The Professional Standards Authority

One of the PSA’s priorities is to ensure there is alignment with the needs and aims of the NHS workforce during a high-pressured and challenging time.

When new roles are introduced to augment the existing workforce, there can be concerns about regulation and how to mitigate risks of harm to the public and service users. In 2022 the PSA published the Safer care for all report which examines the major patient and service user safety issues from the perspective of professional regulation.

In March 2024 the PSA published its priorities to help the next UK government deliver better and safer care for all. Making care safer for all - a manifesto for change 2024 outlines the PSA’s recommendations to government to help tackle some of the big challenges within health and social care.

The Accredited Registers programme can provide a flexible solution and pragmatic alternative to statutory regulation or no regulation. New registers can be introduced at pace helping to streamline recruitment processes for employers in the NHS. 

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has published revised guidance on right-touch regulation, which is an approach applied in its work and encourages regulators to use as well. 

The principles-based framework helps with deciding how best to protect the public by looking at the level of risk of harm and choosing the most effective and proportionate response, whether through regulation or other actions. 

Following an extensive period of consultation and engagement, PSA have revised and streamlined the standards to strengthen their focus on patient safety, public protection and effective, risk-based regulation. This reflects the principles set on their updated right-touch regulation, which emphasises the importance of the key areas highlighted in the revised standards. 

The updated standards introduce:

• A single, consistent set of standards for both regulators and Accredited Registers.
• Clearer expectations to support transparency and accountability.
• Stronger emphasis on governance, leadership and organisational culture.
• Reinforced risk-based and evidence-informed approaches to professional suitability and safeguarding.
• Clear expectations around collaboration and information sharing across the regulatory system.
• Measures to support earlier, local resolution of concerns about registrants. ​​​

These changes will be applied to oversight and accreditation work from July 2026 and are designed to ensure that their framework remains rigorous, proportionate and able to respond to emerging risks in a changing health and care regulatory landscape.

The PSA is seeking views on its draft strategic plan, which sets out the proposed approach to delivering its statutory duties as effectively and efficiently as possible over the coming years.

In June 2025 the PSA published guidance documents which outline regulatory powers to use a less adversarial and quicker accepted outcomes process for dealing with complaints about healthcare professionals. Regulators will also have new powers to make and amend the rules governing the way they regulate.

Further information and guidance documents can be found on the PSA website.

Access the full list of Accredited Registers and the occupations it covers on the PSA website.

Use the PSA’s Check a Practitioner tool to see if someone is registered.

When you include registration with a relevant Accredited Register within job descriptions, it increases the likelihood of attracting candidates who have met appropriate training standards and have committed to high standards of ethical and professional behaviours.  

• It provides greater confidence in the safety and competence of the wider workforce because of a commitment to professional standards, safeguarding and ethical behaviours.
• Good practice is followed in delegation and referral. Doctors can refer to any practitioner on an accredited register, as set out in GMC guidance.
• It demonstrates good practice to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
• There are robust processes for registration and complaints handling.
• Since the removal of anyone from an Accredited Register is shared with others in the programme, there is greater accountability for practitioners.
• Clear, up-to-date information about practitioners is available so that employers can make the right choice.