The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) has published a new set of combined Standards for professional healthcare regulators and Accredited Registers, marking an important step forward in strengthening public protection across health and care.
The updated Standards introduce a clearer, more accessible framework that will be applied to both statutory regulators and Accredited Registers for the first time. While these organisations operate in different ways, they share a common purpose – protecting patients, service users and the public.
The revised framework places a stronger emphasis on the areas that matter most for public protection, including:
The Standards also support a more proportionate, risk-based approach to regulation, in line with the PSA’s Right-touch Regulation principles.
For Accredited Registers, the new Standards provide greater clarity about what is expected, while recognising the distinct role that voluntary registers play.
They are designed to support continuous improvement, helping registers demonstrate that they are well-run, responsive to risk and focused on public protection. The Standards also make it easier for stakeholders, including the public, to understand how Accredited Registers contribute to safer care.
The new Standards have been shaped through extensive engagement with regulators, Accredited Registers, professionals and other stakeholders. This collaborative approach has helped ensure that the framework is both robust and practical, reflecting the realities of regulation and registration across different parts of the sector.
The PSA will work closely with us and other Accredited Registers and regulators as the new Standards are implemented. They will provide further guidance and support to help us understand and meet the updated expectations. We will post regular updates throughout this process.