Voluntary Removal
Voluntary Removal is the process by which a Registrant voluntarily removes themselves from the BPC’s register. A Registrant may decide to voluntarily remove themselves from the BPC’s register, prior to the end of the renewal period, by virtue of being unwell, taking early retirement, experiencing personal circumstances which dictates the Registrant is no longer practising or where a Registrant no longer wishes to be registered with the BPC.
- A Voluntary Removal application will generally be considered by the BPC except where the Registrant is currently subject to the Complaints Procedure or where the Registrant knows that a complaint is in the process of being made or will shortly be made to the BPC and communicates this information to the BPC. The BPC expects Registrants to be candid with their regulator and to adhere to the principles of the Duty of Candour (www.bpc.org.uk/professionals/registrants/duty-of-candour/).
- With reference to the Code of Ethics, Paragraph 5 specifically states that “Registrants may not resign from the BPC (or from their constituent institution) while they are under investigation for an ethical complaint. Any such resignation will not be accepted by the BPC and the constituent institution”.
- If a Registrant no longer wishes to be a BPC Registrant, they should complete, sign, and submit the form below to the BPC at hello@bpc.org.uk . For ease of reference, please type ‘Voluntary Removal Application’ within the subject line of the email.
- Within the form below, the Registrant is asked to provide the reason they no longer wish to be on the BPC’s register and confirm that they are not subject to any current or pending disciplinary proceedings, patient complaints or investigations, as far as they are aware, which could result in a referral or complaint being made to the BPC.
- All parts of the enclosed form must be completed prior to submitting the form to the BPC.
- On receipt of the completed form, the BPC will consider the reasons cited for applying for Voluntary Removal and check the Registrant is not currently subject to the Complaints Procedure.
- Where the Registrant is not currently subject to the Complaints Procedure and has not declared any pending complaints or concerns, and unless there are any other concerns known by the BPC about the Registrant, the Voluntary Removal application will be granted.
- On the day the Voluntary Removal application is granted, the Registrant will be notified in writing, by email and their details will be removed from the ‘Find a therapist’ search on the website. The Registrant will be kept on the register until the end of the registration cycle in case a complaint is received against them in the intervening period (see paragraph 11 for further information).
- By virtue of no longer being a Registrant or appearing on the public register, the Registrant will no longer receive the benefits of BPC membership e.g. monthly newsletter, New Associations, profession related guidance and updates etc.
- The Registrant will not receive a refund for the proportion of registration fee not used and if a Registrant pays by direct debit, the direct debit payments will continue until the registration fee is paid.
- If a complaint or concern of a Fitness to Practise nature is received by the BPC whilst the Registrant has been voluntarily removed from the public register, but still remains on the register, the BPC retains jurisdiction to investigate the complaint or concern providing the Acceptance Criteria is met.
- If a complaint or concern of a Fitness to Practise nature is received by the BPC whilst the Registrant has been voluntarily removed from the public register, and the end of the registration cycle has concluded, the complaint or concern will remain on the Registrant’s file and be considered, and potentially reopened should the Registrant reapply for BPC registration in the future.
- If a Registrant deliberately misleads the BPC by virtue of completing the enclosed form in the knowledge that there is an outstanding patient complaint, investigation, or ongoing disciplinary proceedings raised against them, the BPC will take this into consideration and may raise a Fitness to Practise investigation against them if the Registrant reapplies for BPC registration at a later date.
