About HPAC

The Health Practice Associates Council (HPAC)

United Kingdom • Non-statutory regulator • Established 2014

HPAC is the United Kingdom’s regulatory body for pre-hospital urgent and emergency clinical responders in non-statutory roles.

We were established in 2014, after conducting a UK-wide consultation with NHS Ambulance Services, Voluntary Ambulance Services (St John & British Red Cross), and Independent Ambulance Sector providers, including the Independent Ambulance Association. We registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2017 and are not-for-profit. We established a Council of volunteers with a wealth of industry expertise and experience, many of whom have played key roles in advancing and shaping the UK pre-hospital emergency healthcare sector over the past four and a half decades.

As a non-profit body, we work with key stakeholders across the UK and seek the registration of clinicians who meet our standards in skills, training, conduct, and health to uphold public safety. Every applicant's background and primary qualifications are manually *verified by our Registration Team. Once approved, our system performs a rolling 24-hour revalidation of each registrant's criminal record status via an API to the Disclosure & Barring Service, instantly alerting our Compliance Team and associated employers if a registrant's DBS certificate status changes.

Our system audits all Primary Qualifications and Statutory & Mandatory certificates daily for expirations and upcoming expirations/re-certification requirements. We also conduct manual audits of around **5% of the register annually. For patient and public safety, we also have API access to the DVLA driver's database that automatically revalidates drivers' licences every three months. Our blue light driver register automatically removes registrants it detects with suspended drivers' licences or more than six points, and immediately alerts associated employers of the change. PTS drivers are being phased onto the same system.system.

Healthcare training session

Guidance

Registration standards and the grades framework

Guidance • For registrants and employers

How HPAC defines capability, quality, and scope across grades, with clear expectations for training and conduct.

Statutory & Mandatory Training

Pre-hospital care personnel working for CQC-registered employers are required to complete induction training covering statutory and mandatory subjects such as safeguarding, moving and handling, and workplace health and safety. This aligns with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) obligations. Clinicians not employed by a CQC-registered organisation are encouraged to complete these sections voluntarily.

Under Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, employers must ensure staff are suitably qualified, competent, and experienced to meet all regulatory requirements. This includes adequate training in statutory and mandatory subjects to fulfil roles safely and effectively.

We provide a Statutory & Mandatory evidence section to upload and track qualifications. It supports registrants and employers in monitoring compliance. Helpful resources include e-lfh and Skills for Health.

Certificate Validity

Only certificates fully accredited by the awarding body are accepted. These must have no outstanding modules, preceptorship hours, or other incomplete elements, and remain valid for at least six months from submission. Required refresher courses must also be completed.

While most awarding bodies recognise the integrity of their own qualifications without additional charges, any validation fees are the applicant’s responsibility. Applicants will be notified before any such charge is made. HPAC does not add extra fees to this process.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

Registrants are expected to maintain continuous professional development and key skills refreshers. This ensures up-to-date knowledge, understanding, and competence within the registered grade’s scope of practice. Active engagement in CPD enhances professional growth and ensures the highest standards of care and service.

Scope of Practice

HPAC regulates but does not authorise practice. Actual scope of practice is determined by the individual and/or employer in accordance with relevant law, guidance, and competencies for each clinical jurisdiction.

FPHC PHEM Skills Framework

The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh developed the PHEM Skills Framework to encompass personnel from First Aiders to Advanced Pre-Hospital Medical Practitioners and across multiple UK pre-hospital organisations.

HPAC does not base its registrant grading on this framework, but uses it as a reference guide. Some qualifications accepted for a particular grade may map to higher levels on the FPHC PHEM Skills Framework. All qualifications listed by HPAC have been reviewed as appropriate for their corresponding grade.

Blue-light Drivers

View requirements

Ineligibility

Individuals who have been struck off, suspended, or placed under restricted practice by the HCPC, NMC, GMC, or any other statutory regulator — or who appear on barred or sex-offender registers — are not eligible to apply. Removal from non-statutory registers or barred lists may also constitute grounds for ineligibility. (see terms and conditions clause 2.2)