GOC statement in response to Department of Health and Social Care consultation

The Department of Health and Social Care yesterday published their consultation on 'Regulating healthcare professionals, protecting the public'. The consultation aims to modernise the regulatory frameworks for health and social care regulators, including fitness to practise, registration and education reforms.

We welcome this consultation and the aim to give all health and social care regulators broadly equivalent powers in order to maintain a level of consistency and effective public protection. We think that removing overly prescriptive, complex and rigid legislative frameworks will allow regulators greater freedom to respond to future challenges, such as COVID-19, in a quicker and more effective way. We also note the intention to commission a review of the overall number of regulators and regulated professions. We welcome the fact that this is being taken forward by an independent party and look forward to feeding in our views.

The consultation closes on 16 June 2021.