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Professional Standards Authority introduces a single set of Standards across regulators and Accredited Registers to strengthen public protection
19 Mar 2026
Updated framework strengthens expectations on safeguarding, governance and professional suitability
The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) has today published updated Standards for the organisations it oversees and accredits.
For the first time, the PSA has introduced a single set of Standards covering both professional regulators (more than 1.8 million registered professionals) and Accredited Registers. While these organisations operate in different ways and have different powers, the Standards reinforce the principle that the public should expect the same high level of protection.
In revising its Standards, the PSA worked with the Patients Association to gather the views of patients/service-users among other stakeholders. This updated framework strengthens the focus on patient safety, public protection and effective risk-based regulation.
The revised Standards introduce clearer and more accessible expectations for professional healthcare regulators and the Accredited Registers. They also place greater emphasis on governance, determining professional suitability and collaboration, reflecting the importance of organisational leadership, risk management and effective safeguards in protecting patients and the public.
“These Standards have been developed through extensive consultation and engagement with regulators, Accredited Registers, professionals, patients and the public.
“The result is a clearer and more focused framework that supports organisations to strengthen governance, manage risks effectively and work together to protect patients and the public and maintain confidence in the professionals who provide care.”
The PSA oversees 10 health and social care professional regulators and has accredited 28 voluntary registers for health and care practitioners through its Accredited Registers programme.
ENDS
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
Contact: media@professionalstandards.org.uk
Notes to the editor
- The new Standards will come into effect on 1 July 2026. For regulators, this means we will begin collecting evidence about their performance against the new standards for their 2026/27 performance review cycle. Therefore, we do not expect to publish the first performance review using these Standards until September 2027. As the regulators’ cycles begin at different times, the transition to the new standards will be staggered.
- For Accredited Registers, implementation will begin from 1 July 2026. Applications for accreditation received from new and existing registers before 1 July will be transitioned to the revised Standards before we report on outcomes. From 1 July, all applications and notifications of change must be made against the revised Standards. Each applicant and accredited register will receive information about how the transition process will work for them specifically.
- The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) is the UK’s oversight body for the regulation of people working in health and social care. Our statutory remit, independence and expertise underpin our commitment to the safety of patients and service-users, and to the protection of the public. There are 10 organisations that regulate health professionals in the UK and social workers in England by law. We audit their performance and review their decisions on practitioners’ fitness to practise. We also accredit and set standards for organisations holding registers of health and care practitioners not regulated by law. We collaborate with all of these organisations to improve standards. We share good practice, knowledge and our right-touch regulation expertise.
- We also conduct and promote research on regulation. We monitor policy developments in the UK and internationally, providing guidance to governments and stakeholders. Through our UK and international consultancy, we share our expertise and broaden our regulatory insights.
- Our values are – integrity, transparency, respect, fairness and teamwork – and we strive to ensure that they are at the core of our work.