Accountability to professional bodies Flashcards
Who are professional bodies?
The Nursing and Midwives Council (NMC)
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
The General Medical Council (GMC)
What regulations are there of workers?
People who work in health and social care settings have to follow the regulations set out by the professional bodies which regulate services in their sector. this means that the workers must;
Follow codes of professional conduct
Be familiar with and able to apply current codes of practice
Ensure that re validation procedures are followed, e.g. nurses have to make a health and character declaration in order to be registered.
Follow procedures for raising concerns (whistle blowing)
What consequences are in place for those who don’t follow the regulations?
Workers who do not follow regulations might be disciplined by their employers e.g. A Foundation Trust or by the professional organisation e.g. the RNC or the police in some cases if they have committed a crime. When workers are disciplined, this can mean that they have some responsibilities taken away from them or they can lose their professional status, e.g. if a nurse fails to complete enough practice hours, or for a serious malpractice, they can lose their job. If the health and social care workers are prosecuted they can be put into prison if the crime is serious enough.
What is meant by the term regulation?
A regulation is a law which sets the standard of professional conduct required of people who work in health and social care settings. regulations are mandatory. this means that they must be followed by law.
