What HCPC case examiners do, how they assess the case file for health and care professionals, outcomes available, and how to present the strongest possible case at this stage
The HCPC case examiner stage is the critical first decision point in every HCPC fitness to practise case. Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, paramedics, radiographers, and all other HCPC registered professionals face this review before any formal panel hearing is convened. Understanding the process and how to engage with it effectively is essential.
HCPC case examiners are experienced members. The full range of outcomes — from HCPC suspension to striking off — is available at panel level. members of staff who review fitness to practise case files once the investigation stage is complete. Appointed in pairs —
one lay and one registered professional — they assess the complete evidence file and decide whether the case should proceed to a formal panel hearing or can be resolved through a less formal disposal.
The HCPC's case examiner stage is used across all 15 professions regulated by the HCPC — including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, paramedics, radiographers, speech and language therapists, dietitians, podiatrists, prosthetists and orthotists, biomedical scientists, operating department practitioners, and psychologists.
Case examiners assess the complete case file against the HCPC's Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics — which set out the professional standards all HCPC registrants must meet. They assess whether the alleged conduct fell below one or more of these standards and, if so, whether the concern is serious enough to warrant a full panel hearing.
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The HCPC also has profession-specific Standards of Proficiency — detailed standards for each of the 15 professions it regulates.
Where clinical competence is in issue, the relevant Standards of Proficiency provide the specific benchmark. The case examiner assessment considers both the general conduct standards and any relevant profession-specific standards.
The quality of the remediation evidence presented at this stage significantly influences the outcome. HCPC professionals who present compelling CPD, genuine reflective accounts, and specific practice changes give case examiners more basis for a resolved outcome.
The guide to demonstrating remediation to your regulator sets out how to build an effective evidence file.
The same principles apply as for other regulators: submit all remediation evidence before the case examiner review begins, present CPD with specific reflective notes, ensure the factual response is accurate and complete, and engage with the specific HCPC standards relevant to the concern.
For HCPC professionals, profession-specific CPD — addressing the Standards of Proficiency for the relevant profession and the specific area of concern — carries more weight than generic healthcare ethics training alone.
A physiotherapist facing a clinical competence concern should complete CPD specifically addressing physiotherapy standards, alongside broader professional ethics CPD.
The guide to demonstrating insight to your regulator explains how to present CPD material most effectively.
UK-registered healthcare professionals can access professional ethics training through Healthcare Ethics Courses.
Professionals with connections to Australia can consult ethics training in Australia.
Those with connections to Ireland can review ethics training in Ireland.
10 CPD-certified courses for £500. HCPC-specific professional ethics CPD submitted before the case examiner review demonstrates genuine engagement with HCPC Standards — and can support a resolved outcome.
Bulk Buy 10 Courses →Experienced staff appointed in pairs — one lay, one registered professional — who review fitness to practise case files once investigation is complete. They decide whether the case proceeds to a formal panel hearing or can be resolved through a caution order or agreed outcome.
All 15 HCPC-regulated professions — including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, paramedics, radiographers, speech therapists, dietitians, podiatrists, biomedical scientists, psychologists, and others.
A formal outcome imposed for less serious concerns — recorded on the HCPC register for five years and publicly visible. A caution order does not restrict practice. It acknowledges that the registered professional's conduct fell below required standards.
A formal disposal — conditions or a caution — reached by agreement without a full panel hearing. Both the HCPC and the registrant must consent. The registrant must accept the factual basis of the allegation.
The HCPC's general professional standards — covering patient safety, communication, working within competence, maintaining professional boundaries, being open when things go wrong, and maintaining trust. All HCPC registrants must meet these standards.
Profession-specific detailed standards for each of the 15 HCPC-regulated professions. Where clinical competence is in issue, the relevant Standards of Proficiency provide the specific benchmark against which practice is assessed.
No. The case examiner review is not a public process. Only HCPC panel hearings are public. A case resolved at case examiner level does not result in a public hearing record — though a caution order is publicly recorded on the register.
Profession-specific CPD addressing the relevant HCPC Standards of Proficiency and the specific concern, supervisor or senior colleague reports confirming current practice, and significant event analyses or audit evidence from the professional setting.
No. Acceptance is voluntary. If you do not agree to the proposed terms, the case proceeds to a panel hearing. Always obtain specialist legal advice before deciding.
The case examiner stage is a paper review — no hearing, no oral evidence. The panel hearing is a formal public process at which evidence is heard, findings of fact are made, impairment is determined, and a sanction is imposed if appropriate.
The case is heard by a Conduct and Competence Committee, a Health Committee, or an Investigating Committee panel. The panel hears evidence, makes findings, and imposes the most appropriate sanction. Hearings are public.
Yes. The strategic decisions at this stage — what evidence to submit, whether to accept an agreed outcome, how to frame the factual response — require specialist legal advice from a solicitor experienced in HCPC regulatory proceedings.
Variable. The HCPC aims to progress cases efficiently but complex cases take longer. During this period, additional remediation evidence can be submitted.
This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Seek independent legal advice from a solicitor experienced in HCPC regulatory proceedings.
