For any healthcare professionals reading this, you will be more than aware of the current situation with the HCPC.
For those who aren’t familiar the Health and Care Professions Council is a regulatory body who I, as a Physiotherapist, have to be registered with in order to legally practice in the UK. I am required to maintain my fitness to practice and re-register with them every 2 years. Without being registered with them I am unable to work as a Physiotherapist.
Recently they have started a consultation to hike their fees by 20%; so instead of the usual £98.12 we are potentially going to have to pay £117.74
Whilst this may not sound like a particularly large fee, there are a few reasons we as physiotherapists are not happy with this rise. Other than the obvious ‘all bills increasing’, the HCPC came under fire a couple of years ago when a Freedom of Information request brought to light that an incredible £17,000 was spent an a Christmas party for employees (https://emergency-services.news/foi-request-revealed-that-the-health-care-professionals-council-spent-17000-on-one-christmas-party/)
And just this year they manage to somehow de-register thousands of Physiotherapists, rendering them unable to work until placed back on the register (or face legal processes)
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/may/14/thousands-miss-out-on-treatment-as-physiotherapists-are-struck-off-uk-register
So you can see how we are unhappy about their proposed fee hike given this history!
Out of interest, I went through my records to see exactly what I do pay in all my professional fees that I need to go to work… I’m not sure how many other professions have to pay this level just to go to work?!
🔹 HCPC £98.12 every 2 years – mandatory, unable to practice without
🔹 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: £401.16 per annum. Gives me my Chartered Status and Liability insurance to treat humans
🔹 Balens Insurance: £266.64 per annum. Insurance for my animal Physio work
🔹 Information Commissioner’s Office: £35 per annum. I handle patient data so need to be registered to ensure compliance with data protection law
🔹 Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy: £140 per annum. Required for the Insurance, support network
🔹 Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners: £65 per annum. Voluntary regulator of the animal therapy industry
🔹 Acupuncture association of Chartered Physiotherapists £82 per annum. Additional insurance for acupuncture work, availability of CPD
I also pay some monthly fees towards accessing CPD, as I have to provide evidence of ongoing professional development. This is alongside standalone courses I attend, some of which can easily be £100+
And not forgetting costs of my patient management software, and exercise prescription software as well as accountants fees! These 3 add up to nearly £130 per month!
Running a small business is challenging at the best of times but its scary to see these fees written down!
This post isn’t here to moan as such – I love my job and would not change it for the world, I just wish I could pay a little less to go to work!
