The Register carries out an annual random audit of registered members renewing their membership to ensure they continue to meet the requirements of registration.

Compliance with the audit process is a condition of registration and is included in the signed Declaration of Commitments in the application form.

Selection Process

• Any practitioner who has been on the Register for more than a year is eligible for audit when their membership is due for renewal.

• Each year, 10% of eligible renewing members are audited.

• If selected, you will be notified by email and given up to four weeks to return the required information.

Preparing Your Submission

If selected for audit, you must provide records from the past year relating to:

• Supervision – An up-to-date record of supervision sessions and the professional benefit derived.

• Continued Professional Development (CPD) – Records of CPD hours undertaken during the year.

• Indemnity insurance – A certificate covering the full audit period. If covered by your employer’s insurance, provide proof and a confirmation letter on branded letterhead.

• Service user complaints – Full details of any complaints or concerns raised in the past year, with actions taken or agreements reached.

• Policies and procedures – Confirmation that these are current and appropriate.

• Other information – Any additional evidence requested in your audit notification email.

The information you provide must be honest and accurate. False or misleading information may result in referral to the Professional Conduct Review Committee (PCRC). You may continue to practise while preparing your submission and while your information is under review.

Deadlines

• You have four weeks from the date of notification to submit all requested information.

• Extensions may be granted in exceptional circumstances; requests must be emailed to info@athenaherd.org marked “Audit Extension”.

• Failure to respond by the deadline will result in removal from the Register.

• You will then have an additional four weeks to respond. If still no response is received, a final seven-day notice will be issued before removal.

Appeals Process

You may appeal a removal decision only if:

• The audit procedure was not followed correctly, or

• Your audit information was not fairly and properly assessed against the Register’s standards.

Appeals must be made in writing within one calendar month of receiving your decision letter, in line with the Appeals Policy.

For more information on the audit process please read the below.