Broaden healthcare professional regulation to include education, training, CPD, and revalidation

The Index has not yet recorded a verbatim government response to this recommendation.

Please see Recommendation 46 (Professional standards).

There are 9 bodies regulating 31 health care professions in the UK. Each regulator is governed by its own statute, or Order in Council, made under powers conferred by Section 60 of the Health Act 1999.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) oversees the professional regulators, working with them to improve the way that professionals are regulated. They also have powers to assess and accredit organisations who register practitioners, who are not regulated by law, and work closely with the Government by giving policy advice and encouraging research to improve regulation.

Under the Medical Act 1983, the GMC has responsibility with regards to maintaining the medical register, setting standards for doctors, overseeing medical education and training, supporting revalidation and also addressing fitness to practise concerns. Under the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001, the Nursing and Midwifery Council regulates nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England. They set standards, hold a register, quality assure education and investigate complaints.

Under the Health Professions Order 2001, the HCPC was established to set standards for relevant professionals’ education and training, approve programmes which relevant professionals must complete for registration, maintain a register of professional and ensure registrants are fit to practise.

The Government agreed with this recommendation in part.

In its January 2002 response, the Department of Health said it recognised that regulatory bodies had expertise and specialisation in the field of education, training and development, and that the new Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals should be able to ensure that a single overarching view was taken of the same. However, the Department said it did not agree that the new Council should be given powers to determine standards for education and admission to practice.