The Professional Standards Authority has published its 2025/26 annual performance review of The Health and Care Professions Council today. The HCPC met just three out of five fitness to practise standards, with the PSA noting “avoidable and/or unexplained significant delays” in more than 40% of cases. The HCPC’s communication was also noted to be “inconsistent, insufficiently responsive, and not adapted to the needs of individuals experiencing distress”.
The PSA has written to both the Secretary of State for Health (James Murray MP) and the Chair of The Health and Social Care Select Committee (Layla Moran MP) again raising its concerns about the HCPC. The HCPC has failed to meet all of the fitness to practise Standards of Good Regulation at any point in my career and the PSA’s concerns have been escalated to the SoS for Health and to the Select Committee before. Yet nothing significant changes.
In response to another dreadful fitness to practise performance, the HCPC has issued a statement which opens by stating “The PSA highlighted a number of areas of strong performance and improvement……” and goes on to refer to “the superb work done by the HCPC” whilst omitting any reference to the detail or gravity of the criticisms made by the PSA. This approach from the HCPC – whether it’s dishonest or delusional – is why I have no confidence in the organisation’s capacity to change or improve. You cannot improve what you refuse to acknowledge.
You can read the PSA report in full here.
As ever, please don’t hesitate to contact me should you need legal assistance in relation to any HCPC matter.