In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the HCPC has worked with the UK Government to create a COVID-19 temporary register[i], of two parts. Our intention in doing so is to ensure there are no regulatory barriers to the following two groups practising on a temporary basis:

 

• Former registrants who have de-registered within the last three years.
• Final year students, on UK approved programmes, who have completed all their clinical practice placements.

 

We are actively engaged in discussions with the Government, other UK healthcare regulators, NHS representatives across the four countries, the Council of Deans of Health and others, to ensure our approach facilitates the NHS in recruiting the workforce it requires at this time.

 

The COVID-19 temporary register(s)

 

We will publish a COVID-19 temporary register of all former registrants who have de-registered in the past three years. We will ensure nobody appears on this list if they have been subject to fitness to practise concerns in the past. A second COVID-19 temporary register will be opened for final year students on UK approved programmes, who have completed all their clinical practice placements. No fees will be charged in relation to the COVID-19 temporary register(s).

 

Meeting the standards

 

The HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics, and Standards of proficiency, will only apply to individuals on the COVID-19 temporary register(s) if they chose to return to practice (and only as far as they relate to their scope of practice). The Standards of continuing professional development will not be enforced in relation to audit, but we expect those practising on the COVID-19 temporary register(s) to ensure their skills, knowledge and experience are kept up to date.

 

Medicine entitlements

 

With the exception of annotations (such as prescribing rights and podiatric surgery), COVID-19 temporary registrants will be able to access their medical entitlements as normal. We have decided to exclude annotations on the COVID-19 temporary register(s) based on our current risk assessment, but we will monitor developments to ensure this continues to be an appropriate approach.

 

What if concerns are raised about someone on the COVID-19 temporary register(s)?

 

If a concern is raised about a registrant on the COVID-19 temporary register(s), which meets our Triage test as explained in our Threshold Policy, we will remove them from the COVID-19 temporary register(s) with immediate effect.

 

If you have any queries about the above, please contact policy@hcpc-uk.org.

Implementation

 

We will be adding professionals to the COVID-19 temporary register(s) in a phased approach to ensure we deploy the resources we have in the most appropriate way.

 

In anticipation of the relevant legislation being passed to enable us to hold a COVID-19 temporary register(s), we will undertake two phases of work.

 

• Phase one: We will write to former registrants from the following groups who have de-registered in the past three years to inform them they will be added to the COVID-19 temporary register: Biomedical Scientists; Occupational Therapists; Operating Department Practitioners; Paramedics; Physiotherapists; and Radiographers.

 

Once the relevant legislation has passed, we will then include their details on the COVID-19 temporary register, published online.

 

• Phase two: We will write to former registrants from the remaining ten groups who have de-registered in the past three years to inform them they will be added to the COVID-19 temporary register: Arts Therapists; Chiropodists/podiatrists; Clinical Scientists; Dietitians; Hearing Aid Dispensers; Orthoptists; Practitioner Psychologists; Prosthetists/orthotists; and Speech and language therapists.

 

Once the relevant legislation has passed, we will then include their details on the COVID-19 temporary register, published online.

 

Once relevant legislation has been passed enabling us to hold a COVID-19 temporary register(s), we will complete a final phase of work to include a further group:

 

• Phase three: We are working with the Council of Deans of Health and UK Higher Education Institutions to include final year students who have completed all their clinical practice placements on an online COVID-19 temporary register (students). The same approach will be taken as with the COVID-19 temporary register.

 

It is for employers recruiting COVID-19 temporary registrants to decide what, if any, checks they will need to put in place to prove identity. We expect that for the majority of former registrants, this will be fairly informal, relying on professional networks, employer records, education records or HCPC documentation (if still available).

 

If anyone requires a validation check or further HCPC registration information, they can get in contact with the HCPC Registration team at e-regtemp@hcpc-uk.org.

 

 

[Published 17 March 2020]

[i] Subject to appropriate legislation being passed, granting powers on us to do so