How to get HCPC registered

There are four ways to gain registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC):

1. UK approved course: if you trained in the UK, and successfully completed either an integrated degree (approved by the HCPC and/or accredited by the IBMS) or an IBMS accredited degree with laboratory training to complete the IBMS registration portfolio. These usually have the title 'applied' BSc (Hons) degree. The IBMS routes leads to the award of a  Certificate of Competence and have HCPC approval.
2. Readmission: if you were once on the HCPC register but are no longer
3. International: The international route is open to anyone that has an overseas degree and also has some experience of working abroad as a biomedical scientist. Note that the HCPC may advise that you still have to complete an IBMS Certificate of Competence. If you only have a degree but no working experience you need to follow the this route.
4. Temporary Registration: If you’re established elsewhere in the EEA (or Switzerland), you may apply for temporary registration via this route to provide services in the UK on a temporary and occasional basis

So how do you get an IBMS Certificate of Competence?

The Certificate of Competence is awarded upon successful completion of a registration portfolio. There are three main ways to complete a portfolio:

• an applied degree which is integrated with completion of the Registration Training Portfolio,
• degree followed by completion of the Registration Training Portfolio,
• non-accredited degree (which may require supplementary education) followed by completion of the Registration Training Portfolio.

For further information on the HCPC's four routes to registration visit http://www.hcpc-uk.org/apply. The rest of this guide will look at registration via the IBMS's Certificate of Competence, one of the HCPC’s approved courses.

If you are not on an HCPC approved course or you are getting registered via the IBMS's Certificate of Competence this is how you gain registration.

1) You need to get a Certificate of Competence from the IBMS
2) Certificate of Competence has two parts: an academic (degrees) and practical (training)
3) Academic part: completed by co-terminus, IBMS accredited or assessment of IBMS non-accredited degrees (non-accredited degrees may require further degree education).
4) Practical part: completed by evidence compiled in a registration portfolio – either as part of a coterminus/IBMS accredited degree or as a trainee job in an IBMS-approved laboratory.
5) Registration portfolio assessed by an IBMS representative called an external verifier.
6) Upon award of Certificate of Competence from the IBMS you then apply to HCPC for admittance on to the biomedical scientist register.

All documents and application forms are available from www.ibms.org/registration. HCPC applications and documents are available at www.hcpc-uk.org.

Further information

HCPC Register of approved courses

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Science in the Service of Life: A Career in Biomedical Science