All FAQs

It is a register that has been accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. This means that the organisation who holds the register meets demanding standards set by the Authority in the following areas: governance, setting standards for registrants, education and training, managing the register. A voluntary register differs from a statutory register because practitioners are not obliged to be registered in order to practise. 

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Practitioners who work in health and social care occupations that are not statutorily regulated. Additionally, sometimes people who are on a statutory register are also on a voluntary register that covers a specialist area of practice. 

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It provides you with assurance that the organisation who holds the register meets our standards. This means that they manage their register well and require their registrants to meet high standards of personal behaviour, technical competence and, where relevant, business practice. 

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The Authority does not hold a register itself, or accredit individuals.  We only accredit organisations that hold their own voluntary registers. You may wish to approach an accredited organisation in your profession and find out whether you satisfy their criteria to join their voluntary register. 

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No, it is a matter of choice. They can choose to be on an accredited voluntary register or not. You are also free to choose whether or not to use a practitioner on an accredited voluntary register.

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You can recognise an accredited register by the AVR quality mark. Only accredited voluntary registers can use it.  You can find accredited voluntary registers on our website. Please follow this link and search by organisation or occupation. A list of accredited organisations will be made available to you. Click on the name of the organisation. It will take you to its accredited voluntary register where you can search for registered practitioners.

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The main purpose of the scheme is to enhance public protection and raise professional standards. The Authority sets high standards for organisations holding voluntary registers and accredited registers require their registrants to meet high standards of personal behaviour, technical competence and where applicable, business practice. This requirement will enhance public protection but it does not have the power to bar people from working in the same way that statutory regulation can. 

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No. Accreditation does not validate the efficacy of a particular therapy. This means that the Authority will not test whether or not a particular therapy has better results than other therapies. 

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No. As an individual, you have the right to challenge an 'unreasonably harsh' decision in the High Court (the Court of Sessions for Scotland and the High Court of Justice for Northern Ireland).We do not have the power to refer decisions where a professional believes that decisions that made by the panel are too harsh. To find out more about our role in Fitness to Practise decisions made by the regulators’ panels see 'Overseeing Regulators'.

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You should raise the matter first with the person concerned if you feel able to do so.  You can also contact the organisation who holds the register to ask for advice.  

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