Asking about the health and character of applicants and registrants is one of the ways the HCPC protects the public and ensures our registrants are able to practice safely and effectively
The HCPC is required to ensure that its registrants have good health and good character by the Health Professions Order 2001.
We ask you to make a health and character declaration when you apply to join the HCPC Register, when you renew your registration or when something changes about your health or character that affects your fitness to practise.
If declaration is made outside of the application or renewal processes it is considered a 'self-referral'.
What do 'health' and 'character' mean?
When we talk about a 'health', we mean a physical or mental health condition that may affect your ability to practise safely and effectively.
When we talk about ‘character’, we mean your behaviour and how it relates to the standards. We need to be sure you can practise in a way which does not put the public at risk, or affect public confidence in you and your profession.
How do I know if I need to make a declaration?
You need to make a declaration if you are not able to practise safely and effectively, in a way that meets the standards.
If you can still practice safely and effectively in a way that meets the standards, you do not need to declare it to us.
Where do I make the declaration?
This depends on whether are applying to get on the Register, renewing your registration or making a self-referral.
If you are applying to join the Register you'll make the declaration in your application form. If you're renewing your registration, you'll make the declaration in the renewals process. If something has changed about your health or character that impairs your ability to practise safely and effectively, you'll need to make a self-referral.
Seeking advice
Before making a health or character declaration, we recommend that you speak with a professional body, trade union, employer or an independent legal advisor.
Advice about health declarations
We also expect registrants, where required, to seek and follow advice from other health and care professionals, employers and occupational health professionals. You may need to do this if you're considering a health declaration. However, we recognise that individuals usually know their own health better than anyone else and that each registrant is responsible for ensuring their own fitness to practise and managing risk.
These expectations are set out in the standards of conduct, performance and ethics.
Contacting us
If you are unsure about whether your health or character impacts your fitness to practise after seeking appropriate advice, you can contact us. We will assess the information you provide to determine whether it affects your fitness to practise.
Please contact the Registration team to discuss declarations as part of an application and the Fitness to Practise team to discuss declarations for renewals and self-referrals.