Health Professional Regulation Resources
Health and Social Care Regulation
On this page you will find links to the websites of:
- Healthcare Regulators who have regulatory rights and duties to inspect health and social care providers in England, Wales & Scotland;
- Regulators of healthcare professionals working within the UK;
- Social care professional bodies in England, Wales & Scotland;
- Medical and Nursing Royal Colleges and Faculties; and
- Nursing and medical doctors’ trades unions.
Healthcare Regulators
Key bodies who have a regulatory inspection role across the UK:
The Care Quality Commission The Independent regulator of health and social care in England.
Care Inspectorate Scotland Inspects the quality of care in Scotland, including health and social care, early learning and childcare, social work, children’s services and community justice.
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales Arolygiaeth Gofal lechyd Cymru The Independent inspectorate and regulator of healthcare in Wales.
Healthcare Professional Bodies
Regulators of health and care professionals.
These bodies gain their powers from the UK Parliament and control who can work within their particular health and care profession. The register suitably qualified individuals (and in some cases businesses). They set standards for their profession, embodied in the ethical guidance published by each body. They also have the power to investigate and individual’s fitness to practise and take action against members of that profession who are deemed to have acted in ways which are unprofessional, particularly when that conduct poses a risk to the public.
General Chiropractic Council (GCC) Regulator of chiropractors working within the United Kingdom.
General Dental Council (CDC) Regulator of dental professionals working within the United Kingdom.
General Medical Council (GMC) Regulator of medical doctors working within the United Kingdom. On 18th July 2019, Minister of Health, Stephen Hammond announced in the House of Commons that the GMC had also been asked to regulate physicians associates and anaethesia associates. This is yet to be implemented.
General Optical Council (GOC) Regulator of optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses working within the United Kingdom.
General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) Regulator of osteopaths working within the United Kingdom.
General Pharmaceutical Council (GPS) Regulator of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies in Great Britain.
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom and nursing associates in England.
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Regulator of the following professionals in United Kingdom.
- Art therapists
- Biomedical scientists
- Chiropodists/podiatrists
- Clinical scientists
- Dietitians
- Hearing aid dispensers
- Occupational therapists
- Operating department practitioners
- Orthopedists
- Paramedics
- Physiotherapists
- Practitioner psychologists
- Prosthetists/ orthotists
- Radiographers
- Speech and language therapists
Social Care Professional bodies
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Regulator of social work professionals and social work education in England.
Social Care Wales (SCW) Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru Regulator of social workers in Wales.
Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Regulator of social services professionals (social work) and social work education in Scotland.
Royal Colleges & Faculties
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) Co-ordinate the 23 medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in UK and Ireland. Its role is to ensure that patients are safely and properly cared for by setting standards for the education, training and monitoring of health professionals.
Each Royal College or Faculty is responsible for the education, training and maintenance of standards within its profession.
The 23 members of the AoMRC are:
England and Wales:
Scotland:
Ireland:
The Royal College of Nursing combines the role of a professional body setting standards in nursing for education and practice with being the trades union for nurses.
The British Medical Association is the trade union for medical doctors and medical students in the United Kingdom.
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