The Health and Care Professions Council (Registration and Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules Order of Council 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order approves Rules amending the Health and Care Professions Council (Registration and Fees) Rules 2003 (“the 2003 Rules”).

Amending rule 2(2) amends rule 8 of the 2003 Rules so that the Registrar is no longer required to give a person whose name is entered in the register a certificate to that effect. As amended, the registrar “may” give a registrant such a certificate but is not obliged to.

Amending rule 2(3) amends the 2003 Rules by substituting rule 11 of those Rules. New rule 11 deals with the process in relation to renewal of a registrant’s registration. It makes renewal subject to the making of an application and the payment of the requisite fee; makes provision of the form of an application and the consequences of failing to make an application and or failure to pay the requisite fee.

Amending rule 2(4) to 2(8) amends rules 14 to 17 of the 2003 Rules. Rules 14 to 17 of the 2003 Rules deal with fees payable to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in connection with a person’s registration in the register maintained by it.

Amending rule 2(4) changes the fee that the HCPC charges on first registration—

(a) from £80 to £90 where registration takes place less than two years after the applicant was first awarded the recognised qualification (an increase of 12%);

(b) from £160 to £180 in all other cases (an increase of 12%).

Amending rules 2(5) changes the fee that the HCPC charges for renewal of registration from £160 to £180 (an increase of 12%).

Amending rule 2(6) changes the fee that the HCPC charges on readmission to the register from £120 to £135(an increase of 12%).

Amending rule 2(7) changes the fee that the HCPC charges on restoration to the register from £120 to £135(an increase of 12%).

Amending rule 2(8) changes the fee that the HCPC charges for scrutinising applications for registration from “£56” to “£63” (an increase of 12%) and from “£440” to “£495” (an increase of 12%).

Amending rule 2(9) amends rule 18 of the 2003 Rules so as to limit payment by direct debit to registration fees and renewal fees and to allow those fees to be paid by instalments (as opposed to a set number of instalments).