The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) oversees statutory bodies that regulate health professionals in the United Kingdom and social care in England. Where occupations are not subject to statutory regulation, it sets standards for those organisations that hold voluntary registers and accredits those that meet them.
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Until 30 November 2012 it was known as the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE). It is an independent body, which is accountable to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It assesses the performance of each regulator, conducts audits, scrutinises their decisions and reports to Parliament. It seeks to achieve balance in the oversight of regulation through the application of the concept of right-touch regulation.
History
The Health Act 1999 allowed the UK government to more easily change healthcare regulatory arrangements, through orders of the Privy Council. The Kennedy report into the Bristol heart scandal was published in July 2001 and plans for a body to oversee the regulation of healthcare professionals in the UK quickly followed. The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) was set up under the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002. The CHRE was succeeded by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, which was set up under section 222 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
Aims
The Authority has several stated aims: sharing good practice and knowledge, conducting research and introducing new ideas to the health and social care sector. It monitors policy developments in the UK and internationally and provides advice on issues relating to professional standards in health and social care. It also aims to promote the health, safety and well-being of users of health and social care services and the public.
The Authority makes no claim on the scientific validity of any of the methodologies used by societies that it oversees.
Oversight of the regulators
The Authority covers the 9 statutory bodies that regulate health professionals in the UK and social workers in England:
Voluntary registers
The Accredited Voluntary Registers scheme sets out various standards applicable to organisations that deal with occupations that are not statutorily regulated. In order to use the PSA accreditation mark, organisations that hold voluntary registers must prove that they meet these standards.
In September 2014 there were 13 organisations with voluntary registers that had been given accreditation.
Accreditation of a voluntary register does not mean that the PSA endorses a particular approach or therapy. The Authority is not concerned whether any of the methodologies used by societies on this scheme have any scientific validity. It regards the question of scientific veracity as a matter of opinion.
Funding
The devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all fund the authority, with contributions in line with the Barnett formula.