Self-care and wellbeing training for HCPC registrants
The HCPC standards of proficiency ask every registrant to understand how their own wellbeing affects their fitness to practise, and to develop clear strategies for self-care and self-awareness. MyTappyPlace workshops give teams practical, body-based tools for managing stress during the working day, with a reflection template to support CPD.
What the HCPC standards say about self-care
Since 1 September 2023, the HCPC standards of proficiency have included a stronger focus on registrants' own wellbeing. Under standard 3, registrants must:
"understand the importance of their own mental and physical health and wellbeing strategies in maintaining fitness to practise" (standard 3.2)
"develop and adopt clear strategies for physical and mental self-care and self-awareness, to maintain a high standard of professional effectiveness and a safe working environment" (standard 3.4)
In explaining the change, the HCPC acknowledged the pressure on the health and care workforce and the emotional burden this places on registrants.
These standards apply across all 15 professions the HCPC regulates, from paramedics and occupational therapists to practitioner psychologists and radiographers.
Why self-care belongs in professional practice
Health and care work asks a lot of people. Many registrants make important decisions under time pressure, support people in distress and work in services that are stretched. Over time, that pressure builds up in the body.
When we're stressed for long periods, it becomes harder to think clearly, stay patient and make good decisions. That's why the HCPC links self-care to fitness to practise and to a safe working environment. Looking after our own nervous system helps us look after the people we work with.
Many registrants also find that having a clear set of strategies is harder than it sounds. Knowing we should take care of ourselves is one thing. Having a tool we can use in the five minutes between patients is another.
How the workshops map to HCPC standards
| Workshop outcome | HCPC standards of proficiency | HCPC CPD standards |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding stress responses and how they affect practice | HCPC standards of proficiency3.2: the importance of wellbeing strategies in maintaining fitness to practise | HCPC CPD standardsLearning relevant to current practice |
| Practical self-regulation tools for high-pressure moments | HCPC standards of proficiency3.4: clear strategies for physical and mental self-care | HCPC CPD standardsAims to improve the quality of practice |
| Recognising personal early warning signs | HCPC standards of proficiency3.4: self-awareness | HCPC CPD standardsAims to improve the quality of practice |
| Staying calm and present with patients and service users under pressure | HCPC standards of proficiency3.4: a high standard of professional effectiveness and a safe working environment | HCPC CPD standardsAims to benefit the service user |
| Recording learning through the reflection template | HCPC standards of proficiency3.2 and 3.4: evidence of self-care strategies in practice | HCPC CPD standardsKeep an accurate record of CPD, and support a written CPD profile if selected for audit |
This map shows how workshop content relates to the standards. Each registrant remains responsible for deciding how they meet them.
Supporting your team's CPD
The HCPC's standards for continuing professional development ask registrants to keep a record of their learning, take part in a mix of learning activities and show how that learning improves their practice and benefits service users. At each renewal, the HCPC selects a sample of registrants from each profession to submit a CPD profile.
Every workshop includes a reflection template. Registrants can use it to record what they learned, how they've used the tools in practice and what difference it has made, which gives them material for their CPD records.
What the workshops cover
Understanding the stress response
How the nervous system responds to pressure, what the window of tolerance means, and how stress shows up in the body before we notice it in our thinking.
Practical tools for the working day
Hands-on practice with EFT tapping and other short, body-based techniques that take a few minutes and need no equipment. Registrants practise them on real work pressures, so the tools feel familiar when they're needed.
Noticing early warning signs
Each person identifies their own signs that pressure is building, so they can act before it turns into exhaustion or burnout.
Bringing regulation into team life
Simple ways to build regulation into handovers, supervision and team meetings, so self-care becomes part of how the team works.
What is EFT tapping?
EFT tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is a body-based self-regulation tool. You tap lightly on points on the face and body while naming what you feel. It's quick to learn and easy to use discreetly during the working day.
Research on EFT has found reductions in anxiety and stress. I see it as one practical tool alongside good supervision, manageable workloads and professional support when it's needed.
Workshop options
Workshops run from a 90-minute taster to a full-day programme, online or in person, with bespoke options on request. Every workshop includes:
- hands-on EFT tapping practice on real work pressures
- a reflection template that registrants can use for their CPD records
- aftercare: five EFT sessions tailored to your team, plus time-limited access to the full MyTappyPlace app
Packages start from £450.
Frequently asked questions
What do HCPC standards 3.2 and 3.4 require?
Standard 3.2 asks registrants to understand the importance of their own mental and physical health and wellbeing strategies in maintaining fitness to practise. Standard 3.4 asks them to develop and adopt clear strategies for physical and mental self-care and self-awareness. Both have applied since 1 September 2023.
Can the workshops count towards HCPC CPD?
The HCPC doesn't approve individual CPD activities. Registrants decide which learning to record. The workshops include a reflection template that helps registrants record what they learned and how it has improved their practice, in line with the HCPC's CPD standards.
Which professions are the workshops for?
The workshops are for teams in any HCPC-regulated profession, including paramedics, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, practitioner psychologists, speech and language therapists, radiographers, operating department practitioners and arts therapists.
Do the workshops need any special equipment?
No. EFT tapping uses your own hands, and the techniques take a few minutes. Workshops can run online or in person.
Is this therapy?
No. The workshops teach practical self-regulation tools for everyday work pressure. If someone is struggling with their mental health, they should speak to their GP, their employee assistance programme or a qualified therapist.
Related reading
- Making the case for nervous system regulation in your team: a guide for managers
- Does EFT tapping actually work? What the evidence says
- Nervous system regulation for social workers: a practical guide
- Burnout in social work: signs and support
- Vicarious trauma in social work: a UK guide
- Building emotional resilience in social work
- How's your nervous system? A two-minute check-in
About me
I'm Susana Carr, a qualified social worker with over fifteen years of experience in children's and adults' services, including work alongside NHS hospital teams. I'm a certified EFT practitioner.
I came across EFT tapping after a traumatic event in my family, when I was carrying PTSD while still working. It showed me how much a simple, body-based tool can help when pressure builds up. The pressures I see in social care are shared by colleagues across health and care, and I built MyTappyPlace to give those teams practical tools for managing them together.
Bring the workshops to your team
If you lead a team in an HCPC-regulated profession and want practical self-care tools that support your team's CPD, I'd be glad to talk about what would work for you.
References
- HCPC. Standards of proficiency. Link: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-proficiency/
- HCPC. Revised standards of proficiency (effective 1 September 2023). Link: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-proficiency/reviewing-the-standards-of-proficiency/
- HCPC. Standards of continuing professional development. Link: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-continuing-professional-development/
- HCPC. CPD audits. Link: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/cpd/cpd-audits/