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Governance and Leadership

The Role of Council

The Council is the governing body of the HCPC. It sets the strategic direction, takes key decisions and holds the Executive to account. The composition of the Council is set out in the Health and Care Professions Council (Constitution) Order 2009 (the Constitution Order).

The Council is made up of twelve members: six registrant members drawn from the professions we regulate, and six lay members, drawn from a variety of walks of life, all appointed by the Privy Council.

Registrant members are people who are on the HCPC register and must be wholly or mainly engaged in the practice, the teaching or management of, or research in one of the relevant professions regulated by the HCPC.

Lay members are members who are not registered, have never been registered and are not eligible to apply for registration with the HCPC or:

  • under the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960, which created the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM);
  • in the Association of Operating Department Practitioners (AODP) register;
  • in the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) register;
  • in the British Psychological Society (BPS) register; or
  • in the Hearing Aid Council (HAC) register.

At least one member of the Council must live or work wholly or mainly in each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The role of the Council is to:

  • protect the health and wellbeing of those using or needing the services of registrants;
  • ensure that the organisation discharges its functions under the Health Professions Order 2001;
  • set, review and update the strategy, values and vision as necessary;
  • encourage open accountability to the public and the professions;
  • undertake strategic planning, policy making and development;
  • ensure and monitor financial probity;
  • delegate any functions, as it sees fit, to its committees or the executive team;
  • appoint a Chief Executive and Registrar; and
  • review how the HCPC’s executive team is carrying out the Council’s strategy, plans and policies.

Further information about the Council and its members, can be viewed at Council members | The HCPC.

Day‐to‐day leadership is provided by the Chief Executive and Registrar, Bernie O’Reilly, supported by an Executive Leadership Team.