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HCP Fitness to Practice question:

Please can I ask you if the standards laid down by Health Professional's registered body are null and void if they're not working in their registered profession? For example my assessor said she was a Paramedic. She has contravened quite a few of a long list of specifications on the HCPC website but do these still apply if she's not working as a Paramedic. I have asked HCPC the same question but wondered if any of you know anything about this. If the standards don't apply then why don't they?
Replies
I think this question is something where we won't have any more information than is already available to you. We can only point you to what it says in the DWP agreements with the assessment companies (you can find specific contracts on the contract finder), and what the HCPC then says in their own standards of regulation. In answer to your specific question, if the standards don't apply then I would assume that is because the assessor isn't working as a paramedic any longer. You'd then have to consider what the contract requires. As far as I know, many assessors don't continue to work in their previous health professional capacity as well as being assessors (but there may be exceptions to this).
Have you made a freedom of information request to HCPC?
Will
If you are caused harm by the actions of an assessor then I think you would need legal advice on suing the assessment company - that is really beyond my knowledge I'm afraid, but it could be worth consulting a solicitor. It also depends whether you mean the harm that is caused by the poor assessment (obviously resulting in harm by depriving you of income, causing you stress etc) or other harm.
Will
I have also been asking HCPC about my assessor's qualifications and all they're willing to tell me is that she is a legitimate registrant. They are refusing to investigate her even though I gave them the info. I have about her past employment. They say they don't have any info. about her outside her profession.
I am now going to write to DWP complaints and see if they'll investigate someone who appears to have contravened their specifications for assessors regarding having a 2 year history of work in a health related job before becoming an assessor. Sorry this post is so long but it may help others if I can find out what we can or can't do to bring the HP's who lie and cheat people out of benefits to justice.