§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why they have not stipulated the need for an audit process into applications made under the Health Professions Council's "grandparenting" procedures; and whether there is any action they will now be taking in this regard. [HL397]
§ Lord WarnerIt is for the Health Professions Council (HPC) to set its transitional procedures (commonly known as "grandparenting") in accordance with the Health Professions Order 2001. These provide for each application received under the transitional provisions to be scrutinised by two HPC assessors, one clinical and one academic, from the applicant's profession. If the opinion of the two assessors differs or if there appears to be any inconsistency between the two assessments, the application is referred to a third assessor.
In addition, applicants who are aggrieved by any refusal of their application for registration may also appeal to the council under Part VI, Article 37 of the Health Professions Order 2001. This ensures a thorough examination of applications against HPC requirements.