Professional: regulation

Regulation and Registration with the Health Professions Council - an Association objective for all APT staff in the United Kingdom

Future regulation: AAPT response to consultation
AAPT (UK) has officially responded to the Department of Health's consultation on the Regulation of Health Care Staff in England and Wales.

During the past year the future of careers, regulation and training for Healthcare Scientists in the NHS has become clearer with initiatives such as the National Occupational Standards, Agenda for Change and Making the Change. Many of the smaller health care science groups, however, are not yet professionally regulated in any way.

In the initial Association information brochure produced in April 2003, the President, Professor Sebastian Lucas stated:

“APT practice represents the last aspect of modern medicine that is not yet professionally regulated and state registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC). I welcome this new association that makes prime objectives of obtaining state registration, and encouraging the application of high standards in practice across the United Kingdom”.

Since it’s foundation in April 2003 the Association has been in regular communication with the Department of Health and a path is emerging for Anatomical Pathology Technicians/Technologists to achieve statutory regulation with the Health Professions Council (HPC) by 2007. For the groups aspiring for statutory regulation in 2007, the Department of Health is establishing a voluntary registration council for healthcare scientists

An official Association response to the Consultation document ‘Regulation of Health Care Staff in England and Wales’ was sent to the Department of Health, both independently, and as a member association of the Federation for Healthcare Science (FHCS).

The Association believe it essential that members are kept informed during the progress of this important period of work and a dedicated domain of the website has been created for updates on ‘future regulation and registration’. At this stage, it seemed appropriate to gather some initial guidance for current members and APT staff who have yet to join the Association.

What is the Health Professions Council (HPC)?
The HPC is the independent UK-wide regulatory body responsible for setting and maintaining standards of professional training, performance and conduct of the 12 healthcare professions that it regulates. The current professions regulated by the HPC are:

Arts Therapists
Biomedical Scientists
Chiropodists
Clinical Scientists
Dieticians
Occupational Therapists
Orthoptists
Prosthetists and Orthotists
Paramedics
Physiotherapists
Radiographers
Speech and Language Therapists

The HPC was set up in 2001 and has been created to protect the health and wellbeing of the general public. To do this, the HPC keeps a register of health professionals who meet their standards for training, professional skills, behaviour and health.

Why should Anatomical Pathology Technicians be regulated?
The Association has a commitment to ensuring and improving the professional, educational and practical standards for APT staff. The Department of Health have requested that APT staff should be regulated in the future with the HPC and this is a clear opportunity to raise the profile of APT staff and their work. It is, therefore, vital that all APT staff be held on an initial voluntary register leading to future statutory regulation.

What other groups, in addition to the twelve already regulated, are aiming to achieve statutory regulation? When is this likely to occur?
The Department of Health have envisaged two waves of healthcare science groups that will aim to achieve statutory regulation by 2005 and 2007 respectively:

In 2005:

Clinical Physiologists
Clinical Perfusion Scientists
Clinical Technologists, including Renal Technologists
Clinical Photographers
Maxillofacial Prosthetists

In 2007:

Anatomical Pathology Technicians
Ophthalmic and Vision Scientists
Diabetic Retinopathy Screeners
Cyto and Molecular Genetic Technology Staff
Critical Care Technologists
Cervical Cytology Screeners

What is the voluntary registration council for healthcare scientists and how are Anatomical Pathology Technicians/Technologists represented?
For the groups aspiring for statutory regulation in 2007, the Department of Health is establishing a voluntary registration council for healthcare scientists. This council will mirror the Registration Council for Clinical Physiology (RCCP) – the infrastructure that has been used by the RCCP to supports its application for regulation to the HPC will be modified to become the system for all other aspirant groups.

Representatives from the Association will be attending these voluntary council meetings (the first to be held on 24 June 2004) and subsequent workshops in order to achieve the aims of this considerable project.

At this early stage the remit and functions of the voluntary registration council for healthcare scientists have yet to be fully agreed. Association members will be kept up-to-date as the project progresses. It would be expected that APT staff would need to declare to a Codes of Professional Conduct and Practice – work is already underway in this area.

Recommended links for further information

Health Professions Council
www.hpc-uk.org

Department of Health Consultations
http://www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations/LiveConsultations

Federation for Healthcare Science
http://www.fedhcs.net/