The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is a regulatory body in the United Kingdom that is responsible for setting standards of education and training, maintaining a register of qualified professionals, and investigating concerns about the fitness to practise of registered professionals.
The following is a summary of the professions that are currently required to be registered with the HCPC:
Arts therapists: These are professionals who use art, music, drama or dance to help people with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
Biomedical scientists: These are professionals who carry out laboratory tests on samples of blood, tissue and other body fluids to help diagnose and treat diseases.
Chiropodists / Podiatrists: These are professionals who specialise in diagnosing and treating conditions of the feet and lower limbs.
Clinical scientists: These are professionals who work in healthcare and are involved in developing and testing new treatments and technologies.
Dietitians: These are professionals who specialise in advising people on how to maintain a healthy diet, and on the use of food and nutrition to prevent and treat illness.
Hearing aid dispensers: These are professionals who test people's hearing and fit them with hearing aids.
Occupational therapists: These are professionals who help people with physical or mental health problems to overcome difficulties in carrying out everyday activities.
Operating department practitioners: These are professionals who work in operating theatres and are responsible for ensuring that patients are safe and comfortable during surgery.
Orthoptists: These are professionals who diagnose and treat problems with eye movement and vision.
Paramedics: These are professionals who provide emergency medical care to people who are seriously ill or injured.
Physiotherapists: These are professionals who help people to recover from injury or illness, and to maintain good physical health.
Practitioner psychologists: These are professionals who use psychological knowledge and techniques to help people with mental health problems or to improve their performance in other areas.
Prosthetists / Orthotists: These are professionals who design, manufacture and fit artificial limbs and braces.
Radiographers: These are professionals who use imaging technologies such as X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans to diagnose and treat medical conditions.
Speech and language therapists: These are professionals who help people with communication and swallowing difficulties to improve their ability to communicate and eat and drink safely.
It is important to note that this list may be subject to change over time, as the HCPC periodically reviews its requirements for registration.
In our next article we explore the HCPC registration process & costs.
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