Regulation of Health and Social Care Professionals Consultation

Non-practising registers
5.38 As noted above, a small number of the regulators have established nonpractising
registers. It would be possible for the regulators to continue to have
powers to include such people in their registers (for example through annotation
or by issuing a separate licence to practise) or to be given powers to establish a
separate non-practising register. We do not necessarily think the establishment of
non-practising registers is a matter which should necessarily be left to
Government. This is on the basis such registers do not extend the definition of, or
confer additional advantages on, a profession (although arguably they do bestow
a privilege on the person).
5.39 However, there are legitimate concerns about use of non-practising registers.
Arguably, they undermine one of the key aims of registration which is to indicate
those professionals who are appropriately qualified, fit to practise and have met
continuing professional development requirements. The use of non-practising
registers is also associated historically with self-regulation where the regulators
were seen as protecting the interests of registrants. The ability of retired
professionals to remain in good standing with the regulator appears to serve
primarily the interests of the profession rather than the public. On the other hand,
given that members of a profession spend many years achieving that status and
over their careers may move in and out of active practice, some form of passive
membership may be useful and administratively sensible. We welcome views on
whether non-practising registers should be retained or abolished.
Question 5-8: Should non-practising registers be retained or abolished?
TYPES OF REGISTRATION
5.40 The governing legislation normally outlines a number of different types of
registration. The following are common across all the regulators:
(1) full registration;
(2) conditional registration, where the registrant can practise subject to
certain conditions such as restrictions on the type of work undertaken or
a requirement that the registrant must undergo retraining; and
(3) temporary registration, which applies normally for practitioners who are
established elsewhere in the European Economic Area states or
Switzerland, and are coming to the UK to provide services for a short
period of time, but it can also apply to non-qualified UK practitioners in
cases of emergency (see below).
5.41 In addition some of the regulators can register applicants on a provisional basis.
This is where newly qualified professionals must demonstrate that they satisfy
certain standards before becoming fully registered. At the General Medical
Council, for example, provisionally registered doctors with a licence to practise
can practise only in certain approved posts and must gain the award of Certificate
of Experience before becoming fully registered.
5.42 Some of the governing legislation provides that if the Secretary of State advises
that an emergency has occurred, the Registrar can make certain temporary
changes to the registrar. For example, the Registrar of the General Medical
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