Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Health and Care Professions Council (Miscellaneous Amendments) Rules Order of Council 2025 and comes into force on 29th April 2025.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Privy Council approval

2.  Their Lordships, having taken into consideration the Rules set out in the Schedule to this Order, are pleased to, and do approve them.

Article 2

Schedule The Health and Care Professions Council (Miscellaneous Amendments) Rules 2025

The Health and Care Professions Council makes the following Rules in exercise of the powers conferred by articles 7(1) and (2)(c), 26(3), 32(1), (2) and (4), 37(4) and (5) and 41(2) of the Health Professions Order 2001.

In accordance with articles 7(1) and (3) and 41(3) of that Order, the Health and Care Professions Council has consulted the Education and Training Committee and representatives of any group of persons it considers appropriate or likely to be affected by the proposed Rules, including representatives of the groups referred to in articles 7(3) and 41(3) of that Order.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Rules may be cited as the Health and Care Professions Council (Miscellaneous Amendments) Rules 2025 and come into force on 29th April 2025.

Amendments to the Health and Care Professions Council (Registration and Fees) Rules 2003

2.—(1) The Health and Care Professions Council (Registration and Fees) Rules 2003( 2) are amended as follows.

(2) In rule 14 (registration fee)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for “£116.36” substitute “£123.34”;

(b) in paragraph (b), for “£232.72” substitute “£246.68”.

(3) In rule 15 (renewal fee), for “£232.72” substitute “£246.68”.

(4)  In rule 15A (readmission fee), for “£174.54” substitute “£185.01”.

(5)  In rule 16 (restoration fee), for “£174.54” substitute “£185.01”.

(6)  In rule 17 (scrutiny fees)—

(a) in paragraph (1), for “£81.45” substitute “£86.34”;

(b) in paragraph (2), for “£639.98” substitute “£678.38”.

Amendment to the Health and Care Professions Council (Investigating Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003

3.  In the Health and Care Professions Council (Investigating Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003( 3), for rule 8B substitute—

“Meetings and hearings

8B.— (1)  In the case of—

(a) a preliminary meeting under these Rules, the Committee or Chair may arrange for a preliminary meeting to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities; and

(b) a hearing under these Rules, the Committee may arrange for a hearing to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities.

(2)  Where a meeting or hearing uses audio or video conferencing facilities any notice sent under these Rules giving notice of the meeting or hearing must include the details of any audio or video conferencing arrangements required to access that meeting or hearing. ”.

Amendment to the Health and Care Professions Council (Conduct and Competence Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003

4.  In the Health and Care Professions Council (Conduct and Competence Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003( 4), for rule 10B substitute—

“Meetings and hearings

10B.— (1)  In the case of—

(a) a preliminary meeting under these Rules, the Committee or Chair may arrange for a preliminary meeting to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities; and

(b) a hearing under these Rules, the Committee may arrange for a hearing to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities.

(2)  Where a meeting or hearing uses audio or video conferencing facilities any notice sent under these Rules giving notice of the meeting or hearing must include the details of any audio or video conferencing arrangements required to access that meeting or hearing. ”.

Amendments to the Health and Care Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003

5.  In the Health and Care Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003( 5), for rule 10B substitute—

“Meetings and hearings

10B.— (1)  In the case of—

(a) a preliminary meeting under these Rules, the Committee or Chair may arrange for a preliminary meeting to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities; and

(b) a hearing under these Rules, the Committee may arrange for a hearing to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities.

(2)  Where a meeting or hearing uses audio or video conferencing facilities any notice sent under these Rules giving notice of the meeting or hearing must include the details of any audio or video conferencing arrangements required to access that meeting or hearing. ”.

Amendments to the Health Professions Council (Registration Appeals) Rules 2003

6.  In the Health Professions Council (Registration Appeals) Rules 2003( 6), for rule 14A substitute—

“Meetings and hearings

14A.— (1)  In the case of—

(a) a preliminary meeting under these Rules, the Appeal Panel or Chair may arrange for a preliminary meeting to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities; and

(b) a hearing under these Rules, the Appeal Panel, Chair or the Council may arrange for a hearing to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities.

(2)  Where a meeting or hearing uses audio or video conferencing facilities any notice sent under these Rules giving notice of the meeting or hearing must include the details of any audio or video conferencing arrangements required to access that meeting or hearing. ”.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

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

The rules set out in rule 2 of the Schedule to this Order amend the Health and Care Professions Council (Registration and Fees) Rules 2003. These 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.

Rule 2(2) of the Schedule to this Order increases the two-yearly fee for registration in the register maintained under the Health Professions Order 2002 ( S.I. 2002/254) to £123.34 (an increase of £6.98) for those qualified for up to two years; and to £246.68 (an increase of £13.96) for everyone else.

Rule 2(3) increases the renewal fee to £246.68 (an increase of £13.96).

Rules 2(4) and (5) increase fees for readmission and restoration to the register from £174.54 to £185.01 (an increase of £10.47).

Rule 2(6) increases the scrutiny fees paid by all new applicants, whose qualifications, and in some cases experience, needs to be assessed. The scrutiny fee for applicants who have successfully completed an approved UK programme of education and training is increased to £86.34 (an increase of £4.89). The scrutiny fee for international applicants is increased to £678.38 (an increase of £38.40).

Rules 3 to 5 of the Schedule to this Order make amendments to the procedural rules for the HCPC to allow the committee or chair to arrange for a preliminary meeting to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities, and for the committee to arrange for a hearing under the rules to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities. 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 and the Health and Care Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003. The amendments to all three sets of procedural rules are in the same format and involve the same change.

Rule 6 of the Schedule to this Order make amendments to the procedural rules for the HCPC to allow the appeal panel or chair to arrange for a preliminary meeting to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities, and for the appeal panel, chair or the council, where the council considers an appeal hearing itself, to arrange for a hearing under the rules to be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities. The rules being amended are the Health Professions Council (Registration Appeals) Rules 2003.

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

https://www.hcpc-uk.org/globalassets/resources/external-consultations/2024/fees-consultation-analysis-and-outcomes-paper-october-2024.pdf

A physical copy of the impact assessment can also be requested by email or telephone to the HCPC at[email protected]or 0300 500 6184.