Commentary on Sections The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care Section 222 - The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
1315.This section changes the name of the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence to the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, and makes amendments to the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 required as a result of the change of name.
1316.The name change reflects its new functions in overseeing the Health and Care Professions Council, and its new power to accredit voluntary registers of unregulated health professionals and unregulated health care workers in the UK, and unregulated social care workers in England.
1317.The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence was established by section 25 of the 2002 Act and its functions are set out in sections 25 to 29 of that Act. It is currently responsible for the scrutiny and quality assurance of the nine health professional regulatory bodies in the UK, namely the General Medical Council, the General Dental Council, the General Optical Council, the General Osteopathic Council, the General Chiropractic Council, the General Pharmaceutical Council, the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health Professions Council (which is renamed the Health and Care Professions Council by this Act).