Today, the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) is publishing an analysis of its public consultation on introducing requirements for Accredited Registers to access criminal records checks.
The PSA Board considered the full findings of the consultation along with an Equality Impact Assessment at its meeting on 19 July 2023. The findings of the consultation and those of the Government’s review of the Disclosure and Barring Regime (the Bailey Review) both raise issues which are relevant to the registration of all healthcare professionals. The Government’s response to the Bailey Review recommendations will be a key factor in future decisions on criminal records checks.
There are inconsistencies in terms of eligibility and access to criminal records checks for both Accredited Registers and the statutory regulators. From September 2023, we will widen the focus of our work on safeguarding to consider the wider regulatory landscape to gain a better understanding of the inherent risks, with a focus on arrangements for self-employed registrants.
We will continue to engage with relevant bodies to work towards a risk-based, consistent approach. These include the UK Government and the agencies overseeing criminal records checks across the UK (the DBS, Disclosure Scotland and AccessNI).
ENDS
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
Email: media@professionalstandards.org.uk
Notes to the Editor
- The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care oversees 10 statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK.
- We assess their performance and report to Parliament. We also conduct audits and investigations and can appeal fitness to practise cases to the courts if we consider that sanctions are insufficient to protect the public and it is in the public interest.
- We also set standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for health and social care occupations and accredit those that meet them.
- We share good practice and knowledge, conduct research and introduce new ideas to our sector. We monitor policy developments in the UK and internationally and provide advice on issues relating to professional standards in health and social care.
- We do this to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of users of health and social care services and the public. We are an independent body, accountable to the UK Parliament.
- Our values are – integrity, transparency, respect, fairness and teamwork – and we strive to ensure that they are at the core of our work.
- More information about our work and the approach we take is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk