Professionalism and Professional Standards for HCPC Regulated Health and Care Professionals

About this course

HCPC registrants work in an unusually wide range of settings: paramedics in ambulances, physiotherapists in private clinics, radiographers in imaging departments, biomedical scientists in laboratories, practitioner psychologists in schools and courts, hearing aid dispensers in high street shops. Many work independently or run their own businesses. Professionalism in these settings depends on the same foundations: meeting the standards, keeping skills up to date, communicating well, working within scope, and behaving in ways that justify public trust.

This course explains what professionalism means for HCPC registrants, the HCPC's role, registration, CPD and return to practice, the core principles of professional practice, the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics in daily behaviour, the 2023 standards of proficiency, professionalism in independent and private practice, interprofessional working and supporting learners, boundaries and online conduct, and what happens when standards are breached.

CPD Value and How to Record It:

This course is designed to provide approximately 2 hours of learning, including reading, the reflection points, the reflective account and the assessment. In the UK, CPD is generally recorded as the time actually spent learning, so you should record the time you genuinely spend, which may be more or less than the estimate.

How the course fits your revalidation or CPD requirements depends on your regulator. For example, the NMC asks nurses, midwives and nursing associates to record 35 hours of CPD over three years, of which at least 20 must be participatory; self-directed online learning such as this course usually counts as individual learning unless you complete it with others. The GMC expects doctors to reflect on CPD for appraisal and revalidation rather than setting a fixed number of hours. The HCPC, GDC, GPhC, GOC, GOsC and GCC each set their own CPD requirements, so check the current rules that apply to you. Always keep your certificate together with your written reflection.

What you will learn

• Define professionalism for HCPC registrants and explain why it matters.
• Describe registration renewal, the CPD standards, CPD audit and return to practice.
• Apply the core principles of professionalism in daily practice.
• Explain the key changes in the 2023 standards of proficiency.
• Practise professionally in independent and private settings, including advertising.
• Work interprofessionally, support learners and maintain boundaries, including online.
• Respond to breaches with insight and evidenced remediation.

Who this course is for

All fifteen HCPC regulated professions, including those in NHS, private, independent and non-clinical practice, practice educators, and those responding to a concern.

Course content

8 sections · 2 CPD hours · 15 MCQs

Course facts

CPD value

Approximately 2 CPD hours (estimated learning time, including reflection and assessment); suitable evidence for your HCPC CPD profile

Format

Self-paced reading with profession-specific cases, reflection points and a written reflective account

Standards covered

HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics; standards of proficiency (2023); standards of CPD and CPD audit; return to practice requirements; guidance on social media; fitness to practise and sanctions

Assessment

15 scenario-based multiple-choice questions; pass mark 12 out of 15 (80%)

Questions about this course