Health and Care Professions Council

The Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM) was established in 1960 to supervise boards that represented health professions, including:

• chiropodists/podiatrists
• clinical scientists
• dietitians
• medical laboratory scientific officers (MLSOs)
• paramedics
• physiotherapists
• radiographers
• speech therapists and others.

The council was replaced by the Health Professions Council on 1 April 2002.

In July 2010, the government decided to transfer the function of professional regulation of social workers to the Health Professions Council, which was renamed the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The regulation of social workers moved to the HCPC on 1 August 2012 following the passage of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

The General Social Care Council (GSCC) – which previously regulated social workers – was abolished on 31 July 2012. Its responsibilities included: maintaining and publishing a public register of qualified professionals; and ensuring high standards in education, training and good practice, and handling complaints.