HCPC Case Examiners Role: How Fitness to Practise Is Changing
The HCPC case examiners role is one of the biggest changes planned for fitness to practise at the Health and Care Professions Council. Today the HCPC does not use case examiners. Its Investigating Committee decides whether a concern has a case to answer. This guide explains the HCPC case examiners role as it is expected to work, how it differs from the current process, and what registrants should understand now.
It is written from a regulatory viewpoint, not a clinical one. It looks at professionalism, evidence and insight, and at how a registrant's response to a concern may matter even more once the HCPC case examiners role is introduced.
Key Takeaways
- The HCPC case examiners role does not exist yet. At present the HCPC's Investigating Committee decides whether there is a case to answer, and the change depends on legislative reform that the government has committed to delivering.
- Under the model used by other regulators, case examiners assess the written evidence and can close a case, give advice or a warning, agree undertakings, or refer it on.
- The HCPC case examiners role is linked to accepted outcomes, a way of resolving cases without a panel hearing where the registrant accepts the findings.
- Because decisions may be made on paper, the quality of a registrant's written response will matter even more under the HCPC case examiners role.
- Until the new legislation is in force, the HCPC's current process applies, including a 28-day window to respond in writing.
In short: The HCPC case examiners role explained: what case examiners do, how it differs from the Investigating Committee and what reform means for you. Read today.
What Is a Fitness to Practise Investigation?
A fitness to practise investigation is the process the HCPC uses to decide whether a registrant's conduct, competence, health or character raises a concern serious enough to affect their registration. The HCPC is the statutory regulator for 15 health and care professions, and as it explains in how we work, its purpose is to protect the public.
Once a concern is raised, the HCPC carries out triage and an initial investigation, then assesses the concern against its threshold criteria. If the threshold is met, formal allegations are drafted. This is the stage at which the HCPC case examiners role would sit once reform is in place.
What Is the HCPC Case Examiners Role?
Case examiners are the first independent decision makers at several other healthcare regulators. They review the documents on a case and decide whether it should be closed, resolved without a hearing, or referred for a full hearing. The HCPC case examiners role is expected to follow a similar model, adapted for the professions the HCPC regulates.
The table shows how the HCPC case examiners role is expected to differ from the Investigating Committee that the HCPC uses today.
| Feature | Today: Investigating Committee | Under reform: case examiners |
|---|---|---|
| Decision maker | A panel that meets in private | Case examiners reviewing the case |
| Question decided | Whether there is a case to answer | Whether the case should close, resolve by agreement or go to a hearing |
| Where a case is proved | A final hearing decides facts, impairment and sanction | An accepted outcome can resolve some cases without a hearing |
| Status | In force now | Depends on HCPC legislative reform |
The HCPC explains how the Investigating Committee works today in what our investigation would involve. The Committee does not decide whether an allegation is proved. It decides whether there is a case to answer.
Why Is the HCPC Case Examiners Role Changing?
Government has committed to reforming the legislation of the healthcare regulators, and the Professional Standards Authority's report on its good practice guidance for regulatory reform describes this as including the HCPC. The aim is a less adversarial, faster and more flexible fitness to practise process.
In June 2026 the HCPC responded to the government's consultation on the draft General Medical Council Order 2026. It said the draft order will be an important template for its own reform, and that it welcomes the commitment to legislative reform for the HCPC in this parliamentary period. The HCPC's consultation response also says that case examiner decisions have the same outcome and impact as panel decisions for registrants, and should be appealable to the High Court. That is a strong sign of how significant the HCPC case examiners role is expected to be.
The HCPC has also been preparing for change. Its recruitment for fitness to practise lawyers described a more front-loaded approach to investigations, where witness statements and expert opinions are obtained before the case reaches a decision maker.
How the HCPC Case Examiners Role Could Affect Your Case
- More decisions on paper: case examiners assess written evidence, so what you submit may carry more weight than it does when a case is going to a hearing.
- Earlier resolution: some cases could be concluded through an accepted outcome, but only where the registrant accepts the findings and that their fitness to practise is impaired.
- Less independence: consultation material on the reforms notes that case examiners are likely to be employees of the regulator, which is a point registrants and representatives will watch closely.
- Appeals: the HCPC's own view is that decisions of case examiners should be appealable to the High Court.
None of this has taken effect for the HCPC. Registrants should not assume the HCPC case examiners role applies to their case, and should follow the process set out in the HCPC's current letters.
What Registrants Should Do Now
The sensible response is to prepare for a process in which the written record counts for more, while following the process that applies today.
- Respond in writing within the 28 days the HCPC allows, and ask for an extension if you need one.
- Take advice from your union, professional body or a regulatory solicitor before you respond.
- Set out a clear timeline of events, what you learned, and what you have done to put things right.
- Be honest and open, and keep your contact details up to date so no letter is missed.
- Build genuine evidence of reflection and insight, taking advice on timing and content.
If you want to strengthen your understanding of ethics and professionalism, you can browse our CPD-certified courses by regulator, which include ethics and professionalism training for healthcare professionals.
Where a case might be resolved by agreement rather than a contested hearing, our guide to HCPC agreed outcomes explains how this works today and why the HCPC case examiners role is relevant to it.
If a concern has already been raised about you, our guide to what to do when a patient complains to the HCPC explains each stage and how to respond.
Conclusion
The HCPC case examiners role is not yet part of how the HCPC works, but it is coming, and it will change how many fitness to practise cases are decided. Understanding the HCPC case examiners role, how it differs from the Investigating Committee and what it means for your written evidence puts you in a stronger position, whichever stage you are at. If you are supporting a whole team with CPD on professionalism and ethics, ask about our bulk-buy offer and start building your evidence today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which course should I take for an HCPC complaint or investigation?
Match the course to the allegation — Which course do I need? lists them by concern; for HCPC registrants, the HCPC ethics and HCPC professionalism courses follow the HCPC standards of conduct, performance and ethics.
Will a course help my HCPC investigation?
A course is evidence of insight and remediation, which the HCPC case examiners or Investigating Committee look for — strongest with a written reflection and changes in your practice. No course can guarantee an outcome.
When should I send the certificate and reflection to the HCPC?
With your written response, before the HCPC case examiners or Investigating Committee decide — or before an HCPC final hearing or a review if the case has gone further.
Can I finish the course before my deadline, and is it CPD accredited?
Yes — it is online and self-paced with a certificate on completion, and CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service, counting towards your HCPC CPD record.
What Is the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)?
The HCPC is the statutory regulator of 15 health and care professions in the UK, including paramedics, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and radiographers. Its role is to protect the public by setting standards, approving education, keeping the Register and investigating concerns. Reform of its fitness to practise process will introduce the HCPC case examiners role.
Does the HCPC have case examiners now?
No. The HCPC's Investigating Committee currently decides whether there is a case to answer. The HCPC case examiners role depends on legislative reform that the government has committed to delivering, so registrants should follow the process in the HCPC's current correspondence.
What is the difference between the Investigating Committee and case examiners?
The Investigating Committee is a panel that meets in private to decide whether there is a case to answer. Under the HCPC case examiners role, decisions would be made by case examiners on the documents, with the ability to close a case, resolve it by agreement or refer it to a hearing.
What are accepted outcomes?
Accepted outcomes are a way of concluding a fitness to practise case without a panel hearing, where the registrant accepts the findings and that their fitness to practise is impaired. They are closely linked to the HCPC case examiners role and are expected to be less adversarial and quicker.
How long does an HCPC investigation take?
The HCPC aims to have a case considered by the Investigating Committee within eight months of receiving a concern that meets its threshold, and to hold a final hearing within nine months of that decision. Each case varies, and the HCPC case examiners role may change these timescales.
This guide is for general information and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, contact a specialist regulatory solicitor, your professional body or your union.
The CPD courses linked from this guide, How to Deal with a Complaint or Investigation, Module on Insight and Professionalism and Professional Standards for HCPC Regulated Health & Care Professionals, are by Probity & Ethics, written by Dr Shehzad Iqbal, CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service (provider no. 13197) and offered since 2020.
