Professional Standards Authority

11/06/2026

‘The future of AI in health and care cannot be shaped by technical expertise alone.’

In a new Patient Safety Learning blog, PSA Policy Advisor Patrick Murphy explains why lived experience matters. It helps us understand how systems really work — and how to improve them.

‘Patients and service users are not just observers of AI policy and regulation, they are essential partners in getting it right.’

To ensure this considered, tackling inequality must be embedded throughout the process — from guidance to implementation.

As AI continues to transform health and care, we must make sure patients and service users are involved every step of the way.

Read more:
https://www.pslhub.org/learn/digital-health-and-care-service-provision/288_artificial-intelligence/383_policy-impact-regulation-and-workforce/384_governance-regulation-and-policy/the-importance-of-bringing-lived-experience-into-the-development-of-guidance-for-ai-use-in-health-and-care-r14395/

10/06/2026

We have responded to the General Dental General Dental Council's (GDC) consultation on revisions to guidance for case examiners, and to the undertakings bank for case examiners.

We are pleased that the guidance addresses discrimination and harassment, especially as this was an area of weakness found in reviews of the GDC's performance.

We do have some concerns about two elements being considered under the same sub-heading, and think dealing with them separately would result in clearer and more comprehensive guidance.

We also think the GDC's approach to the publication of undertakings and warnings, doesn't give sufficient weight to the principle of open justice. In our view, transparent and accessible decisions are key for maintaining confidence in regulators and regulatory processes.

Click for our full response: https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/publications/response-general-dental-councils-consultation-revisions-guidance-case-examiners-and

10/06/2026

There is less than one week left to share your experience with the Human Givens Institute Ltd (Human Givens College) or the CBT Register UK.

Your feedback will help inform our full assessment, which we carry out every three years.

Please share your views by 15 June 2026:

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=gqAu-rxK1UWjmFIwQqO9nmDePIkD3lhKqBld-EyDGqdUMVlFRE9QWDIyTE5ERkZJUFBDS1VBQ0FDNiQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl

Have you had experience with the Human Givens College or The CBT Register UK?

Every three years, we carry out a full assessment of Accredited Registers against our Standards. We will soon begin the next cycle of assessments as part of the accreditation renewal process for the Human Givens Institute and the CBT Register UK.

Your experience will help inform our assessment.

Share your views by 15 June 2026 here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=gqAu-rxK1UWjmFIwQqO9nmDePIkD3lhKqBld-EyDGqdUMVlFRE9QWDIyTE5ERkZJUFBDS1VBQ0FDNiQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl

09/06/2026

A first-of-its-kind register of domestic abuse risk assessors has moved a step closer to possible accreditation.

DVACT-PAI holds the UK’s only register of expert domestic abuse risk assessors. The register has met Standard One for our Accredited Registers programme, recognising a clear public interest in its accreditation, and enabling it to progress to the next stage of the process.

Domestic abuse risk assessment is complex, specialised work that can have a significant impact on the safety and wellbeing of adults and children. This milestone highlights the important role of expert assessors and the value of strong professional standards in supporting their work.

We will continue working with DVACT-PAI as they prepare their full application.

Read the full decision: https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/news-and-updates/news/first-its-kind-register-domestic-abuse-risk-assessors-gets-go-ahead-apply-psa

09/06/2026

“I made my complaint very clear. I want action, not words, not... I don't want even the word compensation mentioned. I don’t want any of that. I want someone else to get a better standard of care.”

🔥It’s week two of our Complaints hot topic month🔥

Last year, we published research exploring the barriers and enablers people experience when making a complaint to a health or social care professional regulator. The findings bring together a range of perspectives to better understand what helps – and what gets in the way – when people raise concerns.

Watch this short video to hear directly from some of the voices behind the research.

You can read the full report here:
https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/publications/barriers-and-enablers-making-complaint-health-or-social-care-professional-regulator

08/06/2026

What are the key challenges facing health and social care across the devolved nations, and how can regulation help address them?

In this blog, PSA Board members Ali Jarvis, Geraldine Campbell and Eleanor Marks share perspectives from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

They look at issues including workforce pressures and digital transformation, and discuss how regulation can make a positive difference.

Read the blog here:

PSA Board members share their insights on regulation and future priorities for the PSA in this blog in the form of a Q&A

05/06/2026

Barriers can prevent people from raising concerns about health and social care – meaning missed opportunities to learn, improve, and protect the public.

For our Complaints Hot Topic reading of the week, we’re highlighting a joint blog with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman exploring:
• why people may wish to complain
• why complaints matter
• the barriers people face
• what organisations can do to break them down

We hope that by highlighting them and continuing to work with partners across the health and care sector, we can encourage and support others to improve the culture around complaints and break down the barriers people face when making one.

Written by Rebecca Hilsenrath (Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and Alan Clamp (PSA Chief Executive).

Read more: https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/news-and-updates/news/barriers-complaints-what-are-they-and-how-can-we-break-them-down

05/06/2026

Don't forget to have your say on the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council - CNHC's proposal to include Tai Chi, Qigong and EFT Tapping practitioners on its Accredited Register.

If you have relevant experience or evidence, we would welcome your feedback on:
• how these roles support people in practice
• any risks or limitations
• how these roles are described to the public

Share your views by 12 June:
https://forms.office.com/e/DeFkSJW7Ax

04/06/2026

We welcome the publication of the Lord Mann Review, which looked at how the system for regulating healthcare professionals deals with antisemitism and other forms of racism at every stage, from employment to professional oversight.

Racism and antisemitism in the NHS can seriously affect public trust and confidence in both professionals and healthcare services. They can also make patients, families and staff feel unsafe. It is important that professional regulators, along with others in the system, take action to tackle this.

The Review recommends giving the PSA additional powers, including:
• a new power to appeal interim order decisions, which are made before a final decision on a healthcare professional’s fitness to practise
• a proposed new power to require the General Medical Council (GMC) to share information with us

It also recommends additional accountability arrangements and expects us to do more to bring regulators together and communicate with them about their responsibilities in this area. There are further recommendations for regulators, employers and other stakeholders.

We welcome these recommendations and will start planning how to work with others to take them forward. We will publish more information later this month about the proposed new powers in our response to the consultation on the GMC’s new legislation.

Read our full statement here: https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/news-and-updates/news/mann-review-recommendations-much-needed-boost-tackling-antisemitism-and

03/06/2026

“Will we soon be in a time where aspects of AI use are so ubiquitous that we expect and understand that they are in use somewhere through the process?”

This is just one of the questions explored in our latest newsletter. As we head towards summer, we’re pleased to share the Spring edition of The Standard.

In this issue, we look at developments in AI, the General Medical Council (GMC) Order consultation, and what we learned from the All-Party Parliamentary Health Group event at the UK House of Lords—along with other updates you may have missed.

You can read the latest issue, as well as previous editions, here:
https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/news-and-updates/news/e-newsletter-standard