Press Release

HPC launches consultation on the standards of education and training and guidance

1 August 2008

The Health Professions Council has today launched its consultation on the revised standards of education and training (SETs) and revised standards of education and training guidance.

The standards of education and training are the standards against which the HPC assesses education and training programmes. An education and training programme which meets the SETs allows a student who completes that programme successfully to meet our standards of proficiency. They are then eligible to apply to the HPC for registration.

The education, approvals and monitoring department at the HPC is responsible for conducting approval visits to education providers to ensure their programmes meet the SETs. If an education and training programme meets the SETs the HPC grants approval subject to ongoing checks via the annual monitoring and major change processes.

In May 2007 the HPC Council agreed a workplan to review the SETs. In order to conduct the review we invited organisations to be part of a professional liaison group (PLG). The PLG was made up of representatives of professional bodies, representatives of education and training providers, and HPC Council members. The group met a number of times and benefited from the input of all involved.

Michael Guthrie, HPC’s Head of Policy and Standards, said:

“We first published the SETs in 2004 and published guidance for the SETs in 2006. We are now reviewing the SETs to ensure they continue to be fit for purpose."

It’s important that the SETS and SETs guidance are applicable to all professions that we currently regulate as well as those we may regulate in the future. I would encourage everyone to have their say on these standards by participating in the consultation.

The changes and additions to the SETs and SETs guidance have been proposed following the discussion of the PLG, which were informed by feedback the HPC has received over the last four years from those have been using the SETS and SETs guidance.