The Schedule – Objectives of regulators of health and social care professions
38.This Schedule makes provision for a consistent overarching objective of public protection for the following regulators of health and social care professionals, by means of the following legislative amendments:
39.Like the PSA’s overarching objective, the overarching objective of the health and social care professional regulators involves the pursuit of the following objectives, which are consistent with those that apply in the case of the PSA:
40.For the GOC and GPhC, which also have functions in relation to business regulation, the overarching objective also involves promoting and maintaining proper standards and conduct for business registrants (GOC), and proper standards for the safe and effective practise of pharmacy at registered pharmacies (GPhC).
41.The Schedule also requires committees and panels to have regard to the overarching objective when determining if a practitioner is fit to practise or when considering appropriate sanctions. The committees and panels concerned are:
42.The Schedule does not make provision for the General Medical Council (‘GMC’) as similar provision was made for the GMC in the General Medical Council (Fitness to Practise and Over-arching Objective) and the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (References to Court) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/794). It also does not make similar provision for the Pharmaceutical Society for Northern Ireland, whose remit is different from that of the other regulators.