The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) has today published a revised Standards of conduct, performance and ethics.

These are standards for the 16 professions they regulate, setting out in broad terms the behaviour expected of them. They reflect both the public’s expectations of professionals and the high standards that professionals expect of each other.

They have made a number of revisions to the Standards, including:

• A standard about reporting and escalating concerns about the safety and wellbeing of service users (standard 7)

• A standard about being open and honest when things go wrong (standard 8). Individuals are expected to tell service users and carers when they become aware that something has gone wrong with the care, treatment or other services that they provide and to take action to put matters right wherever possible. They are also required to consider making an apology and to make sure that the service user receives an explanation of what happened.

• Changes to the structure to improve their accessibility. The concise layout of the Standards will ensure ease of understanding, particularly for service users and carers. However registrants should be assured that the content remains consistent.

Elaine Buckley, Council Chair of the HCPC, said:

“We have produced revised Standards of conduct, performance and ethics to ensure that they continue to be fit for purpose and up-to-date. We developed the revised Standards through a broad range of activities with employers, partners, registrants and service users and carers, along with the formation of a Professional Liaison Group (PLG) and a public consultation.”

“To mark the publication of the revised Standards, we will be hosting an event for registrants and stakeholders in Manchester on Tuesday 2 February 2016, which will be live-streamed across the UK. We will also be producing a range of communications to highlight what the revised Standards mean for registrants, including regular articles within our In Focus newsletter, blog pieces, live forums and social media messaging.”

The revised Standards of conduct, performance and ethics are effective from today. They will be posted to every HCPC registrant in the coming weeks.

To download the revised Standards of conduct, performance and ethics click here.

As a member of HCPC, we at the Foot clinic in East Kilbride, adhere to the standards outlined above. You can use our first class services with the peace of mind that we are full members of the Health and Care Professionals Council.

Email us at hello@ekpodiatry.co.uk or call us on 01355 377 377.