Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the recommendation for the creation of a single assurance body proposed by the Professional Standards Authority in its report Regulation Rethought.

The Government has no plans to implement the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care’s proposal to create a single assurance body for all healthcare professionals, as set out in its 2016 Regulation Rethought report.

The Government is committed to reforming the regulation of healthcare professionals across the United Kingdom, and on 24 March published its Reforming the General Medical Council legislative framework consultation, which sets out proposals to modernise the General Medical Council’s regulatory framework. The consultation runs until 23 June 2026, and further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-the-general-medical-council-legislative-framework/reforming-the-general-medical-council-legislative-framework-consultation-document

We also plan to deliver legislative reform for the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health and Care Professions Council during this UK parliamentary term.