PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. What is State Registration and why is it needed?
Q. What is the HPC?
Q. Will I get an automatic licence to practice in the UK if I have trained in another EU country?
Q. Should I apply to the HPC before I leave my own country or do I apply in the UK?
Q. Do I need UK State Registration to work as a physiotherapist if I come to the UK on a Working Holiday Visa?
Q. I don't want to waste money on going through the application process with the HPC if I won't get UK Registration at the end of it. Can you advise me?
Q. Am I allowed to work as a physiotherapist while I’m waiting for the HPC process to be completed?
Q. Can I work as a physiotherapy assistant whilst waiting for the HPC process to be completed?
Q. Is the process much slower for physiotherapists than for doctors and nurses?
Q. How do I go about my application to the HPC if my nationality and my country of training are different?

Q. What is State Registration and why is it needed?

A. Physiotherapy in the UK is a regulated profession. This means there is one minimum standard of qualifying education for entry into the profession. Those who are assessed as having reached that standard are granted State Registration and a legal licence to practice physiotherapy in the UK. The requirement of Registration is designed to protect the public and maintain a professional standard.

Q. What is the HPC?

A. HPC are the initials of the “Health Professions Council” (formerly CPSM), it is the regulatory authority that deals with applications for UK State Registration and grants eligible physiotherapists with a licence to practice. The HPC maintains a register of physiotherapists and also has disciplinary powers. It is, therefore, a legal requirement to obtain and maintain a licence to practice from the HPC.

Q. Will I get an automatic licence to practice in the UK if I have trained in another EU country?

A. Although the EU directives are designed to facilitate migration between member countries, there is no automatic recognition of qualification. It is important to note that all individuals have a right to be considered. The principle of the EU directives is that each member country should set its own standards for physiotherapy education to suit their particular healthcare system.

Q. Should I apply to the HPC before I leave my own country or do I apply in the UK?

A. It is important for you that you apply from your own country where you will have easier access to the required documentation and a means of financial support while you are waiting for the completion of the registration process. You will also need to know before you begin to work here whether a period of adaptation might be needed and what this could mean in terms of time and cost to you.

Q. Do I need UK State Registration to work as a physiotherapist if I come to the UK on a Working Holiday Visa?

A. Yes State Registration is required. It is also not advisable to come to the UK and then start the application process with the HPC, especially if you are planning a short visit.

Q. I don't want to waste money on going through the application process with the HPC if I won't get UK Registration at the end of it. Can you advise me?

A. This is not something you should worry about unduly. If your application cannot be processed your fees will be returned immediately. The HPC will also discuss the issues with you advising you of what steps to take next. If you have any queries whatsoever regarding your application beforehand, do contact the HPC, they will give you a great deal of help and advice and will be happy to do so. Remember, if you trained outside the EU, academic equivalence between your qualifying education and qualifying education in the UK has to be established before the HPC can process your application, but if for some reason, your application cannot be processed your fees will be returned and the HPC will discuss the issues with you, advising you how to proceed.

Q. Am I allowed to work as a physiotherapist while I’m waiting for the HPC process to be completed?

A. No. In the UK, no one may work as a physiotherapist without State Registration. If you are an EU citizen or have a Working Holidaymaker Visa, then you are permitted to work in the UK, but not as a physiotherapist while you are waiting for State Registration, although you could work as a physiotherapy assistant.

Q. Can I work as a physiotherapy assistant whilst waiting for the HPC process to be completed?

A. Yes you can, as long as you have been offered a period of adaptation by the HPC and have entry clearance to the UK and this applies to any country in which you received your training. In most cases, an arrangement can be made with the hospital to provide a period of adaptation. This will mean that the hospital will provide you with clinical supervision for the period of adaptation and as a physiotherapist you will work as an assistant for the hospital. It is important to remember that the Period of Adaptation and your application for State Registration with the HPC are two separate activities.

Q. Is the process much slower for physiotherapists than for doctors and nurses?

A. Not really. Each profession has its advantages and is regulated by a particular directive allowing for automatic recognition within agreed protocols. While it would appear that the process for doctors and nurses is quicker, the process for physiotherapists is more flexible and allows the governing bodies to react to any new demands within the profession to a greater capacity. On a whole, the general directive governing physiotherapy migration has definite advantages.

Q. How do I go about my application to the HPC if my nationality and my country of training are different?

A. It is your country of training and not your nationality that the HPC will assess for registration purposes. If you were trained in an EU country but are not an EU national, then the usual regulations that apply for UK entry clearance and work permit regulations for non-EU citizens would apply to you also. But, if you were trained outside the EU but you are an EU citizen, you would have free entry to the UK to seek work without a permit.

TOP^ 

<<BACK TO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | DENTISTS>>