Health and Care Professions Council

Overview

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is the statutory regulator for health and care professions in the United Kingdom. Established to protect the public, the HCPC maintains registers of regulated professionals and sets standards for their education, training, conduct and practice. The organisation is relevant to anyone working in designated health and care roles — from physiotherapists and occupational therapists to paramedics, clinical psychologists, radiographers and many other specialisms — who wish to practise legally in the UK and demonstrate professional standing to employers, service users and the public.

Who Should Join?

The HCPC does not operate as a voluntary membership association in the traditional sense. Instead, it functions as a statutory regulatory body, meaning that registration with the HCPC is a legal requirement for certain health and care professions to practise in the United Kingdom. Individuals working in over 15 registered professions must be registered with the HCPC to work legally in their role.

Regulated professions include, amongst others:

• Allied health professions: physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, speech and language therapists, radiographers, clinical scientists and prosthetists/orthotists
• Paramedics and ambulance service personnel
• Clinical and counselling psychologists
• Arts therapists (art, dance, drama and music therapists)
• Hearing aid dispensers
• Applied psychologists
• Other specialist practitioner roles

If you work in one of these professions and provide health or care services in the UK, HCPC registration is mandatory. Practitioners registering with the HCPC must meet defined eligibility criteria, including holding recognised qualifications, demonstrating competence and meeting character and health requirements. The HCPC maintains a publicly accessible register, allowing employers, service users and members of the public to verify a professional's credentials.

Why Join?

For regulated professionals, registration with the HCPC is not optional — it is a statutory requirement to practise. However, beyond this legal imperative, registration offers significant professional and practical advantages:

• Professional Credibility: HCPC registration demonstrates to employers, colleagues, service users and the public that you meet nationally agreed standards of education, training, conduct and competence. It provides independent verification of your professional standing.
• Legal Protection to Practise: Registration allows you to work lawfully within your regulated profession in the UK. Without it, practising in a regulated profession can result in legal consequences.
• Consumer Confidence: Your inclusion on the public register reassures service users, patients and employers that you are accountable to an independent regulator committed to protecting the public.
• Career Mobility: HCPC registration is recognised across the UK and enables you to move between employers and settings within your profession without needing to re-register at different levels or with different bodies.
• Professional Development Pathway: The HCPC sets standards for continuing professional development (CPD), ensuring that registered professionals maintain and develop their skills and knowledge throughout their careers.

Member Benefits & Opportunities

As a registered professional with the HCPC, you benefit from:

• Public Register Entry: Your professional profile appears on the HCPC's searchable register, making you discoverable to employers, commissioners and service users seeking qualified practitioners.
• Professional Standards Guidance: Access to detailed codes of conduct and ethics, professional standards and technical guidance published by the HCPC to support best practice in your field.
• Continuing Professional Development Requirements: Clear CPD standards and expectations that structure ongoing learning and professional development, supporting career progression and expertise maintenance.
• Fitness to Practise Support: Access to regulatory guidance and support mechanisms should any concerns about professional conduct or competence arise.
• Professional Accountability Framework: Membership of a regulated profession with clear standards, complaint procedures and disciplinary routes that protect both practitioners and the public.
• Regulatory Updates and Guidance: Ongoing communication from the HCPC about standards changes, policy updates and guidance relevant to your profession.

Industry Role & Professional Standing

The HCPC is a key pillar of professional regulation across UK health and care sectors. Its authority and standing derive from:

• Statutory Mandate: The HCPC operates under legislation as the official regulator for designated health and care professions, giving it legally recognised authority to set and enforce standards.
• Standard-Setting and Quality Assurance: The organisation develops and maintains professional standards for education, training, conduct and practice. These standards shape qualifications, training curricula and professional expectations across the regulated professions.
• Public Protection: Through registration, fitness to practise procedures and disciplinary mechanisms, the HCPC protects service users and the public from unfit or misconduct practitioners. This is a core responsibility that gives the organisation significant standing.
• Codes of Conduct and Ethics: The HCPC publishes standards for conduct and ethics that guide professional behaviour and establish clear expectations for accountability.
• Research and Policy Development: The HCPC conducts research, contributes to health and care policy discussions and engages with government, employers and professional bodies to develop and refine regulatory approaches.
• International Recognition: The HCPC's regulatory framework is recognised internationally and influences professional standards globally.
• Multi-Professional Regulation: By regulating over 15 different professions within a single statutory framework, the HCPC promotes consistency, shared professional values and collaboration across health and care sectors.

For professionals in regulated disciplines, HCPC registration signals membership of an established, accountable professional community with shared standards and ethical commitment. The regulator's presence and authority reinforce the legitimacy and standing of these professions within healthcare and social care systems.

Contact and Further Information

Health and Care Professions Council
Park House
184 Kennington Park Road
London, SE11 4BU
UK

Website: https://www.hcpc-uk.org