Explore common scenarios where a registrant may need to consider making a self-referral
Read and consider each scenario by navigating through the tabs.
As you go along, have a go at our questions by clicking on your response and reading the explanation.
Michael
Michael is a HCPC registrant working for his local NHS Trust.
Explore this scenario by navigating through the tabs above.
A service user has made a complaint that Michael was rude to them.
Michael’s line manager, Lisa, arranges a meeting with him. Lisa explains that the Trust have looked into the complaint and found that Michael’s behaviour was not acceptable.
Lisa gives Michael a formal warning and asks him to apologise to the service user. Michael does so.
Is Michael obliged to make a self-referral?
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The correct answer is option B
Click on B to find out why.
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Correct answer!
Michael is not obliged to make a self-referral because these circumstances do not engage standard 9.5 of the HCPC standards of conduct, performance and ethics.
Michael may choose to make a self-referral at this stage. If he does, the HCPC will review the concern in the same way as any other self-referral or other fitness to practise matter.
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The correct answer is option B
Click on B to find out why.
After looking into the complaint, the Trust become concerned that Michael is not assessing service users adequately and that he is failing to record the care he provides.
The Trust decide that while they investigate these concerns, Michael should not assess any new service users. They also decide that he should have closer supervision during follow-up appointments and have his notes countersigned by a colleague.
Later, it is discovered that Michael backdated some entries in service user records to appear contemporaneous, even though he completed them several weeks late. The Trust decide to suspend him.
At what stage is Michael obliged to make a self-referral to the HCPC?
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Correct Answer!
Standard 9.5 of the HCPC standards of conduct, performance and ethics says you must tell us as soon as possible if:
- you have had any restriction placed on your practice, or been suspended or dismissed by an employer, because of concerns about your conduct or competence.
When Michael is told that he cannot assess any new service users, must have closer supervision and must have his notes countersigned, a restriction has been placed on his practice. He should make a self-referral to the HCPC at this stage and not wait until he is suspended.
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The correct answer is option A
Click on A to find out why.
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The correct answer is option A
Click on A to find out why.
Where could Michael seek advice about when and how to make a self-referral?
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answers!
If Michael is a member of a professional body or union, he should contact them for guidance and support.
The Trust will be able to advise on Michael’s circumstances and provide the documents that he needs to provide with his self-referral.
Michael can also choose to contact our Fitness to Practise team on Freephone 0800 328 4218 for guidance.
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answers!
If Michael is a member of a professional body or union, he should contact them for guidance and support.
The Trust will be able to advise on Michael’s circumstances and provide the documents that he needs to provide with his self-referral.
Michael can also choose to contact our Fitness to Practise team on Freephone 0800 328 4218 for guidance.
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answers!
If Michael is a member of a professional body or union, he should contact them for guidance and support.
The Trust will be able to advise on Michael’s circumstances and provide the documents that he needs to provide with his self-referral.
Michael can also choose to contact our Fitness to Practise team on Freephone 0800 328 4218 for guidance.
Lin
Lin is a HCPC registrant who works for a private company.
Explore this scenario by navigating through the tabs above.
After work, Lin drives her company car to meet some friends for a meal and drinks several glasses of wine. She intends to leave the car at the restaurant and get a train home, but at the end of the evening she finds out the trains are cancelled.
She doesn’t want to pay for a taxi and so decides to drive home.
On her route home, Lin is pulled over by the police. She is asked to perform a breath test and found to be above the legal alcohol limit for driving.
Lin is charged with a drink driving offence. She is released on bail to attend Magistrates' Court at a later date.
At what stage is Lin obliged to make a self-referral to the HCPC?
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The correct answer is option B
Click on B to find out why.
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Correct answer!
Standard 9.5 of the HCPC standards of conduct, performance and ethics says you must tell us as soon as possible, and in the event of being notified, if:
- you accept a caution from the police or you have been charged with, or found guilty of, a criminal offence;
Lin should make a self-referral to the HCPC as soon as possible once she is charged with a criminal offence (in this case, drink driving). She should not wait until she attends Court.
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The correct answer is option B
Click on B to find out why.
Lin telephones the HCPC for advice when she is charged and finds out that she needs to make a self-referral.
She reads more about when and how to make a self-referral on the HCPC website and downloads the form she needs.
What information should Lin provide with her self-referral?
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Lin should provide the HCPC with copies of all of the above.
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Lin should provide the HCPC with copies of all of the above.
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Lin should provide the HCPC with copies of all of the above.
Some weeks later, Lin attends Magistrate’s Court. She is convicted and sentenced to a driving ban for 1 year and to pay a fine.
She is worried the conviction and self-referral could affect her job and is feeling very stressed.
Where could Lin seek support?
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Lin should be open and honest with her employer about how this conviction impacts upon her work and the steps she has taken to notify the HCPC. Although there may be consequences, her employer may also be able to adapt her role or offer support, such as through an Employee Assistance Programme.
If Lin is a member of a professional body or union, she should contact them for guidance and support. She could also speak to her GP, who may be able to refer her to local counselling or support services.
Lin may also wish to contact the Samaritans for free and in confidence, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Lin should be open and honest with her employer about how this conviction impacts upon her work and the steps she has taken to notify the HCPC. Although there may be consequences, her employer may also be able to adapt her role or offer support, such as through an Employee Assistance Programme.
If Lin is a member of a professional body or union, she should contact them for guidance and support. She could also speak to her GP, who may be able to refer her to local counselling or support services.
Lin may also wish to contact the Samaritans for free and in confidence, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Lin should be open and honest with her employer about how this conviction impacts upon her work and the steps she has taken to notify the HCPC. Although there may be consequences, her employer may also be able to adapt her role or offer support, such as through an Employee Assistance Programme.
If Lin is a member of a professional body or union, she should contact them for guidance and support. She could also speak to her GP, who may be able to refer her to local counselling or support services.
Lin may also wish to contact the Samaritans for free and in confidence, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.
Omar and Nicole
Omar lives in Northern Ireland and is self-employed. Nicole is a HCPC registrant and also a qualified nurse.
Explore this scenario by navigating through the tabs above.
Omar is registered with the HCPC to practise in Northern Ireland, part of the UK.
Omar sometimes works in the Republic of Ireland. He is therefore also registered with CORU, Ireland’s multi-profession health and social care regulator.
A complaint is made about Omar’s practise in the Republic of Ireland. CORU writes to Omar to tell him about the complaint and that it is investigating.
Is Omar obliged to make a self-referral to the HCPC?
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The correct answer is option B
Click on B to find out why.
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Correct answer!
At this stage, Omar does not need to tell the HCPC about the complaint to CORU because CORU have not made a finding or taken any action against him.
Standard 9.5 of the HCPC standards of conduct, performance and ethics say you must tell us as soon as possible, and in the event of being notified, if:
- another organisation responsible for regulating a health or social care profession has taken action or made a finding against you.
If CORU were to immediately suspend Omar’s registration while the matter is investigated, or later make a finding that the complaint is proven and impose a sanction on his registration, then Omar should make a self-referral to the HCPC. It doesn’t matter that the concern was raised about Omar’s practise in another country and not in the UK.
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The correct answer is option B
Click on B to find out why.
As well as being a HCPC registrant, Nicole is also a qualified nurse and registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). She works for the local NHS Trust.
The NMC receive a concern about Nicole’s practice as a nurse.
The NMC decides to impose an interim suspension order. An interim suspension order means that Nicole cannot practise while the NMC investigate the concern.
Is Nicole obliged to make a self-referral to the HCPC?
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Correct answer!
As part of meeting standard 9.5 of the HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics, you must tell us as soon as possible if:
- another organisation responsible for regulating a health or social-care profession has taken action or made a finding against you
It doesn’t matter that the concern was raised about Nicole’s practice as a nurse and not about her HCPC registered profession. As another regulator for a health profession (the NMC) has taken action against Nicole, she should notify the HCPC.
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The correct answer is option A
Click on A to find out why.
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The correct answer is option A
Click on A to find out why.
What information should Omar and Nicole provide with their self-referrals?
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Omar and Lin should provide the HCPC with copies of all of the above.
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Omar and Lin should provide the HCPC with copies of all of the above.
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All three options (A, B and C) are the correct answer!
Omar and Lin should provide the HCPC with copies of all of the above.
- Cyhoeddwyd:
- 18/01/2019
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