The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) has today unveiled its new Corporate Strategy, setting out a bold agenda for the next five years and a clear vision for the future.
It sets out an approach that will ensure the very best outcomes for the public accessing key healthcare services:
A strong focus on public safety: The strategy sets out how HCPC, using data analytics and research, will enable the 15 different professions it regulates to meet its standards, adapt to changes in health and care practice and how it will protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of the public.
A preventative approach to regulation: HCPC will support quality practice by articulating the expected standards and helping registrants overcome any barriers they face in meeting those standards. This will ultimately reduce the number of Fitness to Practise concerns, which can be stressful for all those involved.
Locking in the lessons learned from COVID-19: The HCPC aims to harness the flexible and agile approach it took in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and embed this in its day-to-day work.
The strategy comes at a crucial time for the health and care sector, as HCPC registrants continue to play an essential role in the control of the COVID-19 virus, the provision of treatment and the delivery of the vaccine.
Christine Elliott, Chair of the HCPC, said:
This is an important moment on our journey to becoming a high performing regulator. Tested by the COVID-19 pandemic HCPC has stepped up and we have played our part in protecting the public throughout the crisis. This strategy will help us to lock in the new ways of working that we have developed and the rapid improvements we’ve made.
We are committed to working with public health bodies, our professions and the government to bring about the longer-term regulatory changes that are needed, to champion excellence across all the professions and ensure high quality outcomes for patients and service users.
John Barwick, Chief Executive and Registrar comments:
This strategy gives HCPC a clear direction for the next five years. It has been developed with valuable contributions from our stakeholders across all of the four nations. It is underpinned by our values and a commitment to public protection and ensuring the best outcomes for users of health and care services. We are not complacent and remain focused on accelerating improvement. With this new Corporate Strategy in place, I am confident that HCPC is in a strong position to implement significant and positive changes.
