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Health and disability support

This information is for current registrants who have a health condition or disability.

If you are not yet registered, or are an education provider, our guide on health, disability and becoming a health and care professional may provide support.

We are committed to ensuring that we set up processes that are fair to disabled people and to people whose practise may be affected by their health.

Support we provide

You should tell us about your health condition if it affects your ability to practise safely and effectively. You should also tell us if you are not sure whether your health condition affects (or could affect) your ability to practise, or what steps you need to take to stay safe and effective.

If you have a realistic, informed idea of the limits of your safe practice and can manage your health appropriately within this, your registration is unlikely to be affected.

We produce resources that explain how and when to tell us about a change in your health, if you are an existing registrant.

Health and character declarations

 

We provide our publications in alternative formats free of charge, to support those with aural and visual impairments. The accessible formats include Braille, large print and audio. They are available upon request.

To make a request, please contact our Publishing team with the title of the publication, the format you would like to receive it in, and your contact details.

Although we can’t change our registration requirements, as these exist to protect the public and apply equally to all our registrants, if your disability prevents you from following our procedures we can make adjustments to them within reasonable limits.

To request an adjustment, please contact our Registration team with your registration details, details of your health condition or disability, and the procedure in question.

Contact our Registration team

We believe that disabled people have an important contribution to make to the professions we regulate and have unique experiences which would be of benefit to service users and carers.
We want to encourage people with the desire and potential to become health and care professionals to consider education and training and a career in a profession which we regulate.

This guidance sets out relevant disability law and the process of becoming a health and care professional.

Read more and download



Support from other organisations

If there are additional networks and initiatives that should be added to this list, please let us know.

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  • The following networks and initiatives provide support for disabled health and care professionals across all areas of practice.

    • NHS DaWN (Disability and Wellbeing Network)
      A support system for those facing barriers due to disability, providing resources and advice.
      dawnsupport.co.uk

    • Disabled NHS Directors’ Network
      National network representing NHS leaders with disabilities, open to all disabled Board or equivalent members (non-executive or executive) of NHS organisations and other providers of NHS services (including Community Interest Companies).
      disablednhsdirectorsnetwork.nhs.uk

    • Access to Work scheme
      National scheme supporting individuals with physical or mental health condition or disabilities to get and stay in work.
      www.gov.uk/access-to-work

  • Art therapists

    • Disability Arts Online (DAO)
      Supports disabled artists, including those in therapeutic arts practices like art therapy; providing a range of resources, support networks, and opportunities for disabled creatives).
      disabilityarts.online/about

    Music therapists

    • British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT): Disabled Music Therapists network
      No formal network, but advocates for the inclusion of disabled people in the music therapy profession.
      www.bamt.org

    Dramatherapists

    • Royal College of Podiatry
      No formal network, but guidance on issues of inclusivity, including potential adjustments for practitioners with disabilities.
      rcpod.org.uk
    • International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO)
      No formal network, but ISPO’s Member Society provides events, learning opportunities, and professional development for all members including those with disabilities.
      www.ispo.org.uk
    • British Psychological Society (BPS)
      No formal network, but the BPS promotes activities related to supporting a diverse workforce, advocates for increasing awareness of disability in the profession and encourages equality, diversity, and inclusion across the profession.
      www.bps.org.uk/
    • AbleOTUK
      Network and advocacy group for practitioners, students, researchers, educators and people with disabilities and long term health conditions.
      affinot.co.uk/ableotuk

    • Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT)
      Resources for disabled occupational therapists, focusing on reasonable adjustments, disability accommodations and inclusive practices.
      www.rcot.co.uk

    • British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS)
      No formal network, but BIOS provides resources for all members and advocates for increasing awareness of disability in the profession.
      www.orthoptics.org.uk

    • British Psychological Society (BPS)
      No formal network, but the BPS promotes activities related to supporting a diverse workforce, advocates for increasing awareness of disability in the profession and encourages equality, diversity, and inclusion across the profession.
      www.bps.org.uk
    • Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) DisAbility Network
      This network works to support and empower disabled members of the CSP, focusing on advocacy, professional support and creating an inclusive work environment within the physiotherapy field.
      www.csp.org.uk/networks/diversity-networks/disability/about-us
Page updated on: 19/11/2024
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