UK legislators back proposal for "negative register" of care workers

The UK House of Common Health Select Committee has come out in support of proposals for a "negative register" of care workers deemed to be unfit to work in adult social care. The committee's First Report of its 2014 Accountability hearing with the Health and Care Professions Council [HCPC] states that such a system would “offer far greater public protection” than a voluntary scheme which was previously suggested by government. The power to establish a "negative register" was provided for in the draft Regulation for health and social care professionals Bill, which was controversially excluded from the next raft of legislation to be considered by Parliament. Acting chair of the committee, David Tredinnick said: “Continuing concerns about regulation of the social care workforce need to be addressed, and we support the HCPC’s proposal of a negative register as the most effective first step in providing protection for the public.”