HCPC Guidelines

Question 1

What does ‘HCPC’ stand for?

Answer 1

Health and Care Professionals Council

Question 2

Why do these legal regulations exist?

Answer 2

To protect the public and ensure good practice and so failure to comply can result in clinicians being removed from the register.

Question 3

How often does a psychologist need to re-register to the HCPC.

Answer 3

Every 2 years

Question 4

Giving examples, state what type of practising psychologists need to register.

Answer 4

All of them, such as educational, counselling, forensic, clinical.

Question 5

What two standards do practitioners need to follow?

Answer 5

1) Character
- They need to obtain trustworthy character references from people who have known the practitioner for at least three years
2) Health
- Regular updates on general health must be sent to the HCPC every 2 years as if the practitioner has any issues that will effect clients they need to stop work immediately

Question 6

List some of the 10 ethical guidelines that are not stated in HCPC guidelines that practitioners must conform to.

Answer 6

1) Promote and protect the interests of service users and carers
2) Communicate appropriately and effectively
3) Work within the limits of their knowledge and skills
4) Manage risk
5) Report concerns about safety or referring clients when necessary
6) Be open when things go wrong
7) Delegate appropriately
8) Respect and maintain confidentiality
9) Be honest and trustworthy
10) Having competence to only act within the limits of your knowledge and skills

Question 7

List some of the 15 statements of proficiency for practising psychologists in a few words.

Answer 7

1) Practise safely within the scope of their practice
2) Practise within legal and ethical boundaries
3) Maintain fitness to practise
4) Exercise own judgement
5) Awareness of culture’s impact
6) Practise non-discriminatory
7) Maintain confidentiality
8) Communicate effectively
9) Work appropriately with others
10) Maintain records
11) Reflect and review on own practise
12) Assure quality of practise
13) Understand key concepts of their knowledge based profession
14) Draw on appropriate information and skills to help practise
15) Understand need to maintain safe practice environment

Question 8

List the specific standards and its details for practising clinical psychologists.

Answer 8

13) Understand key concepts of their knowledge based profession
- understand theories on psychological development
- understand more than one model of therapy
- understand models that consider nature and nurture
- understand pharmaceutical impacts on the psychology of the service user
14) Draw on appropriate information and skills to help practise
- assess social context and characteristics
- understand therapeutic techniques
- implement psychological therapy
- promote awareness