Survey of the Temporary Register(s)

We surveyed all temporary registrants on the Temporary Register(s) from 6 - 30 June 2020.

This included 27,557 individuals of which 21,996 were former registrants and 5,561 were students.

We would like to thank those who took the time to respond to our survey; this data will support the ongoing COVID-19 response and future workforce planning.

The narrative below outlines our analysis of the responses, and appendix A provides visual representation of the key findings.

Analysis – students (UK wide)

The temporary register included students in their final year who had successfully completed all their clinical placements.

Professions breakdown

Of the 5,561 students surveyed, 1,922 (35.6%)* responded. 1,775 indicated their profession:

• Art therapist – 1 (0.6%)
• Biomedical Scientist – 133 (7.5%)
• Chiropodist/podiatrist – 32 (1.8%)
• Clinical scientist – 105 (5.9%)
• Dietitian – 73 (4.1%)
• Hearing aid dispenser – 0 (0%)
• Occupational therapist – 355 (20%)
• Operating department practitioner – 67 (3.8%)
• Orthoptist – 9 (0.5%)
• Paramedic – 142 (8%)
• Physiotherapist – 457 (25.8%)
• Prosthetist/Orthotist - 4 (0.2%)
• Practitioner psychologist – 53 (3%)
• Radiographer – 247 (13.9%)
• Speech and language therapist – 97 (5.5%)

Full registration status

The survey asked students on the temporary register whether or not they had completed their HCPC approved programme and what stage their application for full registration was at.

919 respondents confirmed they had now successfully completed an HCPC approved programme, and 783 indicated they had yet to do so.

Of those who specified the stage of any application for full registration with the HCPC (1,702 individuals):

• 1,430 (84.0%) have not yet applied;
• 17 (1.0%) have not applied and do not intend to;
• 172 (10.1%) have applied and are awaiting registration; and
• 83 (4.9%) are now fully registered.

Practice on the Temporary Register

We asked students on the Temporary Register to indicate whether or not they had made use of their temporary registration to support the COVID-19 response.

Of the 1,702 students on the Temporary Register who provided us with information about their practice in this regard:

• 646 (38.0%) were still practising;
• 9 (0.5%) had practised but were no longer practising;
• 687 (40.4%) were waiting to be deployed; and
• 360 (21.2%) had not practised and were not intending to until they were fully registered.

Practice by country

630 students temporary registrants indicated the country in which they had practised on the Temporary Register:

• 517 (82.1%) in England
• 44 (7.0%) in Scotland
• 44 (7.0%) in Wales
• 25 (4.0%) in Northern Ireland

No student respondents indicated they had used their temporary registration in the crown dependencies.

Practice setting

For those student temporary registrants who indicated that they had used their temporary registration during the COVID-19 pandemic, we asked them to indicate what setting they had worked in.

Respondents were able to choose multiple options. Of the 630 responses:

• 383 (60.8%) worked in an acute hospital;
• 86 (13.7%) worked in an ambulance service;
• 67 (10.6%) worked in community service;
• 35 (5.6%) worked in a mental health or learning disability setting;
• 29 (4.6%) worked in primary care;
• 6 (1.0%) worked in social care; and
• 2 (0.3%) worked in a child education setting.

No respondents indicated they had worked for 111 or the National test, track and trace service.

Experience of working during the COVID-19 pandemic

We asked student temporary registrants what their experience of working on the Temporary Register had been.

When asked whether or not they felt they had made a valued contribution to the workforce, 630 individuals responded:

• 331 (52.5%) strongly agreed;
• 249 (39.5%) agreed;
• 39 (6.2%) neither agreed nor disagreed;
• 10 (1.6%) disagreed; and
• 1 (0.2%) strongly disagreed.

When asked if they felt supported in the workplace:

• 349 (55.4%) strongly agreed;
• 228 (36.2%) agreed;
• 37 (5.9%) neither agreed nor disagreed;
• 13 (2.1%) disagreed; and
• 3 (0.5%) strongly disagreed.

Analysis – former registrants (UK wide)

The temporary register included any former registrants who had de-registered in the preceding three years and who hadn’t been subject to any fitness to practise concerns.

Professions breakdown

Of the 21,996 former registrants surveyed, 5,249 (23.9%) responded. 4,451 indicated their profession:

• Art therapist – 47 (1.1%)
• Biomedical scientist – 768 (17.3%)
• Chiropodist/podiatrist – 161 (3.6%)
• Clinical scientist – 127 (2.9%)
• Dietitian – 89 (2.0%)
• Hearing aid dispenser – 30 (0.7%)
• Occupational therapist – 688 (15.5%)
• Operating department practitioner – 154 (3.5%)
• Orthoptist – 36 (0.8%)
• Paramedic – 438 (9.8%)
• Physiotherapist – 604 (13.6%)
• Prosthetist/Orthotist - 29 (0.7%)
• Practitioner psychologist – 256 (5.8%)
• Radiographer – 785 (17.6%)
• Speech and language therapist – 239 (5.6%)

Practice on the Temporary Register

We asked former registrants on the Temporary Register to indicate whether or not they had made use of their temporary registration to support the COVID-19 response.

Of the 4,385 former registrants on the Temporary Register who provided us with information about their practice in this regard:

• 283 (6.5%) were still practising;
• 458 (10.4%) had practised but were no longer practising;
• 1,305 (29.8%) were waiting to be deployed; and
• 2,339 (53.3%) had not practised and were not intending to.

Of the 741 former registrants who indicated they had practised on the Temporary Register, or were still practising, Biomedical scientists had the highest representation (128 – 17.27%) followed by Radiographers (116 – 15.65%), Occupational therapists (103 – 13.90%), Paramedics (82 – 11.07%) and Physiotherapists (69 – 9.31%).

We asked former registrants on the Temporary Register whether or not they would re-join the Temporary Register in a future crisis.

4,385 individuals responded:

• 3,081 (70.3%) said they would re-join, and
• 1,304 (29.8%) said they wouldn’t.

Practice by country

578 former registrants indicated the country in which they had practised on the Temporary Register:

• 474 (82.0%) in England
• 50 (8.7%) in Scotland
• 27 (4.7%) in Wales
• 11 (11%) in Northern Ireland
• 16 (2.8%) in the Crown Dependencies

Practice setting

For those former registrants who indicated that they had used their temporary registration during the COVID-19 pandemic, we asked them to indicate what setting they had worked in.

Respondents were able to choose multiple options.

Of the 578 responses:

• 164 (28.4%) worked in and acute hospital;
• 46 (8.0%) worked in an ambulance service;
• 72 (12.5%) worked in community service;
• 29 (5.0%) worked in a mental health or learning disability setting;
• 25 (4.3%) worked in primary care;
• 6 (1.0%) worked for 111;
• 31 (5.4%) worked for the National test track and trace service;
• 20 (3.5%) worked in social care;
• 22 (3.8%) worked in a child education setting; and
• 227 (39.3%) worked in ‘other’ settings.

Experience of working during the COVID-19 pandemic

We asked respondents what their experience of working on the Temporary Register had been. When asked whether or not they felt they had made a valued contribution to the workforce.

578 former registrants responded:

• 254 (43.9%) strongly agreed;
• 171 (29.6%) agreed;
• 106 (18.3%) neither agreed nor disagreed;
• 20 (3.5%) disagreed; and
• 27 (4.7%) strongly disagreed.

When asked if they felt supported in the workplace:

• 182 (31.5%) strongly agreed;
• 184 (31.8%) agreed;
• 163 (28.2%) neither agreed nor disagreed;
• 28 (4.8%) disagreed; and
• 21 (3.6%) strongly disagreed.

Returning to practice

We asked respondents if they planned to return to the full HCPC Register and practise in their profession.

4,385 individuals responded:

• 393 (9.0%) said yes;
• 2,950 (67.3%) said no; and
• 1,042 (23.8%) said they were not sure.

Analysis – former registrants (by country)

In order to support the facilitation of temporary former registrants on to the full Register and back in to permanent practice, we have provided some further breakdown by country below.