1. What is Voluntary Registration, why is it required and what is The VRC?
Michelle Fenlon, Company Secretary, VRC.
West Midlands Regional Genetics Department.

2. Regulation/Registration
What does it mean?
Regulation is all about protection of the public.
Who needs to be regulated?
All staff whose work has a direct impact on patient
care are required by law to be regulated e.g. those
undertaking testing, analysis and interpretation and those
supporting diagnostic and therapeutic functions.

3. Regulation/Registration
How does it work?
By ensuring and recognising that staff are
performing to a level that merits regulation.
Benefits of registration to the professional?
Registration raises the status of registered staff
groups, by recognising that they are performing at a
level that merits regulation.

4. Regulation/Registration
Types of registration:
Statutory regulation: backed up by law
e.g. Health Professions Council (HPC), General Medical Council (GMC).
Voluntary regulation: same system but without legal force; run by staff body
e.g. Voluntary Registration Council (VRC),
Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists (RCCP).

5. Regulation/Registration
Our ultimate aim to achieve statutory regulation
through HPC or an equivalent regulating body.

6. Health Professions Council –(HPC)
The HPC was created in 2001 by an Act of
Parliament called the ‘Health Professions Order
2001’.
It is the independent UK-wide regulatory body
responsible for setting and maintaining standards of
professional training, performance and conduct of
the 13 Health Professions that it regulates.

7. Health Professions Council –(HPC)
HPC acts as the regulatory body for Clinical
Scientists in Genetics – amongst others.
Its main role as a regulatory body is to safeguard the
health and well being of the people who use the
services of the Health Professionals registered with
them.
Under new law all Health Professionals must be
regulated.

8. Health Professions Council –(HPC)

9. Health Professions Council: 10 Criteria for Admission of New Professions
The Health Professions Council will expect any group applying to it for
consideration for statutory regulation to meet the following criteria:
Discrete and homogenous area of activity
Defined body of knowledge
Evidence-based practice
An established professional body
An established Voluntary register
Defined entry routes
Independently assessed entry qualifications
Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
Fitness to practise procedures to enforce those standards
Commitment to CPD

10. Health Professions Council –(HPC)
Before we can achieve our goal of becoming
registered with the HPC we need to belong to a
voluntary register, which needs to run for at least 2
years.

11. Health Professions Council: 10 Criteria for Admission of New Professions
The Health Professions Council will expect any group applying to it for
consideration for statutory regulation to meet the following criteria:
Discrete and homogenous area of activity
Defined body of knowledge
Evidence-based practice
An established professional body
An established Voluntary register
Defined entry routes
Independently assessed entry qualifications
Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
Fitness to practise procedures to enforce those standards
Commitment to CPD

12. Brief History of VRC June 2004 - Dept of Health held a meeting with
aspirant healthcare professionals to discuss future
regulation.
Groups in attendance:
Genetic Technologists (ACC/CMGS)
Cytoscreeners (NAC)
Anatomical Pathology Technologists (AAPT)
Retinal Screeners (BARS)
Ophthalmic Science Practioners (AOSP)
Critical Care Technologists (SCCT)

13. Brief History of VRC Based on other voluntary registration bodies.
Mentored by RCCP.
Pump-primed by DH.
Secretariat support from Executive Business
Support (EBS).

14. VRC VRC acts as an overarching structure with each
member group running its own separate voluntary
register.

15. Brief History of VRC VRC acts as an over arching structure. Benefits:
Recognition – ‘bigger voice’
Only one limited company
Use common documents e.g. code of conduct
Share best practice

16. Brief History of VRC November 2004 – Agreement to proceed with VRC
and election of chair.

17. Setting up VRC Selection of Council members: Executive officers:
Chair – Terry Johnson (AAPT)
Registrar – Gary Creed (SCCT)
Treasurer – Christopher Mody (AOSP)
Secretariat - EBS
Company Secretary – Michelle Fenlon (ACC)
Prof. Body reps – deal with registration process

18. Setting up VRC Selection of Council members Set up a limited company
Setting up data base
Keeping a register
Setting registration fees to cover admin costs - £45

19. Brief History of VRC January 2005 – March 2006 – individual groups
work on paperwork required to set up a voluntary
register; VRC work with solicitor on paperwork
required to set up VRC ltd.
April 2006 – VRC is launched!

20. VRC VRC was launched on 25th April 2006.
Application forms & guidance notes are available on
the website.
Updates and further information available:
VRC Newsletter
VRC Website
Professional body meetings/websites
BSHG Newsletter

22. Health Professions Council: 10 Criteria for Admission of New Professions
The Health Professions Council will expect any group applying to it for
consideration for statutory regulation to meet the following criteria:
Discrete and homogenous area of activity
Defined body of knowledge
Evidence-based practice
An established professional body
An established Voluntary register
Defined entry routes
Independently assessed entry qualifications
Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
Fitness to practise procedures to enforce those standards
Commitment to CPD

23. VRC - Final stages Identify individual groups to progress petition to
HPC.
Put together petition – team approach (VRC).
Delivery of petition and presentation to HPC.
Decision from HPC.
Acceptance by both Houses of Parliament.
All VRC registrants will automatically move across
to HPC.