News Article

Peace of mind for users of health and social care

Anyone looking for health and social care services can enjoy greater peace of mind from today, with the launch of a Government-backed scheme to promote quality for those healthcare professionals who are not regulated by statute.

At an event in the House of Commons today, the Professional Standards Authority (the Authority) launched the Accredited Voluntary Registers scheme, which vets and approves registers of health and social care practitioners.

People looking for services such as psychotherapy, counselling, acupuncture, play therapy and many others will soon be able to look out for practitioners displaying the Accredited Voluntary Register mark. The mark is a sign that a practitioner belongs to a register which meets the Professional Standards Authority's robust standards, demonstrating a personal commitment to improving quality.

Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said:

"Good care comes from good people. But if you're an employer or a member of the public who employs an unregulated professional, you need to be able to find people who are committed to the highest professional standards. The AVR scheme is an excellent way of doing that.

The scheme will be a benchmark of high professional standards and good practice. And because of that, it will give people faith in the staff they employ, enhance the reputation of practitioners and, crucially, raise standards across the board."

Harry Cayton, Chief Executive of the Professional Standards Authority said:

The scheme offers enhanced protection to anyone looking for health and care services. With lots of different regulators supervising different parts of healthcare, this scheme works by bringing more professionals into the fold. It gives practitioners the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment by joining a register dedicated to improving standards.

Accreditation does not imply that the Authority has assessed the merits of individuals on the register. This remains the responsibility of the organisations holding the register. It does not mean that the Authority has endorsed a particular treatment, people will need to consider the information provided and decide if it is suitable for them. Accreditation means that the organisation's accredited register meets the Professional Standards Authority's high standards in governance, standard-setting, education and training, management, complaints and information.

As the scheme develops, accredited registers will encompass a wide range of occupations and organisations, and the Professional Standards Authority may accredit more than one register in any particular occupation. Further information on the accredited voluntary register scheme is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk/voluntary-registers