Verification process of social workers – GSCC v’s HCPC. Fake qualifications. Fake social workers.

S. Prichard made this Freedom of Information request to Health and Care Professions Council This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was successful.

Dear Health and Care Professions Council,

Further to our recent request, and discussion with our team, we would like to know the following.

1. Is it correct in us saying that the HCPC automatically transferred social workers that were on the old system known as the GSCC? Yes or No?
2. Did HCPC check the GSCC database of social workers before transfer to HCPC, i.e. to ensure GSCC had correctly registered each social worker?
3. HCPC quoted “In that in came to light that the individual {Akwasi Anane} had been incorrectly added to the HCPC’s Register, as he had not completed an
approved social work qualification...” It was also noted he had worked illegally for 15 years. We would like to know who added Akwasi Anane to the social worker list, HCPC or GSCC?
4. Was the criteria and verification process to register new social workers with the GSCC as vigorous as it is to newly register with HCPC. Please state any differences in policy or laws for verification between GSCC and HCPC.
5. How many social workers have you struck off for being dishonest in their own personal lives (i.e. given false names, unqualified etc.). Were these social workers first registered with GSCC and transferred to HCPC or newly registered with HCPC. Please breakdown into statistics.
6. How many social workers have been stuck off by the HCPC and their removal has not been published?
7. How did Akwasi Anane AKA Gordon Anim Osafo, slip through the system? How did he show I.D such as birth certificates, qualifications etc. to either HCPC or GSCC

References
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/h...

Yours faithfully,

S. Prichard

FOI, Health and Care Professions Council

Dear S. Prichard

Thank you for your email of 20 March 2017 in which you ask for information about the transfer process of Social Workers from the GSCC to the HCPC.

We are treating this as a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

We will deal with your request as promptly as possible and, at the latest, within 20 working days as required by the FOIA. If you have any queries about your request please do contact us using this email address, or the address below.

The reference number for your request is FR05083.

Yours sincerely

Giba Rahman
Governance and Appointments Officer

The Health and Care Professions Council
Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4BU
www.hcpc-uk.org
tel +44 (0)20 7840 9710
fax +44 (0)20 7820 9684
[HCPC request email]

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FOI, Health and Care Professions Council

1 Attachment

Our Ref. FR05083

 

 

Dear S. Prichard

 

Thank you for your email of 19 March 2017, in which you ask for
information about the transfer process of social workers from the General
Social Care Council (GSCC) to the Health and Care Professions Council
(HCPC).

 

Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(FOIA).

 

Please find below our response to your questions.

 

1.    Is it correct in us saying that the HCPC automatically transferred
social workers that were on the old system known as the GSCC? Yes or No?

 

When the HCPC Register for social workers in England opened, there was a
one-off transfer for the profession from the GSCC.

 

2.    Did HCPC check the GSCC database of social workers before transfer
to HCPC, i.e. to ensure GSCC had correctly registered each social worker?

 

If individuals were on the GSCC Register at the time of transfer, they
would have needed to have met the requirements for registration as
required by the GSCC.

 

3.    HCPC quoted “In that in came to light that the individual {Akwasi
Anane} had been incorrectly added to the HCPC’s Register, as he had not
completed an approved social work qualification...”  It was also noted he
had worked illegally for 15 years.  We would like to know who added Akwasi
Anane to the social worker list, HCPC or GSCC?

 

The GSCC originally registered this individual. He transferred to the HCPC
Register when we became the regulator for social workers in England on 1
August 2012.

 

4.    Was the criteria and verification process to register new social
workers with the GSCC as vigorous as it is to newly register with HCPC. 
Please state any differences in policy or laws for verification between
GSCC and HCPC.

 

The HCPC does not hold information on the criteria and verification
process to register social workers on the GSCC Register.

 

5.    How many social workers have you struck off for being dishonest in
their own personal lives (i.e. given false names, unqualified etc.). Were
these social workers first registered with GSCC and transferred to HCPC or
newly registered with HCPC.  Please breakdown into statistics.

 

We have review all cases where a social worker has been struck off and the
allegations on our electronic case management system include dishonesty,
bringing the profession into disrepute or where the allegations section
was blank.*

 

Of these, 20 were found to have involved dishonesty outside the
registrants employment as a social worker. This would include the use of
false names, forged documentation, false references as well as convictions
for offences with implicit dishonesty, such as theft or fraud (where the
offence was not directly related to the registrants’ work as a social
worker). This does not include dishonesty such as submission of false
timesheets or sick notes.

 

Of the 20, two were first registered with the HCPC and 18 were first
registered with the GSCC and transferred across to the HCPC Register.

 

*Please note that the allegations are entered manually and therefore there
is a risk of human error.

 

6.    How many social workers have been stuck off by the HCPC and their
removal has not been published?

 

As per the HCPC Fitness to Practise Publication Policy, attached for ease
of reference, in cases where a striking off order is imposed (including
those imposed at a review hearing) the decision will remain on the HCPC
website for a period of five years from the date the order takes effect.
As such, there would not be any social workers who have been removed from
the Register by means of a striking off order that have not had that
decision published.

 

7.    How did Akwasi Anane AKA Gordon Anim Osafo, slip through the system?
How did he show I.D such as birth certificates, qualifications etc. to
either HCPC or GSCC

 

He was originally registered by the GSCC, not the HCPC and would have
needed to have met their requirements for registration. The HCPC does not
have any details regarding his original application for registration with
the GSCC so we are unable to provide any information on this.

 

 

Internal review

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request a review by writing to:

Secretariat Department

Health and Care Professions Council

Park House

184 Kennington Park Road

London

SE11 4BU

 

Email: [1][email address]

 

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

 

The Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45 Website: [2]www.ico.org.uk

 

There is no charge for making an appeal.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Maxine Pryce

Information Governance Officer

 

Health and Care Professions Council

Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road

London SE11 4BU

[3]www.hcpc-uk.org

 

To sign up to our e-newsletter, please email [4][email address]

 

Please consider the environment before printing this email

 

Correspondence is welcome in English or Welsh / Gallwch ohebu yn Gymraeg
neu Saesneg.

 

 

 

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