UK Health Professions Regulatory System

Context – UK Health System

• Health system centrally funded through taxation;• NHS majority employer for healthcare

professionals;• Training for doctors/dentists etc centrally funded;• Healthcare regulatory system independent of the

NHS;

Context - Devolution

• Health policy generally devolved in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland;

• Regulation policy generally reserved to Westminster, but with a few exceptions.

Context

• Health and social care amongst the most heavily regulated sectors in the UK– Regulation of providers;– Regulation of pharmacy and optical premises;– Performers lists;– Regulation of professionals;

• Duties on regulated professionals to delegate and supervise non-regulated workers;

– Vetting and Barring Scheme

Health Professions Regulators

• The UK competent authorities:– General Medical Council– Nursing and Midwifery Council – General Dental Council– Health Professions Council– General Pharmaceutical Council– General Optical Council– General Chiropractic Council– General Osteopathic Council– Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland

• Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence

Functions

• Public protection overriding purpose;• Functions:

– Set standards;– Quality assure education and training providers;– Register those meeting standards;– Ensure continuing fitness to practise;– Investigate concerns about practice.

The Council

• Powers vested in the Council;• Appointed by Privy Council;• 50/50 Professional/Lay;• Duties and powers set out in legislation;• Powers to make own rules;

Role of State

• Rules must be approved by Privy Council;• Privy Council retains default powers (in most

cases);• Government retains powers in respect of

proposing changes to domestic law and transposition of European Law.

The Future

• Efficiency review• Smaller councils• Reform of GMC fitness to practise (adjudication)

• Simplification review by the Law Commission