The consultation follows a lengthy analysis of the standards where feedback was considered from a variety of stakeholders, including a number of comments from individuals and organisations. During the process the HPC set up a group of HPC Council members to review the generic standards and recommend areas of change and development.

The changes are to ensure that the generic standards are applicable to all the professions the HPC regulates. The purpose is to give these standards more user friendly terminology and bring them in line with the HPC standards of proficiency for individual professions.

The generic standards explain the key obligations that the HPC expect of registered health professionals. They are the minimum standards for safe and effective practice, which means they have to be relevant and applicable to prospective registrants applying to come on to the Register for the first time, as well as existing registrants.

Michael Guthrie, Director of Policy and Standards said;

The HPC is inviting stakeholders to respond to the proposed review of the generic standards

The key changes include proposing significant changes to the wording of the current overarching generic standards. This includes adding, removing and modifying the existing standards, to ensure that the generic standards are applicable to all professions the HPC regulate.

The consultation will put the proposed guidance before a wide range of stakeholders, professional bodies and others with an interest in our work.

The consultation will run until 20 October 2010.

Responses to the document can be made by:

Writing to:
Consultation on proposed changes to the standards of proficiency Policy and Standards Department Health Professions Council Park House
184 Kennington Park Road
London
SE11 4BU

You may also email responses to consultation@hpc-uk.org or send a fax to +44 (0)20 7820 9684.

If you would prefer your response not to be made public, please indicate this when you respond. We will publish on our website a summary of the responses we receive, and the decisions we have taken as a result.

The full documents are available on-line and a copy can be downloaded from the HPC website.