Updates to HCPC Sanctions Policy

HCPC’s Sanctions Policy Overhaul: What It Means for Health and Care Professionals

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is introducing significant revisions to its Sanctions Policy, marking a pivotal shift in how fitness to practise (FTP) cases are evaluated. These updates aim to strengthen public confidence, ensure fairness in regulatory decisions, and raise the ethical standards expected of health and care professionals across its 15 regulated professions.

Reinforcing Public Trust Through Stricter Standards

At the core of the updated policy is a reinforced stance on honesty and non-discrimination. The HCPC is making it clear that serious misconduct—particularly dishonesty or discriminatory behaviour—is fundamentally incompatible with professional registration. In such cases, striking-off may be applied immediately, demonstrating a zero-tolerance approach to violations that undermine public trust.

Transparent and Consistent Decision-Making

The new policy introduces structured criteria to help FTP panels assess key aspects such as the professional’s level of culpability, harm caused, and potential impact on public confidence. By explicitly outlining how aggravating and mitigating factors should be weighed, the changes aim to ensure sanction decisions are consistent, transparent, and well-justified.

Stronger Guidance on Professional Boundaries

A dedicated section now outlines clearer expectations for maintaining professional boundaries, particularly in interactions with service users. This aims to prevent ethical breaches by offering panels a robust framework for identifying boundary-related misconduct, ensuring that all registrants are held to a consistent standard.

Supporting Openness and Candour

The policy also addresses a longstanding concern: that apologies might be viewed as admissions of guilt. The revised guidance assures professionals that expressing regret will not automatically be interpreted as culpability. Instead, insight and remediation will be evaluated separately, encouraging a culture of transparency and learning from error without fear of disproportionate sanction.

Addressing Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct More Explicitly

Under the new framework, discriminatory conduct and sexually motivated behaviour will be met with clear and direct consequences. Panels will now assess both the intent and the impact of such behaviour. This approach bolsters public protection and demonstrates the HCPC’s commitment to upholding inclusivity, safety, and dignity within regulated professions.

Ending Automatic Leniency and Strengthening Accountability

Crucially, interim orders will no longer reduce the severity of final sanctions, and the concept of striking-off as a “last resort” has been removed. This means that serious breaches may now result in immediate removal from the register, signalling a firmer, more decisive approach to professional misconduct.

The Broader Impact

These changes reflect a growing focus on regulatory robustness, consistency, and ethical clarity.

Registrants will be expected to maintain higher standards of professionalism and will need to adapt accordingly—particularly in areas relating to honesty, interpersonal conduct, and openness when mistakes occur.

As the HCPC moves forward with these revisions, health and care professionals should review their responsibilities closely and engage with the new guidance to ensure they remain in step with these evolving expectations. Ultimately, the policy aims to uphold the integrity of the professions and safeguard the public they serve.