Regulation of healthcare professionals

This topic covers the regulation of healthcare professionals working in England and Wales. Each profession is regulated by its own regulatory body which has its own statutory regulatory regime and enabling legislation. There are similarities between each professional regulator’s investigative powers, sanctions and appeal mechanisms, but each operate independently. The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) for Health and Social Care has responsibility for overseeing the UK’s health and social care regulators.

This topic concentrates on the:

1. •

   General Medical Council (GMC)

2. •

   General Dental Council (GDC)

3. •

   Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

4. •

   Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

5. •

   General Optical Council (GOC)

6. •

   Social Work England (SWE)

7. •

   General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

and their review by the PSA.

This subtopic focuses on the fitness to practice proceedings for each of the regulators. Much of the case law and principles are common across the regulators. Each of the individual regulators have their own statutory fitness to practice regime which is covered in specific detail in the individual Practice Notes referenced below but should be read in conjunction with the common principles Practice Notes: Common principles in fitness