The Institute of Registered Case Managers (IRCM) is in the process of setting a host of stringent technical and professional standards to enable the organisation to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
The IRCM will hold a register of case managers who demonstrate they comply with the standards.
The creation of the IRCM is a highly significant move within case management, and aims to bring more transparency and clarity into the profession, giving greater confidence and protection to clients and fellow professionals alike.
Having been in the planning stages for several years, the IRCM – which has been developed and supported jointly by BABICM, CMSUK and the VRA – is set to launch in the coming months. It is currently being presented to industry stakeholders, with a series of awareness-raising initiatives planned for case managers in the coming months.
Angela Kerr, chair of BABICM, has been appointed chair of the IRCM, working alongside fellow directors Karen Burgin, chair of CMSUK, and VRA chair Deborah Edwards.
“This has been a long time in the planning, and there has been a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes, but this will be a very important step forward for case management,” says Angela.
“It is about professionalising what we do and setting the standards we should all be adhering to. We see the IRCM as being central to the future of case management.”
The creation of the IRCM will ensure that those working in case management are subject to designated standards and show competence to practice. As well as client-facing and technical work, the body will also create protocols around business practices, including finance and governance.
Professional development and education opportunities will also be promoted to those on the register, to ensure a continuing focus on, and ability to deliver, the highest practical and ethical standards.
Technical standards for the process of accreditation by the PSA are currently being finalised, which are based on internationally-recognised research, and will be underpinned by an education strategy.
“We know there are people setting up as case managers and working with clients, who sometimes may not have the very high levels of professional competence and standards we would like to see, but at the minute there is little we can do about that,” says Angela.
“By creating the IRCM, and with it a professional register with accreditation from the PSA, we are bringing in a way of checking competence and ability to practice as a case manager which is what the industry wants to see. This will be hugely valuable for case management and for increased levels of confidence and trust in what we do.”
Through bringing together the three main professional membership bodies within case management, who have been working on the project since 2012, the IRCM will help to ensure continued collaboration from all sides of the community. This will also include professionals working in other sectors such as the NHS.
“It’s great we have been able to work collectively to achieve this. We’ll be working together and with our memberships to enable case managers to work towards registration , which is so important in giving that reassurance and protection to our clients,” says Angela.
Full details about the IRCM can be found at www.ircm.org.uk
