To be able to care for your service users, you must take care of yourself
The standards of proficiency say that registrants need to be able to:
look after their health and wellbeing, seeking appropriate support where necessary (3)
We know our registrants face enormous stress in their roles. It is important to know, if you are struggling, you’re not alone and support is out there.
More and more employers in the health sector are offering mental health support to their employees. There are also plenty of charities and resources online that you can use, if you don’t feel comfortable approaching your employer.
Our resources about health and wellbeing support can be found below, and you can also read more about the standards of proficiency and how they relate to mental health and wellbeing
Your health and HCPC
We know that there is still huge stigma associated with certain health conditions and being a healthcare professional. This is especially so for mental health.
You may be worried about admitting to yourself or your employer that you are struggling with your health, out of fear of how that might be perceived.
It is important to know that many people living with a health condition can train, register with us and practise safely and effectively throughout their career. You may not need to interact with us any more than any other registrant.
Importantly, we want to see you getting the support you need when you need it, so you can continue to care for your service users.
We know however that there are a lot of myths out there. We have produced guidance for registrants about health declarations and what it is we look for.
We are also working closely with employers to improve understanding of our processes and what employers need to do to support their workforce.
