Today, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) has launched its annual Diversity Data Survey to increase its understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) among its registrants. The survey will help the HCPC create and develop strategies, policies and regulatory processes that are inclusive and fair.
Jacqueline Ladds, Executive Director, Policy and External Relations comments:
“We’re committed to being an inclusive and diverse regulator and ensuring that our services are accessible and free from discrimination. We’ve launched this survey so that we can get a better understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion across our professions and use it to inform our improvement work in these key areas.
“We’ll use the findings to help create and develop policies, regulatory processes and strategies, which accurately reflect the diversity of our registrants. That’s why we are asking all our registrants to get involved, to ensure they complete the survey and to spread the word using #HCPCMyEDI.”
As part of HCPC’s commitment to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion across the professions, the regulator hopes to hear from all HCPC registrants in this survey, which will be open from 15 December 2020 – 14 March 2021.
Since last year, HCPC has pushed for a stronger focus on EDI, with the development of a strategy to engage all stakeholders on these issues. The organisation has also created an EDI Forum, which guides HCPC on a range of relevant issues and concerns. The Forum also provides advice on the development of HCPC policies and procedures. The HCPC also routinely undertakes equality impact assessments for all major pieces of work.
Jacqueline Ladds, Executive Director, Policy and External Relations continues:
“We want to understand the issues that our registrants face and identify the measures that can be put in place to support them better. Our first Diversity Data Survey last year provided a good starting point, but this year we want more registrants to get involved to help create a deeper understanding. We know that sharing this kind of data is incredibly personal, and can feel daunting, but doing so will help us implement the best regulatory policies and processes for registrants and for service users and patients.
“As well as increasing our understanding of the equality, diversity and inclusion issues and challenges faced by our registrants, it will also create a picture of HCPC registered allied health professionals, healthcare scientists and practitioner psychologists in all four countries of the UK, working across health and care settings. This could help address wider workforce planning issues, and boost the understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion issues across the sectors.”
IOCP Midland Regional Director David Ayres has represented The Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and our membership at the HCPC’s EDI development meetings.
Notes to editors
The Health and Care Professions Council is an independent regulator set up by the Health and Social Work Professions Order 2001. The HCPC keeps a register for 15 different health and care professions and only registers people who meet the standards it sets for their training, professional skills, behaviour and health. The HCPC will take action against professionals who do not meet these standards or who use a protected title illegally.
The HCPC currently regulates 15 health and care professions. Each of these professions has one or more ‘protected titles’. Anyone who uses one of these titles must register with the HCPC. The full list of protected titles can be found here.
Requests for interview should be made through the HCPC Press Office on 07585 992 942 or press@hcpc-uk.org.