Explanatory note

This Order approves various Rules made by the Health and Care Professions Council (“HCPC”).

The Rules in paragraph 2 of the Schedule amend the Health and Care Professions Council (Registration and Fees) Rules 2003, scheduled to the Health Professions Council (Registration and Fees) Rules Order of Council 2003. Those Rules amend the fees which the HCPC charges for processing and scrutinising applications for admission to its register, for renewal of registration and for readmission or restoration to the register.

Paragraph 2(2) of the Schedule increases the two-yearly fee for registration in the register maintained under the Health Professions Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/254) to £116.36 (an increase of £9.12 per year) for those qualified for up to two years; and to £232.72 (an increase of £18.24 per year) for everyone else.

Paragraph 2(3) increases the renewal fee to £232.72 (an increase of £36.48).

Paragraph 2(4) and (5) increase fees for readmission and restoration to the register from £147.18 to £174.54 (an increase of £27.36), in addition to the registration fee.

Paragraph 2(6) increases the scrutiny fees paid by all new applicants, whose qualifications, and in some cases experience, need to be assessed. The scrutiny fee for applicants who have successfully completed an approved UK programme of education and training is increased to £81.45 (an increase of £12.77). The scrutiny fee for international applicants is increased to £639.98 (an increase of £100.33).

The Rules in paragraphs 3 to 6 of the Schedule make amendments to the procedural rules for the HCPC’s three Practice Committees, which conduct fitness to practise proceedings, and the procedural rules for its Appeal Panel, which hears appeals against registration decisions. The rules being amended are the Health and Care Professions Council (Investigating Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003, the Health and Care Professions Council (Conduct and Competence Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003, the Health and Care Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003 and the Health Professions Council (Registration Appeals) Rules 2003. The amendments to all four sets of procedural rules are in the same form and involve the same change. Instead of limiting virtual meetings and hearings to emergencies, they confer a general power for the committee concerned and the Appeal Panel to hold meetings or hearings virtually (using audio or video conferencing facilities). Notwithstanding the omission of rule 2A in each set of procedural rules, the amendments do not make changes to rules regarding holding meetings or hearings in private (which are separately provided for outside of each rule 2A).

A full impact assessment of the effect that the changes to fees under this instrument will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector is available at:

https://www.hcpc-uk.org/globalassets/resources/2023/consultation-on-changes-to-fees-analysis-and-decisions.pdf#page=49 and https://www.hcpc-uk.org/consultation-on-changes-to-fees-eia-july-2023/.

A physical copy of the impact assessment can also be requested by email or telephone to the HCPC at [email protected] or 0300 500 4472.