IRCM has today published a series of new and updated documents. The Case Management Competency Framework has been updated, new guidance has been published on self referral health and conduct reporting, systemic and unconscious bias and working collaboratively with therapists. The guidance on scope of practice has been updated.
Key updates and information are shown below and may be useful to people in a variety of roles including aspiring case managers but are particularly relevant to Registered Case Managers and Pre-Registrants who practise in line with the Standards of Proficiency and are bound by IRCM policies and procedures; guidance documents support Registrants and Pre-Registrants in these.
New guidance: systemic and unconscious bias
This guidance document has been developed to support Registrants and Pre-Registrants to build their awareness of systemic and unconscious bias to support fair, inclusive and evidence-based case management practice. Registrants and Pre-Registrants should understand how systemic and unconscious bias may influence their judgement, behaviour and decision-making and must take reasonable steps to mitigate its impact. Recognising and addressing potential bias is essential to ensuring that all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, fairness, and equality of opportunity.
New guidance: working collaboratively with therapists
This guidance provides information about working collaboratively with therapists for Registered Case Managers (Registrants) and those on the Pre-Registrant Pathway (Pre-Registrants). Whilst the focus is on working with therapists some elements may also assist case managers working collaboratively with other service providers.
This guidance is intended to highlight the breadth of the roles and responsibilities of Registrants and Pre-Registrants as case managers coordinating MDT working. MDT working refers to multi-disciplinary team working which is required as part of a case-managed package of rehabilitation provided to service users in the community. It sets out best practice, but acknowledges that some case managers may be constrained, for example by working solely with statutory services when their budget or their working criteria sets limits on their role.
New guidance: self referral health and conduct reporting
IRCM is committed to safeguarding the public and maintaining confidence in the case management profession by ensuring that case managers on the Register and Pre-Registrant Pathway practise safely, effectively, and with integrity. As part of this, individuals are expected to be open and transparent about matters that may affect their professional practice, including their health, conduct, and character. This includes both reporting relevant information and, where necessary, proactively raising concerns about their own ability to practise safely. Early reporting supports timely, proportionate decision-making, helps to prevent harm, and enables case managers to demonstrate insight and professionalism.
This guidance explains when and how Registrants and Pre-Registrants should notify IRCM of concerns relating to their health, conduct, or professional practice, including when a self-referral is required.
Updated: Case Management Competency Framework
The Framework focuses on the fundamentals of case management, being designed to be relevant to all case managers across all UK health and social care settings. It encompasses the values, beliefs, competencies, and underpinning knowledge and skills that any case manager should possess. It provides a benchmark to articulate and promote the expectations and requirements for safe, ethical, quality case management practice, and it has informed the development of the Standards of Proficiency in Case Management, Registration and Pre-Registration requirements, and curricula for education and training.
The Competency Framework was originally published in 2022 prior to the opening of the Register of Case Managers and Pre-Registrant Pathway. As such it has received a comprehensive review and has been revised throughout to align with the current IRCM Standards of Proficiency in Case Management (updated in December 2025), Registration and Pre-Registration requirements, and supporting policies. There have been significant updates made to organisational information as IRCM has become operational in the intervening period, as well as updates to terminology and references. The Framework now includes additional references to CPD, Professional Supervision and other supporting guidance and policy that has been developed since its initial draft. General amendments have been made throughout the document to improve clarity, consistency and accessibility but much of the core framework remains unaltered.
Updated: Scope of Practice Guidance
‘Scope of practice’ is a term used to describe those aspects of a job that an individual is competent to do because they have the knowledge, skills, and experience to complete them safely and effectively in the best interests of service users. Registrants and Pre-Registrants must be clear about, and operate within, their scope of practice and must be able to identify and justify their own scope in any given practice situation.
This guidance has been comprehensively reviewed and updated to follow the format for IRCM guidance developed subsequent to its initial publication. As part of this a purpose section has been added linking the guidance to the Standards of Proficiency in Case Management. Since the first version both the Register and Pre-Registrant Pathways have become operational and so terminology has been updated along with revised references to reflect current requirements. Further reading resources have been added and amendments made to improve readability, consistency and alignment with other IRCM guidance and policy.
These documents along with other guidance and policies can be accessed on our documents page. For Registrants and Pre-Registrants those appropriate to your status can also be found in the resources tab when logging into the portal.