefitted their practice and ultimately the service users. 

CPD is much wider than formal courses 

Many people tend to focus on formal courses, but CPD is any activity from which you learn and develop. It is easy to get ‘stuck’ on course attendance’ but it is important to remember that we are looking for a mixture of learning activities.

There are plenty of ways to meet the CPD standards. Things like e-learning, case discussions and the reading you may have done are all good examples. The smallest activities can often have an impact on your knowledge, ability and service delivery. This could be as simple as describing a conversation you had with a colleague that may have challenged your thinking, led you to explore the evidence base and may then have led to a change in practice. This is as legitimate an activity as attending a conference.

It is important to remember that the assessors are specifically looking for a range of activities that illustrate your continuing CPD.

Working with employers

CPD is linked to registration and you need to meet our CPD standards to stay registered. We can remove you from the Register if you do not. It is, therefore, important that professionals stay fit to practise for the benefit of service users and remain on the Register. We recognise that employers play an important role in this and need to understand our regulatory requirements and processes. We are in regular contact with employers throughout the UK, through our events and workshops, ensuring they are aware of our standards and what they mean for their employees. 

Further guidance and support

• Professional body resources

If you are a member of your professional body, many have member resources including guidance, online planning systems and events to help you with your CPD. Make sure you check with them about what they have to offer as this could save you time and effort.

• HCPC CPD resources

We have a comprehensive section on our website about CPD. As well as taking you through the Standards, there are practical examples about the process. For more information, visit:

What are the HCPC Standards for CPD?
What happens if I am selected for audit?
What activities count as CPD?
What evidence of activities do I need to keep?
How should I record my activities?
Examples of sample profiles
CPD guidance on our YouTube channel


 

Applying for HCPC registration?

Registration Manager Sammuel Yemane highlights what you need to do to avoid having your application returned as incomplete. 

Graduation season is upon us and a new wave of health and care professionals will soon be putting their skills to use and entering the world of work.  For those who have successfully completed a HCPC approved education and training programme, you are now eligible to apply  to join the HCPC Register. This applies to all health and care graduates who wish to practice using one of our legally protected titles. 

During this current period our Registration Department will receive lots of new applications. We aim to process applications within ten working days of receipt of a complete application. This ensures that newly qualified professionals who are eligible are added to our online Register as soon as possible.
It is important to make sure that your application is complete before submitting it to us. Common mistakes include failing to provide the appropriate documentation, or not including a fee with the application form. Incomplete applications will be returned for resubmission, which could potentially delay your entry to the HCPC Register.

To avoid this happening follow our checklist:

• Enclose two certified* copies of documents to confirm your identity; one document should contain your photograph, one should provide your current address.
• All signatures must be original and dated within the last six months.
• Provide certified proof of any name changes; e.g. a certified photocopy of a relevant name change document such as a marriage certificate or deed poll.
• A fee must be submitted with your application form. 
• If you answered ‘yes’ to any question in section 3 (character and health self- declarations / vetting and barring schemes), you must provide additional information.

Documents must be certified as a true copy of the original by a person of professional standing in the community. This means that the person you ask to certify your documents must write on it ‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original document’ and must sign it and print their name and professional title.

A professional person (for example a registered professional, a solicitor, barrister or other legal practitioner or an accountant) will be recognised as a person of standing in the community.
If you have any questions as to whether a person is considered to be a person of professional standing in the community please contact us.

For further information about applying to join the HCPC Register click here.

The HCPC’s Fitness to Practise Process explained

Fitness to Practise (FTP) proceedings can be both personally and professionally daunting for everyone concerned. We know because of the feedback we receive from those involved in the process and from talking to registrants and employers when we meet them at HCPC events. This article is intended to address some of these concerns by explaining simply and clearly what happens when a concern is raised, the types of issues we deal with and what support is available.

What is fitness to practise?

When we say a registrant is ‘fit to practise’, we mean that they have the skills, knowledge and character to practise safely and effectively. The vast majority of our registrants are doing just that, with only 0.64 per cent subject to FTP concerns. This is mirrored in the high levels of public trust and confidence enjoyed by professionals on our Register – 91 per cent in our most recent polling. 

Importantly, the process is not designed to punish registrants for past mistakes, it is there to protect the public from those who are not fit to practice.  This also includes acts by a registrant, which may affect public protection or confidence in the profession, or the regulatory process.

This may mean that they should not practise at all, or that they should be limited in what they are allowed to do. Some registrants make mistakes that they are unlikely to repeat. Our processes do not mean that we will pursue every isolated or minor mistake.

Who can raise a concern?

Anyone can raise a concern about a registrant, this includes the public, registrants themselves, employers and service users. The police can tell us about criminal proceedings against a registrant if they decide there is a pressing social need.

What constitutes a concern?

We consider every case individually. However, a registrant's fitness to practise is likely to be impaired if the evidence shows that they were dishonest, committed fraud or abused someone’s trust; exploited a vulnerable person; hid mistakes or tried to block our investigation; had an improper relationship with a service user; carried out reckless or deliberately harmful acts;  were involved in sexual misconduct or have been violent or displayed threatening behaviour.

What happens when a concern is received?

Every case is considered individually. HCPC review the concern to decide whether it’s an issue, we can deal with. If it is, we will open a case and assess the available information to decide whether it meets our Standard of acceptance (SOA). If the concern doesn’t meet our SOA, the case closes and there is no further action. If it does, HCPC will go ahead with an investigation. At any stage of the process we can apply for an interim order if we believe it will protect the public or the registrant themselves. This could prevent the registrant from practising or place them under conditions of practice until the case has been closed.

What happens when a concern is investigated?

We will gather other relevant information about the concern and once there is enough information, HCPC will draft a formal fitness to practise allegation. We send the allegation and the information we have gathered to the registrant. They then have 28 days to respond.

The investigating committee

The details are then passed to a HCPC Investigating Committee Panel. The Panel will decide whether there is a ‘case to answer’. The meeting is held in private, as is set out in the HCPC legislation, and their task is to look at the paper evidence and decide whether the allegation can be proven. The Panel can decide that they need more information, there is ‘no case to answer’ or there is ‘a case to answer’ – and will give reasons for their decision.

The hearing

If there is a ‘case to answer’, it will proceed to a hearing managed by the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS).  At the hearing, the registrant or their representative will have an opportunity to challenge the allegations made by the HCPC. They can tell their side of the story, question the HCPC's witnesses, give evidence and call their own witnesses. The HCPTS panel carefully consider each case and make a decision on whether the facts are proved, whether the registrant’s FTP is currently impaired, on what grounds, and what (if any) sanction will be imposed. Each Panel is independent and includes a Partner, who is a representative from the profession of the registrant.

What powers do the panel have?

The panel can do a number of things:
• take no further action or order mediation
• caution you (place a warning against your name on the Register for between one to five years);
• set conditions of practice that you must meet (for no longer than three years);
• suspend you from practice (for no longer than one year); or
• strike your name from our Register (which means you cannot practise).

After the hearing

The HCPTS will send the registrant a copy of the Panel's decision. The registrant may appeal against the decision if they think it is wrong or unfair. An appeal must be lodged within 28 days of the hearing. Appeals are made directly to the High Court in England and Wales, the High Court in Northern Ireland or, in Scotland, the Court of Session.

Support and talk

We know FTP proceedings can be stressful. For this reason, we have a range of resources available to support registrants – this includes guides on what to expect, what the purpose of FTP is, adjournment information and scheduling processes.

You can also contact your professional body or union who will be able to assist further.

Find out more information:
What happens if a concern is raised about me?
The fitness to practise process – information for employers and managers
Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

5 facts you need to know about the changes to Set 1 for paramedics

Acting Director of Policy and Standards Katherine Timms discusses the change to the threshold qualification level for entry to the Register for paramedics to degree level, and what it means for those on the register or looking to join.

On 21 March 2018 the HCPC Council agreed that the threshold level for paramedics should change from 'Equivalent to Certificate of Higher Education' to 'Bachelor degree with honours'. In basic terms this means that paramedics will eventually need a degree in order to gain entry to the HCPC Register and practice their profession. Following a consultation we concluded this was necessary to ensure that paramedics in the UK were trained to the depth required for contemporary practice.

However we realise that a change such as this can generate a lot of questions and some concerns. Below you’ll find the need-to-know facts about the changes, and how this effects current paramedics, students and those thinking of joining the Register. 

1. If you’re registered you will remain registered
The change to SET 1 does not affect the ability of paramedics to remain registered with us. This is because SET 1 is about the contemporary level of education and training required for entry to the Register and only applies to approved programmes.
All existing registrants will be able to remain registered with the HCPC. No top up education will be required of paramedics in order to remain registered.

2. If you’ve completed a HCPC approved qualification you can still apply
The change to SET 1 does not affect your ability to apply for registration with HCPC, even if you decide not to apply for registration until after SET 1 has changed. This is because SET 1 is about the contemporary level of education and training required for entry to the Register. It applies to approved programmes for registration going forward and is not applied retrospectively.

If you have been out of practice since you qualified, you may need to meet our returners to practice requirements before you register. You can find out more information here.

3. You can still apply if you’re completing an approved diploma
Any student who is currently enrolled on an approved programme - now or when the change is fully implemented on 1 September 2021 - will be eligible to apply for registration with us when they complete their programme.
Enrolled students do not need to have complete their approved programme by 1 September 2021. They can graduate after this date and still be eligible to register.

4. You may have to complete a degree if you wish to train as a paramedic in the future
We will be implementing the change to SET 1 as a phased approach. Students will still be able to start approved certificate, diploma and foundation degree level programmes up until 31 August 2021 and will graduate with eligibility to apply for registration when they finish their studies.
From 1 September 2021, only education programmes delivered at degree level or above will be approved to take on new students. From this date, you will need to enrol on to a degree level programme if you want to train to be a paramedic.

We anticipate that education providers will phase out their certificate, diploma and foundation degree level programmes between 2018 and 2021. Individual education providers will decide when to close approved certificate, diploma and foundation degree level programmes to new entrants. We expect the timelines to vary from provider to provider. We strongly recommend that you contact any providers you are considering applying to as soon as possible to find out their specific plans.

5. If you are waiting to start an approved course you will still be eligible to join the Register upon completion
There is no requirement for education providers to close approved certificate, diploma and foundation degree level programmes immediately. Individual education providers will decide when to close approved certificate, diploma and foundation degree level programmes to new entrants. We anticipate that education providers will phase out this provision at different times between now and September 2021. If you are considering deferring your place, we strongly recommend that you contact the provider as soon as possible as there may not be any guarantee that the programme will run in the next academic year.

The change to SET 1 is being implemented as a phased approach. Students will still be able to start approved certificate, diploma and foundation degree level programmes up until 31 August 2021 and will graduate with eligibility to apply for registration when they finish their studies.

To learn more about these changes click here.

Speaking up when things go wrong: Discussing the Dr Bawa-Garba case

Michael Guthrie, HCPC’s Director of Policy and Standards talks about how the HCPC encourages registrants to discuss mistakes.

The case of Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, who was struck off by the General Medical Council after she was found guilty of mistakes in the care of a six-year-old boy who died of sepsis, has received widespread media coverage.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has since ordered an urgent review of medical malpractice cases, stating: "The only way we can reduce mistakes in the NHS is to learn from every single one, and the tragic case of Dr Bawa-Garba raises many important questions about how the health system supports staff to be open and transparent when things go wrong."

The HCPC recognises that cases like this can cause concern amongst registrants. However, it is important to remember that discussing when mistakes are made forms a key part of any health and care professional’s practice.

Standard Eight of our Standards of conduct, performance and ethics says that registrants need to be open and honest when something has gone wrong with the care, treatment or other services that they provide. This includes letting service users and carers know; apologising; and taking action to put matters right if they can. The standard also says that registrants need to support service users and carers to raise concerns and be helpful and honest in their responses to complaints.

The HCPC introduced this standard in 2016, following the introduction of a statutory duty of candour which some organisations in health and social care have to meet. The aim was to make a small, but important, contribution to creating a culture that supports professionals being open and honest with service users and carers about mistakes and errors and one which is open to, and acts on, feedback – both positive and negative.

The work that health and care professionals do is very often highly pressured and rarely risk free, and the vast majority of our registrants practise safely and effectively - sometimes in difficult circumstances. We recognise that sometimes mistakes happen. Our processes are designed to protect the public from those who are not fit to practise. We will, therefore, only act if a professional is found to have fallen below our standards and there are serious concerns about an individual's practise or behaviour.

As with any of our standards, we expect registrants to use their professional judgement. For example, some registrants will work in teams where it might be more appropriate for another professional to inform a service user or to make an apology. It is also important to remember that an apology is not an admission of guilt.

Speaking to colleagues, employers and service users about issues or mistakes is an important part of health care, and one which forms a vital part of the continued professional development of any health or care professional.

To learn more about the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics click here. 

Students can see our animated guide on being open when things go wrong here.

To read our response to the urgent review click here.

Breaking down our Fitness to practise annual report

Acting Fitness to Practise Director John Barwick outlines this year’s Fitness to practise (FTP) annual report and highlights key areas of work and improvement undertaken by our FTP department over the past year.

The Fitness to practise annual report 2017 covers the period from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017. It provides information about the way we deal with allegations against our registrant’s fitness to practise their profession.

In 2016–17, the number of individuals on our Register increased by 2.5 per cent. The number of new fitness to practise concerns we receivedincreased by 6.2 per cent to 2,259. The proportion of the Register affected still remains low  with  only 0.64 per cent of registrants (or one in 164) being subject to a new concern.


We have seen a significant increase in hearings activity this year, with 39 per cent more cases being concluded at a final hearing, and a 31 per cent increase in total hearings activity. This reflects the activities we have carried out to improve the time it takes to conclude cases, including our older cases.

Key areas of work undertaken in the past year:
• We have realigned the fitness to practise directorate to provide for greater specialisation in the case management process.
• We have reviewed our approach to assessing risk, including determining whether we should apply for an Interim Order.
• We have continued our focus on improving the time it takes for cases to progress through the process. This has included ensuring that our older cases are concluded at a final hearing. We have also enhanced our arrangements for monitoring performance in this area.
• We commenced the establishment of the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) to enhance the independence of the adjudication function. 

Future work in 2017-18:
• Evaluating the impact and improvements achieved following the realignment of our fitness to practise directorate, alongside the continued focus on the timely progression and conclusion of cases.
• Exploring the use and value of case examiners or screeners in the early stages of our fitness to practise process and the use of electronic bundles.
• Taking forward any actions that may emerge from the research the HCPC has commissioned into understanding the prevalence of fitness to practise cases about paramedics and social workers in England.
• We will also be closely considering the outcome of our recent Professional Standards Authority review report and identifying any further improvement activities that may be required.

Read the full fitness to practise annual report 2017 and key information document here.

Understanding complaints about paramedics and social workers in England

Michael Guthrie, Director of Policy and Standards, discusses recently published research looking at fitness to practise concerns about paramedics and social workers in England.

In 2015-16, social workers made up 27 per cent of the HCPC Register but 55 per cent of all fitness to practise cases we received. Paramedics made up 6 per cent of the Register and 11 per cent of cases.

In 2016, we commissioned a team at the University of Surrey to understand better, why we appear to receive disproportionately more fitness to practise concerns about these professions than for other professions we regulate, and what we might be able to do about this trend.  Amongst the different regulators of health and social care professions in the UK there is an increasing recognition that we need to try to rebalance our energies, away from reactively dealing with instances of poor practice and conduct, towards an approach that focuses more on prevention.

The research included a review of the published literature; interviews and focus groups with paramedics, social workers, employers and service users; and a review of 10 per cent of fitness to practise cases in these professions over two years. Our thanks go to all those who participated.

Overall, the research found a number of common themes, which appear to be behind complaints including changing public and societal expectations; challenging practice; pressurised work environments; and the evolving nature of both professions. The case review found that a cohort of concerns we consider about social workers are from members of the public raising issues that at their heart are about disagreements with decisions and a desire to see them changed. Many of these cases concerned disputes between family members over place of residence and contact with children. For paramedics, the case review found that the rate of self-referral (where a registrant reports a potential fitness to practise matter about them to us) was much higher than for other professions and that some of these self-referrals may be unnecessary. The Standards of conduct, performance and ethics says that registrants must let us know if, for example, they are convicted, receive a police caution or are dismissed by their employers.

The above can only be an incomplete discussion of the research. We are at a very early stage of thinking about how we might respond to and take forward the findings. Some initial actions are likely to include using the insights from the research to engage further with the public, employers and registrants on when to refer and self-refer a fitness to practise concern.  We will also want to consider how we might use fitness to practise case studies developed as part of the research to develop teaching and learning materials for educators.

 
The research is an interesting read and is now available on our website. It’s important that we (professionals, employers and regulators alike) constantly strive to learn from the concerns we receive and use the learning positively to improve. However, whenever we talk about this area we always need to remind ourselves that although the fitness to practise process is an important part of our work, it affects only a minority of registrants in any one year (in the last financial year 1.23% of paramedics and 1.33% of social workers). The vast majority of health and care professionals are hardworking, dedicated professionals doing their best day-in-day out for service users.

How to use social media and meet HCPC Standards

Policy officer Olivia Bird discusses the HCPC’s new Guidance on social media, and how it can help registrants ensure that their use of social media is both professional and effective.

Social media is a key communication tool of the modern world, and is popular amongst many of our registrants. The HCPC is aware that the vast majority of our registrants who use social media already do so responsibly, in line with our standards, and with no difficulty at all. The HCPC believes there is no reason why these registrants shouldn’t keep on using social media with confidence. However, as a regulator we often receive queries from registrants wanting to ensure that the way they access these platforms meets our standards.

As a result we have launched our new Guidance on social media. The guidance focuses on issues registrants and other stakeholders told us they come across most frequently, and aims to provide reassurance and confidence that they are meeting the HCPC’s Standards of conduct, performance and ethics when using social media.

The guidance is complementary to other guidance, such as that produced by some professional bodies to support their members in getting the most from this technology.

The guidance is divided into four sections which includes top tips and using social media in line with HCPC standards.

Some of the top tips are:
• Think before you post. Assume that what you post could be shared and read by anyone.
• Think about who can see what you share and manage your privacy settings accordingly. Remember that privacy settings cannot guarantee that something you post will not be publicly visible.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries if you communicate with colleagues, service users or carers.
• Do not post information which could identify a service user unless you have their permission.
• When in doubt, get advice. Appropriate sources might include experienced colleagues, trade unions and professional bodies. You can also contact us if you are unsure about our standards. If you think something could be inappropriate or offensive, do not post it.

You can download the HCPC’s Guidance on social media, and learn more about using social media in line with our standards here.

The HCPC will be holding a tweetchat focusing on the new guidance from 6.30pm on Tuesday September 12, 2017. Join in by following @The_HCPC and using the hashtag #my_guidance.

Changes to our Standards of Education and Training

Policy Officer Hollie French breaks down the newly released revised Standards of Education and Training and Guidance, highlighting additions and changes.

Our Standards of Education and Training (SETs) are the standards against which we assess education and training programmes.  A programme which meets the SETs allows learners who successfully complete that programme to meet the standards of proficiency for their profession, and are eligible to apply to the HCPC for registration.

A number of changes and additions have been made to the SETs after consultation with key stakeholders including education providers, practice educators, HCPC visitors, professional bodies, newly qualified professionals and service users and carers.

Key changes include:

• new standards requiring interprofessional education, learner involvement and supporting learners to raise concerns;
• strengthening the link between the SETs and our Standards of conduct, performance and ethics;
• making key terminology broader, inclusive and up to date with current terminology used in the sector – for example using ‘learner’ rather than ‘student’; and ‘practice-based learning’ rather than ‘practice placement’.

Alongside the SETs we have produced detailed guidance. The guidance has been written for education providers who are or will be involved in our approval and monitoring processes, but it will also be useful for practice education providers and others who work with and alongside education providers.

We are confident that the standards are fit for purpose and reflect safe and effective professional practice and would like to thank everybody that took the time to provide us with feedback.

To see the revised SETs and access the guidance, click here: http://www.hcpc-uk.org/education/providers/setsresources/

Meet the HCPC – Southampton

HCPC Chair Elaine Buckley discusses the importance of our Meet the HCPC events in meeting registrants on a regular basis and our recent visit to Southampton.

Our Meet the HCPC events form are a vital part of our stakeholder activity to get out and meet the health and care professionals that are on our Register. We have been doing these events across the UK since 2004 and they are crucial for us to hear about registrant experiences, issues and challenges. This month we were in Southampton to explain what we do at the HCPC and explore with participants what we can all do to help prevent fitness to practise concerns.

Despite the weather, we were joined by colleagues from 13 of the professions we regulate with the majority being social workers. The energy, enthusiasm and engagement in the room across both sessions and during the workshop on how we all work together to prevent fitness to practise concerns was encouraging. We also have some valuable feedback from all those involved which we can now reflect on as an organisation.

Through the course of the discussions across both sessions there were several take home messages.  With those being that 76% of complaints we receive are about conduct and behaviour and not about competency and that good quality and focused education is key to registrants maintaining effective and safe practice. 

During the discussions, there were themes arising round the fact that we all needed to be alert in recognising the signs when colleagues may be struggling and the need to engage in supportive conversations. Supportive working environments are critical in ensuring practitioners can raise concerns and seek help. Informal peer mentoring through to formal supervision were all other ways to help and support each other. Some of the discussion also highlighted the importance of maintaining professional networks especially when practicing in isolated settings. 

The comments from participants were encouraging in that they felt it was helpful to meet people from the HCPC and they were pleased to hear that fitness to practise is only a small part of the work we do. The opportunity to take publications relevant to their profession was also valuable as were the discussions around the sorts of research we do.

As an evidence informed regulator, it is crucial we commission research into issues relevant to our role. It is the outcomes of the research we do that will help us make better decisions, drive continuous improvement and assist us in engaging with our stakeholders.

We’d like to thank everyone that attended the event and for their valuable contributions at both sessions.

Our next Meet the HCPC event will be in Eastbourne on Wednesday 27 September 2017.

If you’d like any of the publications, reports or research from HCPC, visit our Publications section.

myHCPC app – how we’re helping you access the HCPC from your pocket

Web and digital officer, Becky Glass shares the latest about the myHCPC app update.

The myHCPC app is designed especially for HCPC registrants and lets you carry everything you need to know about the HCPC in your pocket.

Earlier this year we set out to redesign the app, originally launched in 2014, to make it more practical, useful and modern.

The more registrants use the app, the more they’ll access the information within – so our aim was to ensure the app was both engaging and fit-for-purpose. We invited registrants and HCPC employees to feed back on the app’s structure, design and content. This feedback resulted in several significant fixes and additions, and we launched the new and improved version in March.

A few months on and the app is continuing to help HCPC registrants feel more confident about how they practice their profession. Here are a few key ways the app can help your practice:

• The home screen has been redesigned: it’s visually engaging and now functions as a dashboard, so users have an overview of the app’s content at a glance and can instantly access standards of practice and standards of conduct performance and ethics.
• The app now allows users to identify their profession, which pulls through the standards and guidance relevant to them. No more scrolling through irrelevant professions.
• Navigation options are now icons at the top of every page. Users can also bookmark pages or access our latest newsletter instantly.

However we want to hear more about how you use the app, or what you’d like to see added or improved. The aim is to make our information, standards and news as easily accessible for our registrants as possible, so if you have any feedback please contact web@hcpcuk.org

To download search myHCPC in the app store on Android or Apple.

Why the Standards of proficiency for social workers in England are so important

Social worker and HCPC Council member Robert Templeton discusses the challenges of social work regulation and the professional importance of a strong set of Standards of Proficiency.

One of the challenges for professional social work regulation is that for the most part the public, the media and the government are only aware of its importance when things go wrong. This is due to a variety of reasons perhaps one being the regulatory landscape, which is complicated and often shrouded in impenetrable language. However the ideas behind professional regulation are simple, it is about protecting the public, in other words stopping bad things from happening.

The Heath and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of proficiency for social workers in England play an important role in public protection as they establish threshold standards necessary for safe and effective practice. They set out what all social workers in England should know, understand and be able to do when they complete their social work training so that they can register with the HCPC. They set clear expectations of a social worker’s knowledge and abilities when they start practicing. Each profession regulated by HCPC has a set of proficiency standards, which run alongside the overarching standards of standards of conduct, performance and ethics and standards for continuing professional development, which apply to all the professions HCPC regulates.

The standards of proficiency for Social Workers in England were first published in 2012 prior to the opening of the HCPC Register on 1 August 2012. HCPC committed to reviewing the standards of proficiency once they had concluded a three-year programme of visits to pre-registration education and training programmes previously approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC).

The key challenge when writing and reviewing these standards is to ensure they reflect the values of social work, the complexity of practice and diversity of contexts and settings in which social workers practice. They must also reflect existing requirements and training provisions. Under the Health and Social Work Professions Order 2001 legislation, registration with the HCPC means that someone is able to use the protected title ‘social worker’. As a result, the standards of proficiency describe the knowledge and skills needed to practise as a newly qualified social worker at a threshold level.

There are similar standards published by other organisations, whilst complementary, they often have a different purpose. For example since the closure of The College of Social Work the British Association of Social Workers now own the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF). Whilst the standards of proficiency are about the threshold required at entry to the profession, the PCF is designed to support social workers throughout their careers. The PCF acts as an overarching framework by describing the capabilities expected of a social worker at key career stages. These include professionalism, values and ethics, knowledge, intervention and skills and professional leadership. There is some overlap with the standards of proficiency because the PCF includes a description of the competencies expected by the end of a social work student’s last placement.

There is also the Knowledge and Skills Statements (KSS) published by the Chief Social Workers for Children and Families and for Adults. In contrast to the standards of proficiency they describe the knowledge and abilities expected of social workers who work with children and families, and those who work with adults. They describe what is required by the end of a newly qualified social worker’s first year in practice - the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE).

As part of the review, HCPC looked at the PCF and KSS to identify whether there were any gaps in the standards of proficiency or any existing standards that should be amended. The standards were also compared to those the HCPC had recently reviewed for the other professions, such a Psychologists and Occupational Therapists, to check whether there were any changes made which would be equally applicable to the social work standards.

Under the Children and Social Work Bill regulation of social workers in England will move from the HCPC to become the responsibility of a new organisation called Social Work England. However, until this happens HCPC continues to be our regulator.  This means HCPC’s Standards of proficiency together with the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics and the standards for continuing professional development are the standards which every registrant must meet in order to become registered, and must continue to meet in order to maintain their registration. You can find more information on the government’s proposed changes here.

Revised social worker SOPs: What are they and what’s changed?

Hollie Latham, HCPC Policy Officer talks about the revised Standards of proficiency (SOPs) for social workers in England, how they were reviewed and what the changes mean for registrants.

What are the SOPs?
The HCPC have revised the Standards of proficiency for social workers in England. The standards set out the threshold knowledge, understanding and skills required for a social worker at entry to the Register. The main way we use these standards is when we approve pre-registration social work programmes which lead to registration with us.
Once registered, we expect all social workers to continue to meet the standards which are relevant to their scope of practice.

How did we review them?
These standards were first published in 2012, and we review them regularly. The most recent review included engaging with stakeholders such as professional bodies, employers, education providers, charities, service users and carers and newly qualified social workers via surveys and group discussion sessions. We then held a three month long public consultation and received 125 responses.
What’s changed?
 There are a limited number of changes to the document itself, including some minor amendments to standards, and a small number of new standards in order to reflect developments in both education and practice.

New standards include:
• Be able to identify and apply strategies to build professional resilience.
• Understand the principles of information governance and be aware of the safe and effective use of health and social care information.
• Understand the concept of leadership and its application to practice.

What does this mean for social workers?
Social workers need to continue to meet the standards of proficiency which are relevant to their particular scope of practice. However, we don’t dictate how they should do so. There is generally more than one way in which each standards can be met and the way in which registrants meet them may change over time due to technology and evolving methods of practice.

We often receive questions from registrants concerned they may not meet our standards. As an autonomous professional you need to make informed and reasoned decisions about your practice. This can mean seeking advice or support from education providers, employers, colleagues, professional bodies, unions and others. So long as registrants do this and can justify their decisions in practice if asked, it is very unlikely that a registered social worker would not meet our standards.

A breakdown of the HCPC Fitness to Practise Annual Report 2016

John Barwick, Head of Fitness to Practise Operations at HCPC, discusses the findings presented in this year’s Fitness to Practise (FtP) Annual Report and highlights key areas of work and activities undertaken by our FtP department.

The Fitness to Practise Annual Report 2016 covers the period of 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016. The report provides information about the way our FtP department deals with allegations against our registrant’s fitness to practise their profession.

Here, we provide an overview of the statistics relating to those allegations, the work we do in progressing cases through our FtP process and highlight key activities undertaken in order to continually improve and review our procedures.

In 2015-16, the number of individuals on our register increased by 3.3 per cent from 2014-15. However over the same period there was a decrease of 1.9 per cent in the number of new cases, with 2,127 cases received in total. That equates to 0.62 per cent of our registrants, or one in 162, being subject to concerns.

In 2015-16:
• 1,661 cases were closed before they were considered by a panel of the HCPC’s Investigating Committee (ICP) as they did not meet our Standard of Acceptance.
• 787 cases were considered by an ICP.
• 320 final hearings were concluded. Of these, 84 were discontinued or not well founded, five resulted in no further action and two resulted in the registrant being removed from the register due to fraudulent /incorrect entry. Imposed sanctions included 33 cautions, 42 conditions of practise orders, 60 suspensions and 69 strike-offs. 25 cases resulted in voluntary removal.
• 346 interim order and review hearings were concluded.

The number of cases considered by an ICP and the number of final hearings decreased from 2014-15. This reflects the increase in the number of cases that were closed at the initial stages of the fitness to practise process for not meeting the standard of acceptance, and the fact that there was a higher volume of cases going to an ICP in 2014-15 following a 25 per cent increase in the number of cases received in 2013-14.

Key areas of work and activities undertaken in 2015-16

• We have completed a review of our Standard of acceptance policy, the purpose of the review was to ensure the policy reflected the changing nature of the cases we receive. We also developed a Standard of acceptance explained fact sheet.
• We have updated our referral forms to provide more guidance on the information that should be provided by the complainant. We have also updated our How to raise a concern brochure.
• A continued focus on developing information sources for employers has been undertaken, with the revision of our brochure for employers and the development of FtP specific website content.
• We signed a new Memoranda of Understanding with NHS Protect and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority in Northern Ireland.
• In January 2016 we acquired a new building which now provides a dedicated hearings centre for FtP hearings.

Future work

• We have been developing proposals for further enhancing the independence of the adjudications which will be considered by HCPC’s Council in 2016–17.
• Ensuring the continued timely progression and conclusion of cases, whilst ensuring ongoing public protection, will be a strategic focus for 2016–17. The primary focus of our workplan in the coming year is the introduction of greater specialisation in the management of cases through the FtP process.
• We will continue engagement with organisations where we have a common objective of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of members of the public.
• We will continue to develop our case study material as well as updating our What happens if a concern is raised about me? brochure.

Have you been selected for CPD? - Part Two

 

Here is the final blog piece on commonly asked questions about continuing professional development (CPD) and the HCPC audit process from three of our CPD Assessors Felicity Court, Dr Mick Harper and Emma Barclay.
 

What CPD advice would you give somebody even if they have not been selected for audit?

• Make sure you have a system in place for recording a log / list of all the CPD activities you do. For example I have a shortcut on my desktop to a simple table where I can add a brief description of CPD activities as they occur. It’s best to be ready, have a system that works for you in your day to day work. If your professional body has a mechanism for doing this then make use of it.
• A few minutes (e.g. once a month) can pay dividends if you are selected for CPD assessment. It also means you do not have to rely on your memory/trawling through old diaries to recall what you have done over a two year period!
• When recording CPD think broadly about the range of learning activities this can include. It is easy to get ‘stuck’ on course attendance’ but assessors are very interested to read about many other examples of activities that illustrate reflective practice. This can be as simple as describing a conversation you had with a colleague that may have challenged your thinking, led you to explore the evidence base and may then have led to a change in practice.

What would you recommend to a registrant who says they do not have time to complete CPD activities on top of their daily workload?

• The bottom line is that registrants must undertake CPD to stay registered with us and there are CPD standards that must be adhered to. 
• We know that everyone is busy at work these days however there is also the fact we have a duty of care to our patients and service users to ensure that we maintain our professional skills and stay abreast of developments in our areas of work. 
• You'll be surprised how many things you do every week that contribute to your CPD that you may not be recognising so make sure you familiarise yourself with the examples provided at the back of the HCPC CPD guide. So it could be a conversation about new techniques / processes; new equipment that you have been taught on or an article that has been shared with you but of course it doesn’t have to be a specific task. CPD is what it is to you as an individual as long as it seeks to benefit you in your role and the services users you engage with.

What advice would you give someone who says their employer does not give them much time off to complete CPD activities?

• It is important that employers are made aware that maintaining CPD is a key aspect of re-registration and should be supported if their employees are to meet the necessary standards. As a Registrant you have the responsibility to ensure that you continue to meet the standards and are entitled to perform your role and enjoy your protected title.
• It’s a common misconception that your employer has responsibility to ensure that you continue to meet your regulatory standards, or to offer you courses for your own CPD or time to undertake your own activities. Make sure you use any 1:1’s or appraisals to identify and capture your learning needs and then your employer is perhaps more likely to support you to take some time to complete them. That said be savvy and organised and make sure you are capturing all the day to day CPD activities.
•  Think of discussions you may have with colleagues that lead you to trying a new method/approach with a patient or perhaps internet searches you may do to investigate equipment solutions for a patient along with briefings you may be sent by email that alter your practice in some way.

What would you say to a registrant if they asked whether they are expected to attend expensive courses as a part of their CPD activity?

• It’s important to remember that assessors are looking for a mixture of learning activities and many of them have no cost at all.
• It’s not necessary to attend expensive courses. There are plenty of other ways to meet the CPD standards. Be creative. Think of things like job shadowing, e-learning, case discussions and reading you may have done. The smallest activities often impact on the registrant’s knowledge, ability and service delivery. Reading an article and reflecting on your role, making changes based on evidence to benefit you and the service user is as legitimate an activity as a 5-day conference.

What do you think the benefits of completing CPD are?

• Colleagues who have been selected have told me that after the initial ‘why me?!” response, they have actually found that reflecting on their achievements over the previous two year cycle has proved an affirming process.
• It can be a great way of maintaining your confidence, motivation and skill as a health care professional. Embrace it and recognise it as part of your daily work and hopefully it won't seem like just another job on the do list! Whatever stage we may be at in our careers it is important that we do not ‘stagnate’ in our practice.
• We have a great responsibility to discharge our professional duties to our service users in an accepted, safe and up-to-date way and CPD supports us to do this. In addition, I see registrants who come into annual reviews at work and take in their CPD profiles as a starting point to discuss their careers. This is a fantastic way of showing your manager that you know your own strengths and limitations and demonstrates that you have thought out your personal future needs. You are much more likely to be supported by employers if you take control of your own career in this way.

There are a range of resources available to support registrants undertaking CPD on our dedicated webpages and on our YouTube channel, visit www.hcpc-uk.org/cpd.

 

Have you been selected for a CPD audit? - Part One

 We put some of our more commonly asked questions from registrants about continuing professional development (CPD) and the HCPC audit process to three of our CPD Assessors Felicity Court, Dr Mick Harper and Emma Barclay. Here’s what they had to say.
 

What are your top tips for Registrants who have been selected for audit and who are about to embark on the process of submitting their CPD profile?

•  Firstly, it’s important not to panic. The process is not designed to catch you out. Before you begin, have a look on the HCPC website as there is a lot of great information to help you including sample profiles and video tutorials. And make sure that you refer to the ‘CPD and your registration’ document.

•  This is your chance to reflect on your learning over the last 2 years. You'll probably surprise yourself at how much you have done and learnt. Read the guidance carefully to ensure you send everything required in and take time to select a variety of activities to best demonstrate how you've met the 5 standards for CPD (link to standards). You should have a long list of all of your CPD activities that span the last two years (standard 1).

•  But ultimately less is more, select 3-4 examples of CPD activities from your list, make sure they are different types of CPD activities (standard 2) and then discuss them in relation to standards 3 and 4. Standard 5 is complete when you submit your profile.

Have you noted any improvements to the quality of profiles received?

•  The standard has always been high and we have seen it improve with each two yearly ‘round’ of assessment. A change is that the number of CPD profiles submitted electronically has increased considerably.

•  Statistics show us that many registrants pass first time. However there are still a few registrants who make some simple easily avoidable mistakes.

•  To find out about the CPD Audit facts and figures, have a look at the recently published CPD Report 2013-15 and infographic.

What do you look for when assessing a CPD profile?

•  Firstly, that it is a genuine attempt to demonstrate the standards and conduct CPD. I look for a well-structured and easy to read profile. This helps me to pick out the evidence for each of the standards and be assured the registrant has met all the standards. Often ‘less is more’. Good profiles are just a few pages long.

•  If the profile contains a 2-year list of CPD activities that are a range of different types of learning I can immediately tick standards 1 and 2. Ideally around half a dozen examples usually gives the assessors a clear picture of how the registrant has benefited from the CPD activities to see how they meet Standards 3 and 4.

•  If a particular course for example has been useful it is sufficient to enclose evidence of attendance alongside a brief programme of what was covered. We do not need to see copies of every handout you were given over a 3 day period. 

•  Ultimately we are looking for evidence of your reflections on what you learned, how you feel it has benefitted your practice and ultimately helped your service users.

What common mistakes do you see when assessing CPD profiles?

•  Not keeping or providing a dated list of all CPD activities undertaken during the registration period as part of the submitted profile. It is obvious to assessors where registrants haven’t maintained their list and are filling it in from memory.

•  It can be really frustrating if a profile is well presented but without this list. The registrant will then have to be asked for further information by the assessors as we are unable to see evidence that the registrant has participated regularly in CPD and maintained a record of this.

•  Not explicitly describing the benefits that an activity has had to the registrant and to the service users they work with. Sometimes it seems that the registrant assumes the assessor will ‘read between the lines’ when in fact we need the registrant to state all the benefits however obvious they might seem to you.

•  Read standards 3 and 4 carefully and make sure your examples describe how you have met both of these standards. A registrant can sometimes focus on one more than another leading to a request for further information.

•  Secondly, sometimes registrants try to tell us too much and this dilutes the quality of their profile, remember to just select 3-4 CPD activities that span the 2-year cycle. Be explicit-how did that activity make you better in your role, how did it benefit service users and what service users were they?

There are a range of resources available to support registrants undertaking CPD on our dedicated webpages and on our YouTube channel, visit www.hcpc-uk.org/cpd.