For those who practised as part of the COVID-19 recovery, our returning to practice processes take into account any impact this may have had on the wider healthcare workforce.
While we still require applicants to the Register to evidence their ability to meet our standards, we recognise the challenges they might face in meeting our returning to practice requirements.
As such, we will provide flexibility in this regard, whilst continuing to assure those we register are fit to practise safely and effectively.
What flexibility do we offer?
Any departure from our returning to practice requirements will be considered on a case by case basis; but we are committed to taking account of:
- The timescales within which an applicant has completed the return to practice requirements.
- The evidence we accept as proof of ‘supervised practice’.
- Alternative forms of ‘formal study’.
Timescales within which an applicant can complete the return to practice requirements
We usually require all an applicant’s updating is completed, from start to finish, within the 12 months before they apply for registration or readmission. We have temporarily extended this period to 24 months.
Evidence we accept for supervised practice
We support returnees in using evidence of practice as a temporary registrant as proof of ‘supervised practice’, where appropriate.
Our requirements around supervised practice are already permissive and we do not set detailed guidance for supervisors because we believe that the level of supervision needed and the tasks carried out, will depend on the returner’s specific learning needs.
We appreciate the challenges COVID-19 will have presented in this regard and will allow supervisors to make their own judgements on what level of supervision is/has been possible during the pandemic.
Alternative forms of ‘formal study’
We will consider alternative forms of ‘formal study’ gained during the COVID-19 pandemic, where these are reasonable and give rise to similar levels of learning.
It will be for applicants to justify this in their returning to practice form; and we will be as flexible as possible in considering alternatives.
