Health & Care Professions Council - Guidance on conduct and ethics for students

Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Information for students and education providers

This document gives students on education and training programmes we approve (approved programmes) information about our standards of conduct, performance and ethics. We hope this information will be useful during your training and once you are working.

You may find this document useful if you are: a student who is studying to be a member of a profession we regulate;

a member of academic staff who is teaching students on an approved programme;
a member of an education provider’s staff who is involved in dealing with concerns about a student’s conduct;
a practice placement educator or supervisor;
an employer who provides practice placements for students

during their training; or
a service user or carer who is receiving, or is affected by, any care, treatment or other services provided by a student during their training.

This is not a full list, but it should help to give you an idea of whether or not this document will help you.

Introduction

About Us

We are the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), a regulator set up to protect the public. To do this, we keep a register of health and care professionals who meet our standards for their training, professional skills and behaviour.

Professionals on our Register are called ‘registrants’. We currently regulate the following professions.

Arts therapists
Biomedical scientists
Chiropodists / podiatrists
Clinical scientists
Dietitians
Hearing aid dispensers
Occupational therapists
Operating department practitioners
Orthoptists
Paramedics
Physiotherapists
Practitioner psychologists
Prosthetists / orthotists
Radiographers
Speech and language therapists

You can find an up-to-date list of the professions we regulate on our website at www.hcpc-uk.org

Each of these professions has one or more titles that is protected by law (such as ‘physiotherapist’ and ‘dietitian’). Anyone who misuses a protected title is breaking the law and could be prosecuted.

Another important part of our role is to consider any concerns raised about our registrants to decide whether they are ‘fit to practise’. When we say that someone is ‘fit to practise’ we mean that they have the knowledge, skills and character to practise their profession safely and effectively. We look at every concern to decide whether or not we need to take action. Based on the information we have collected we may hold a hearing to decide whether someone is fit to practise.

We also set standards for continuing professional development (CPD), which all registrants must meet. Meeting these standards supports professionals in their learning and development once they are registered so that they can continue to practise safely and effectively.

How the HCPC is run

We were created by the Health Professions Order 2001, which sets out the things that we must do and gives us our legal power. We have a council which is made up of both registrants and lay members. The Council sets our strategies and policies, and makes sure that we are meeting our responsibilities under the Health Professions Order 2001.

The standards of conduct, performance and ethics

We set standards of conduct, performance and ethics, which apply to the professionals we regulate and set out in broad terms how we expect our registrants to behave. You will learn about these standards on your programme.

The standards also apply to people who are applying to join our Register. In this case we will ask you to sign a declaration to confirm that you have read, and will keep to, the standards once you are registered.

The standards help us make decisions about the character of the people who apply to join our Register and in cases where we decide whether someone is fit to practise.

Approving education programmes

We also assess education programmes against our standards of education and training. If a programme meets our standards, we approve it and the students who successfully complete the programme are eligible to apply to register with us.

Our Register

Being on our Register shows that you meet our standards for your profession.

Our Register shows the public that these professionals are fit to practise and that they are entitled to use the protected title for their profession. It shows that the people on our Register are part of a profession with nationally recognised standards set by law.

Our Register is available on our website at www.hcpc-uk.org/check and allows you to search online for a registered health and care professional.

Applying to be on our Register

Completing an approved programme does not guarantee that you will become registered. But it does show us that you meet our professional standards for registration and so you are eligible to apply. We need more information from you to be able to register you.

When you first apply to go on our Register, as part of your application you need to send us information, which includes a character and health declaration, a photograph and copies of relevant identification. You will also need to let us know other relevant information, including whether you have any convictions or cautions. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 does not apply to an application to join our Register. This means that you must tell us about any convictions and cautions you may have, including those that are considered ‘spent’ under the Act (other than a protected conviction or protected caution).

In most cases, the information you give us about your character will not affect whether or not we register you. For more information on applying for registration and providing relevant character information, please see our Guidance on health and character which is available on our website.

The information we need from you helps us to make sure that:

you are who you say you are;
you meet our standards; and
we can contact you if we need to.

You can find out more about the application process on our website at HCPC Website

About this guidance

This guidance is based on the standards of conduct, performance and ethics, because those standards apply to both registrants and those applying to be registered. We hope that this guidance will make you more familiar with those standards and that it provides extra information about some of the issues which you may come across as you complete your approved programme. Although we do not regulate students, we do expect them to understand our standards of conduct, performance and ethics in preparation for when they
are registered.

The headings we use in the following section of this document are taken from the standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Under each heading we have provided bullet points which give guidance on how the standards relate to you as students. The guidance does not provide answers to every situation you may face. However, we hope that it will help you and encourage you to ask for extra information from your education provider or practice placement provider (if appropriate).

Education providers and practice placement providers often have their own policies and procedures which you should also follow. We recognise the important role of education providers and practice placement providers in helping and supporting students to meet the guidance.

Delegation

We recognise that the issue of delegation will be more relevant to some students than others and particularly those reaching the end of their approved programme. These students will have developed their knowledge and skills over an extended period, which may allow them to delegate certain tasks under certain conditions. A registrant is ultimately responsible for the tasks which have been delegated by a student under their supervision, as set out in the standards of conduct, performance and ethics (standard 4.2).

Language

This guidance applies to all students as far as possible. We approve a wide range of programmes, so students are involved in many settings with different models of supervision. We have tried to use words and language which everyone can understand.

The language used in the guidance plays an important role in distinguishing the scope of practice and expectations of students and prospective students from those of registrants and prospective registrants. We use the verb ‘should’ rather than ‘must’ in the guidance, to reflect the fact that we do not regulate students. This differs from the language used in the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics.

We have used the term ‘student’ throughout this document to refer to anyone studying or training on an approved education and training programme which leads to them being eligible to apply to join our Register. The word ‘programme’ means an approved education and training programme.

Throughout this guidance we have used ‘service users’ to refer to anyone who uses or is affected by the work of registrants or students, for example patients and clients. We have used ‘carer’ to refer to anyone who looks after, or provides support to, a family member, partner or friend.

We understand that students may come into contact with a service user for a number of reasons while completing their approved programme or attending their practice placement. This can include carrying out diagnostic or monitoring procedures, or providing therapy or advice. We have referred to these actions in the guidance as ‘care, treatment or other services’.

Personal and professional conduct

On your programme you have the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge you need to become a professional in an environment which protects the public. You also have the opportunity to learn about the behaviour that the public expects from a registrant.

As a student studying to become a professional in a regulated profession, you have certain responsibilities. On your programme you will be expected to meet high standards of conduct
and ethics.

You should be aware that in very serious circumstances, your conduct may affect your ability to:

complete your programme;
gain the final qualification; or
register with us.

All of our approved programmes have processes in place for dealing with concerns about a student’s profession-related conduct. This means that misconduct may affect your ability to complete your programme. You can download our standards of education and training from our website at HCPC Website

Guidance on conduct and ethics for students

1 Promote and protect the interests of service users and carers

You should treat service users and carers as individuals, respecting their privacy and dignity.
You should make sure that you have consent from service users or other appropriate authority before you provide any care, treatment or other services.
You should follow your education provider’s or practice placement provider’s policy on consent.
You should make sure that before you provide any care, treatment or other services, the service user is aware that you are a student.
You should respect a person’s right to have their care, treatment or other services carried out by a professional and not a student.
You should treat everyone equally and not discriminate against anyone because of your personal views.
You should keep relationships with service users and carers professional.

2 Communicate appropriately and effectively

You should be polite and considerate to service users, other students and staff at your education provider and practice placement provider.
You should listen to service users and carers and take account of their needs and wishes when carrying out any care, treatment or other services.
You should take all reasonable steps to make sure that you can communicate appropriately and effectively with service users and carers.
You should communicate effectively and co-operate with members of staff at your education provider and practice placement provider to benefit service users and carers.
If you are experiencing any difficulties or other issues which may affect your learning or ability to successfully participate in your programme, you should tell your education provider and practice placement provider.
You should use all forms of communication appropriately and responsibly, including social media and networking websites.

3 Work within the limits of your knowledge and skills

You should make sure that you are appropriately supervised for any task that you are asked to carry out.
You should ask for help when you need it.
You should be aware of any restrictions which apply to you in carrying out certain tasks and follow any relevant policies of your education provider or practice placement provider.
You should recognise that opportunities for carrying out any unsupervised tasks will vary during your programme and may depend on your knowledge, understanding, skills and experience.
You should only carry out an unsupervised task if you feel that you have the appropriate knowledge and skills to do so safely and effectively.
You should take responsibility for your own learning.
You should be aware of and follow any guidance issued by your education provider or practice placement provider for working with service users and carers.
You should ask for, listen to, think about and respond proactively to feedback you are given.

4 Delegate appropriately

You should recognise that the opportunities for delegation will vary during your programme depending on your knowledge, understanding, skills and experience.
You should discuss the delegation of tasks with an appropriate member of staff at your education provider or practice placement provider before you take any action.
You should follow local policies or guidelines on delegation and working with others produced by your education provider or practice placement provider.
If you give tasks to another person to carry out on your behalf, you should make sure that they have the knowledge, skills and experience to carry out the tasks safely and effectively. The education provider or practice placement provider should support your decision to delegate.
If you give tasks to another person to carry out on your behalf, you should make sure that they have the appropriate information to carry out the tasks safely and effectively.
You should explain to service users and carers when you have asked another person to provide any care, treatment or other services.

5 Respect confidentiality

You should keep information about service users and carers confidential, and only use it for the purpose for which it was given.
You should follow local policies or guidelines on confidentiality produced by your education provider or practice
placement provider.
You should remove anything that could be used to identify a service user or carer from information which you use in your assessments or other academic work related to your programme.
If any confidential information raises concerns about the safety or wellbeing of someone, you should discuss this promptly with an appropriate member of staff at your education provider or practice placement provider.

6 Manage risk

You should make sure that you take all appropriate steps to limit the risk of harm to service users, carers and others.
You should not do anything that you think will put someone in danger or at unacceptable risk.
You should follow your education provider’s or practice placement provider’s policy on managing risk.
You should be aware that you may put your service users or yourself at risk if your performance or judgement is affected by your physical or mental health.
You should ask for appropriate support and adapt your study or stop studying if your performance or judgement is affected by your physical or mental health and could put service users, yourself or others at risk.
You should get advice from a doctor or other appropriate professional if you are worried about your physical or mental health.

7 Report concerns about safety

If you are worried about the safety or wellbeing of service users, carers or others, you should speak to an appropriate member of staff at your education provider or practice placement provider promptly.
You should put the safety and wellbeing of service users before any personal concerns, for example, about assessments, marks, other work related to your programme, employment prospects or other personal gain.

8 Be open when things go wrong

You should tell an appropriate member of staff at your education provider or practice placement provider if something has gone wrong in any care, treatment or other services you have carried out involving a service user.
You should co-operate with members of staff at your education provider and practice placement provider if something has gone wrong in any care, treatment or other services you have carried out involving a service user. You should learn from this experience.
You should tell an appropriate member of staff at your education provider or practice placement provider if a service user or carer wants to raise concerns about any care, treatment or other services they have received.

9 Be honest and trustworthy

You should make sure that your conduct and behaviour does not damage public trust and confidence in your profession.
You should be aware that your conduct and behaviour outside of your programme may affect whether or not you are allowed to complete your programme or register with us.
You should not claim that you have knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience which you do not.
You should be honest about your role with service users, carers and others.
You should make sure that your personal appearance is appropriate for your practice placement environment.
You should follow your education provider’s or practice placement provider’s policy on attendance.
You should follow your education provider’s policies on ethics when carrying out research.
You should make sure that all attendance, achievement and assessment records are completed accurately and truthfully.
You should reference other people’s work appropriately and not pass it off as your own.
You should provide constructive feedback on the quality of your teaching and learning experience in both the education and practice placement setting.
You should provide, as soon as possible, any important information about your conduct, competence or health to your education provider and practice placement provider.
You should tell your education provider, as soon as possible, if you are charged with, convicted of, or accept a caution for, any offence.
You should co-operate with any investigation into your conduct or competence.

10 Keep records of your work with service users and carers

You should make sure that the records you keep are clear and accurate.
You should help to protect records from being damaged, lost or accessed by someone without permission.
You should follow your education provider’s or practice placement provider’s policy on record keeping.

More information

Other useful documents

We have produced several documents which you may also find useful. These include the following.

Confidentiality – guidance for registrants
Guidance on health and character
Health, disability and becoming a health and care professional
Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
Standards of proficiency (which are profession specific)
Continuing professional development and your registration

You can download copies of these documents from our website or ask us for a hard copy by emailing us or writing to us at the address below. You may also want to contact your professional body for more advice.

Contacting us
You can find more information about us, including the standards we produce, our forms, news releases and other materials, on our website at www.hcpc-uk.org
You can contact us at the following address.

The Health and Care Professions Council Park House
184 Kennington Park Road
London
SE11 4BU

Phone: +44 (0)300 500 6184

Fax: +44 (0)20 7820 9684

Email:HCPC Email Address