Aims Of The Council

According to the organization’s website, these are its aims:

• Maintaining and publishing a public register of properly qualified members of the professions

• Approving and upholding high standards of education and training, and continuing good practice

• Investigating complaints and taking appropriate action

• Working in partnership with the public, and a range of other groups including professional bodies

• Promoting awareness and understanding of the aims of the Council

In addition to these aims there are 5 basic values that the council holds, including transparency in all of their dealings, collaboration between themselves and all other relevant parties that need to be involved, responsiveness to the needs and wants of shareholders and registrars, a promise that they will provide value for money to all concerned, and last but not least the promise that high quality services will be provided at all times.

Who Does The Health And Care Professions Council Regulate?

The Health and Care Professions Council regulates the following professionals:

• Arts therapists
• Biomedical scientists
• Chiropodists/podiatrists
• Clinical scientists
• Dietitians
• Hearing aid dispensers
• Occupational therapists
• Operating department practitioners
• Orthoptists
• Paramedics
• Physiotherapists
• Practitioner psychologists
• Prosthetics/orthotics
• Radiographers
• Social workers in England
• Speech and language therapists

There are a few important things to note in relation to this. For one thing it is against the law for anyone to claim that they are registered with the council within the UK if they are not in fact registered. This could lead to serious legal ramifications should the person be caught. In addition you will be unable to use one of the protected titles listed here if you are not, in fact, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. Consequently, in order to practice as a professional in one of the above disciplines, you must become a member of the organization.

Approved Programs

In order to become registered with the council you must have completed one of the programs that the council approves in your specific discipline. On the council’s website you can find a list of approved programs. The list is long and extremely comprehensive and is the best way through which potential registrants can find out if they are eligible to register. In addition the program providers are able to use the council’s website to inform the council regarding any major changes in their program so that the council can reapprove the program. For comprehensive information regarding programs, please visit this site.

Application

Because it is possible for international as well as domestic professionals to apply for registration with the council, there are a number of different routes that you can take to become registered. There are basically 4 different routes through which you can apply for membership with the council. Read through the following and determine which applies most to you:

• The first route is for anyone who has completed a training program within the UK and has met all of the program and country requirements accordingly. In order to apply for registration with the council you must take this route. Information regarding this course of action can be found here.

• There are also several professionals who were once on the register but who have since been removed for various reasons, perhaps due to inactivity as a health care professional. If this is the situation that you find yourself in, you will need to apply for readmission to the register. This can be done by going to this website and following the directions and using the information provided.

• For professionals who have studied in foreign countries who would like to begin practicing within the borders of the United Kingdom, a different route must be taken. Consequently on the council’s website there is a page for international applicants. This can be found by going to http://www.hpc-uk.org/apply/international/ and following the steps provided.

• For international individuals established elsewhere in the EEA as well as in Switzerland and who would like to practice within the UK on a temporary or part-time basis, the “Temporary provisions of services” application must be filled out. This can be found by going to this website and following the steps provided. This temporary registration is generally available for only 1 year, but it is easy enough to renew once you have received the initial registration. This is useful for professionals who only plan to live in the area for a short period of time, but who would like to work while they are there.

Consequently this is an organization that is open to professionals from a variety of different countries, although there will be fairly stringent educational as well as other requirements that you may be required to meet before you will, in fact, be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council of the UK. If you meet all of the previously mentioned requirements you will be able to practice within the UK within the health care profession that you have studied.

The Council

The council itself is a small organization consisting of only 20 members (which includes the chair itself). In addition to this there are various committees falling under the domain of the council and which report to the council on various matters.

Meeting The Council’s Standards

As a member of the council it is extremely important that you know what is expected of you and what the standards are. If you fail to meet the standards you may be stopped from practicing in your capacity as a health care professional. Consequently it is exceedingly important that you take the time to report any grievances that you may experience in the course of your work in order to ensure that the council is fully equipped to meet the needs of everyone.

The Health and Care Professions Council is dedicated to ensuring that the best service is provided to its stakeholders as well as to its registrants. This includes taking any feedback offered by their registrants very seriously. Consequently it is on your best interests to make your grievances known.

Contact Details

The contact details of the Health and Care Professions Council are as follows:

Renewals, applications, CPD queries, fees, online account activation or general queries:
Registration Department
Tel: 44 (0)845 300 4472*
Fax: 44 (0)20 7840 9801
Email: registration@hcpc-uk.org

For all other queries (office hours are 8am to 6pm):
Main switchboard
Tel.: 44 (0)845 300 6184*
Fax: 44 (0)20 7820 9684

Postal address:
Health and Care Professions Council,
Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road,
London, SE11 4BU

Other Regulators

There are other regulating bodies that you may also need to be registered with in order to work as a healthcare professional in the UK. These are:

The General Chiropractic Council (GCC)
Regulates: Chiropractors
Tel: 020 7713 5155
Website: www.gcc-uk.org

The General Dental Council (GDC)
Regulates: Dentists, dental therapists, dental nurses, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians, and orthodontic therapists
Tel: 020 7887 3800.
Website: www.gdc-uk.org

The General Medical Council (GMC)
Regulates: Doctors
Tel: 0845 357 8001
Website: www.gmc-uk.org

The General Optical Council (GOC)
Regulates: Dispensing opticians and optometrists
Tel: 020 7580 3898
Website: www.optical.org

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC)
Regulates: Osteopaths
Tel: 020 7357 6655
Website: www.osteopathy.org.uk

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Regulates: Arts therapists, Biomedical Scientists, Chiropodists/ Podiatrists, Clinical Scientists, Dieticians, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Occupational Therapists, Operating Department Practitioners, Orthoptists, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Practitioner Psychologists, Prosthetics and Orthotists, Radiographers, Social workers in England and Speech and Language Therapists
Tel: 44 (0)845 300 6184
Website: www.hcpc-uk.org

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Regulates: Nurses, midwives, and specialist community public health nurses
Tel: 020 7333 6622
Website: www.nmc-uk.org

General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
Regulates: pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy premises
Tel: 020 3365 3400
Website: www.pharmacyregulation.org/

Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
Regulates: Pharmacists and pharmacy premises in Northern Ireland
Tel: 028 9032 6927
Website: www.psni.org.uk

Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC)
Regulates the social care workforce (Northern Ireland only)
Tel: 028 9041 7600
Website: www.niscc.info

Care Council for Wales (CCW)
Social care workforce regulator (Wales only)
Tel: 029 2022 6257
Website: www.ccwales.org.uk

Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
Responsible for registering people who work in social services (Scotland only)
Tel: 0845 60 30 891
Website: www.sssc.uk.com

The Health and Care Professions Council is an essential organization with which to be registered as a healthcare professional in the UK. Not only is it a legal requirement, it is also a way through which you may find opportunities for expanding your career options and finding new ways forward. Registrants have access to a number of different services as well as other resources that can help them in their job. If you are considering a career in the UK in one of the professions regulated by the council, knowledge regarding the Health and Care Professions Council is an essential tool.

The post Looking At The Health And Care Professions Council appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

What Is The National Association Of Social Workers (NASW)?

“The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is a professional organization of social workers in the United States”.

Most professions have an association to which its members can belong. The National Association of Social Workers (or NASW as it will be referred to throughout the rest of this article) has about 145,000 members at the moment, making it a fairly large body of social workers, globally speaking. Members of NASW as well as social workers in general can receive the following form the association:

• Guidance
• Research
• Up to date information
• Advocacy
• Other resources

Members of the NASW are also eligible for a number of benefits, including:

• Malpractice insurance
• Members-only publications
• Discounts on other products and services
• Continuing education

NASW is a conglomerate of the American Association of Social Workers, the American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers, the American Association of Group Workers, the Association for the Study of Community Organization, the American Association of Medical Social Workers, the National Association of School Social Workers, and the Social Work Research Group.

Why Should I Join The National Association Of Social Workers?

There are a number of social workers out there who do not feel that it is necessary to join NASW, but the benefits that come with membership in this organization are many and varied. There does tend to be an application and membership fees involved, but these fees are small in comparison to the overall benefits that you are likely to receive. A social worker who belongs to NASW is in a far safer position than a social worker who does not, both in terms of overage in the case of a malpractice lawsuit as well as in terms of their future career as the association offers a number of opportunities for advancement. By presenting a united front social workers can make a real difference in this country. Belonging to NASW means that you will have access to more resources, including access to other professional social workers who may be able to provide you with essential information and assistance.

Continuing Education

One of the primary reasons why a social worker should belong to NASW is that they will have access to excellent continuing education opportunities. Generally speaking these continuing education credits are requirements in order to maintain your licensure. Members of NASW will have access to these courses at all times. Courses are presented as:

• Podcasts
• Online presentations
• Streaming webcasts

The courses offered by the association tend to cover topics such as:

• Addiction
• Mental health
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Post-traumatic stress

There are two compelling reasons for continuing education. One is that you need continuing education credits to remain a social worker. However the second reason is equally as important. Continuing education through a reliable source such as the NASW will mean that you will have the opportunity to take the initiative and improve your skills in your chosen profession, thereby boosting your resume and improving your level of confidence in your ability to help those that turn to you for assistance.

Networking

This association has a large number of members and this means that, as a member of this organization, there will be plenty of other social workers with whom you will have the opportunity to get in touch with. Networking is important in a profession like this where people need to rely on interdepartmental support from one another and the ability to know that there are many other professionals in the field who you can turn to for assistance in situations that are too much for a single social worker to handle. There are a number of mediums through which social workers who belong to NASW can stay in contact with one another as well as through which they can establish new contacts with other social workers across the country who they have not yet had the opportunity to meet. These mediums include:

• Conferences (these are usually face-to-face)
• Seminars (these are usually face-to-face)
• Message boards (these are usually found online)
• Forums (these are usually found online)

Professional Protection

The NASW offers a wide range of benefits to members who become involved in malpractice lawsuits. These may arise whether or not you are a reliable and honest social worker, so you cannot assume that you will never require assistance. Malpractice suits can arise even in cases where you have done nothing wrong, and consequently you will need to prepare for these possibilities. The best way to ensure that you are covered, legally speaking, as a social worker is through the NASW as members can receive a variety of legal benefits, including the following:

• Discounts on liability insurance for professional protection
• Malpractice workshops
• Legal assistance when lawsuits occur
• The NASW Legal Defense Fund (providing financial assistance to members involved in legal matters)

To qualify for assistance from the NASW for legal matters you must be a member who:

• Is in good standing with the association
• Has a strong case
• Has completed an application

Prestige

There are a number of credentials that you can receive through the NASW in your capacity as a social worker. These credentials bring with them advanced levels of prestige as well as an increase in employment opportunities. The areas that you could choose to specialize in through the NASW are the following:

• Clinical care
• Gerontology care
• Hospice care
• Palliative care
• Youth and family care
• Health care
• Case management
• Education

For each credential listed above there are a number of educational and other requirements that you will need to meet in order to be properly licensed in this area of social work. All the information regarding what you will be required to do can be found on the NASW website. Remember that in some cases there may be subtle differences in terms of the prerequisites that you have to meet depending on the state where you work and study, so be sure to find out what the specific requirements for your particular situation are.

The National Association Of Social Workers Code Of Ethics

Members of the NASW are expected to abide by a very strict ethical code. The main values of this code are:

• Service
• Social Justice
• Dignity and Worth of the Person
• Importance of Human Relationships
• Integrity
• Competence

More specific information about the ethical responsibilities of the social worker can be found on the NASW website under the following headings:

• Social Worker’s Ethical Responsibility to Clients
• Social Worker’s Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues
• Social Worker’s Ethical Responsibility in Practice Settings
• Social Worker’s Ethical Responsibility as Professionals
• Social Worker’s Ethical Responsibility to the Social Work Profession
• Social Worker’s Ethical Responsibility to the Broader Society

This ethical code is there to protect the clients of social workers, but it is also there to protect the social workers themselves by presenting them with a clear set of rules regarding how they can and cannot behave and what they can and cannot do in a social worker setting.

National Association Of Social Workers Foundation

This is a charitable subsidiary of NASW, known as NASWF and aims to achieve the following basic goals:

• One of the primary tasks of the NASW Foundation is to identify, develop and respond to social work policy and practice issues that may arise.

• In addition they are required to respond rapidly to social crises that may emerge.

• The Foundation is also required to support research based on practice so that the two factors (research and practice) are linked.

• To a certain degree the Foundation aims to promote social work and improve public perception of the profession.

• The Foundation is also tasked with the duty of creating advanced continuing education opportunities for social workers to take advantage of.

• Last but not least the Foundation is responsible for promoting the appropriate application of new technology to the practice of social work.

The National Association of Social Workers is an important aspect of a social worker’s career as there are a number of benefits to belonging to an organization such as this one. In many cases social workers will be reminded to become members of the National Association of Social Workers when leaving their social worker training program. The National Association of Social Workers also offers a number of advancement opportunities that social workers may otherwise not have access to.

The post The National Association Of Social Workers appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.