Boost for care workforce as Care Professionals Register meets PSA public interest test

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has today published a report confirming that the Care Professionals Register – administered by the National Association of Care and Support Workers (NACAS) – has provisionally met the public interest test for accreditation, also known as Standard One.

This marks an important step towards accreditation for a workforce that plays a vital role in supporting people in care settings, in the community and in their own homes. The PSA recognises that care professionals – also known as care and support workers – are an eligible group for accreditation, and that their work benefits the public.

In England, care professionals are not subject to statutory regulation, unlike in other UK nations. Accreditation through the PSA offers a route to greater oversight and accountability and supports improved recognition for a workforce that is essential to our health and care system.

Care professionals work with some of the most vulnerable people in society. PSA accreditation of the Care Professionals Register will foster expectations for appropriate qualifications, safe and ethical practice, and values that promote dignity and respect.

The PSA will now continue to work with NACAS as it prepares its application for full accreditation.

The decision comes as the Casey Review considers the future of adult social care in England. This workforce, and the standards that it upholds, will be pivotal in delivering on any recommendations made. Accreditation can play an important role in strengthening public confidence in care services, by providing a clear route for raising concerns and an assurance that registrants meet recognised standards.

“We’re pleased to confirm that the Care Professionals Register has provisionally met our public interest test – the first step on the path to accreditation,” said Alan Clamp, Chief Executive of the Professional Standards Authority. 

“This decision recognises the essential contribution of care and support workers in England and the importance of strong standards to underpin their work. We look forward to working closely with NACAS as they prepare their full application.”

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said, “The news that NACAS has been awarded Standard One from the Professional Standards Authority is a key milestone in the journey towards the registration of social care staff. Social care is a complex and challenging profession, and it is important that care staff receive professional recognition, and registration is part of that process.” 

You can read the PSA’s full decision here.

ENDS

Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care

Contact: media@professionalstandards.org.uk

Notes to the Editor

1. 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.
    
2. Our values are – integrity, transparency, respect, fairness and teamwork – and we strive to ensure that they are at the core of our work.