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Other organisations

There are a number of other regulatory organisations in the UK which regulate health and care professionals

Anyone from one of the professions listed below must register with the relevant regulator. If they are not, then they are breaking the law and can be prosecuted. The registers are made up of only those professionals who have demonstrated that they have met high professional standards.
 
Because regulation is so important to standards of treatment and care, these registers are open to the public. You can check if your professional is registered by calling the relevant regulator or visiting their website. You can also raise a concern regarding a professional on their register.

Health regulators

  • Regulates: Chiropractors

    Tel: 020 7713 5155
    Website: www.gcc-uk.org

  • Regulates: Dentists, dental therapists, dental nurses, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians, and orthodontic therapists

    Tel: 020 7887 3800
    Website: www.gdc-uk.org

  • Regulates: Doctors

    Tel: 0845 357 8001 
    Website: www.gmc-uk.org 

  • Regulates: Dispensing opticians and optometrists

    Tel: 020 7580 3898
    Website: www.optical.org  

  • Regulates: Osteopaths

    Tel: 020 7357 6655
    Website: www.osteopathy.org.uk 

  • Regulates: Nurses, midwives, nursing associates in England and specialist community public health nurses. 

    Tel: 020 7333 6622 
    Website: www.nmc-uk.org 

  • Regulates: pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy premises. 

    Tel: 020 3713 8000
    Website: www.pharmacyregulation.org 

  • Regulates: Pharmacists and pharmacy premises in Northern Ireland

    Tel: 028 9032 6927 
    Website: www.psni.org.uk 

  • The independent body overseeing 10 Health and Social care regulators in the UK.

    Tel: 0207 839 8030 
    Website: www.professionalstandards.org.uk

Social Care regulators

  • The independent regulator for Social workers in England.

    Telephone: 0808 196 2272

    Website: www.socialworkengland.org.uk

  • Regulates: The social care workforce (Northern Ireland only)

    Tel: 028 9041 7600
    Website: www.niscc.info 

  • Regulates: The social care workforce (Wales only) 

    Tel: 029 2022 6257 
    Website: www.socialcare.wales 

  • Responsible for registering people who work in social services (Scotland only)

    Tel: 0845 60 30 891
    Website: www.sssc.uk.com 

Other regulators

  • The Care Quality Commission (CQC)

    The CQC is the independent regulator of health and social care services in England. They register care providers and monitor, inspect and rate services.

    Telephone: 03000 616161
    Website: https://www.cqc.org.uk/

    Care Inspectorate Wales

    The HIW is the independent regulator of healthcare in Wales. They are responsible for inspecting, reviewing and investigating NHS and independent healthcare services throughout Wales to highlight areas requiring improvement.

    Telephone: 0300 7900 126
    Website: http://careinspectorate.wales/

    Care Inspectorate (Scotland)

    The Care Inspectorate is the independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting health and social care services in Scotland. 

    Telephone: 0345 500 9527
    Email: enquiries@careinspectorate.gov.scot
    Website: www.careinspectorate.com

    The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA)

    The RQIA is the independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting health and Social care services in Northern Ireland

    Telephone: 028 9536 1111

    Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted)

    Ofsted inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.

    Telephone: 0300 123 1231
    Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

     

  • Advertising Standards Authority

    The independent regulator of advertising across all media.

    Phone: 020 7492 2222
    Website: www.asa.org.uk 

  • Information Commissioner’s Office

    The UK’s independent body which upholds information rights in the public interest. If you need advice about seeing your personal medical records or if you feel that information held by a public body about you is incorrect, contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

    Phone: 0303 123 1113
    Website: ico.org.uk

  • NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA)

    The NHSCFA is England’s independent health authority is responsible for investigating and preventing fraud and other financial crime in the NHS and wider health services.

    Telephone: 0207 895 4500
    Email: generalrnquiries@nhscfa.gsi.gov.uk
    Website: cfa.nhs.uk

    NHS Counter Fraud Service Wales (CFS)

    The CFS is a division of the NHS Wales Shared services partnership and works closely with the NHS Counter Fraud Authority in England. It leads on identifying and tackling financial crime in the NHS and other health services in Wales.

    Telephone: 0149 533 4101
    Website: www.nwssp.wales.nhs.uk

    NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services

    The Counter Fraud Service in Scotland is responsible for investigating and preventing fraud and other financial crime in the NHS and wider health services.

    Telephone: 0150 670 5200
    Website: cfs.scot.nhs.uk

Advocacy and support services

The following organisations may be useful for finding advice or support. You may also want to complain to the health service organisation involved, if appropriate, as they will have their own complaints procedure.

Contacts

  • Support Empower Advocate Promote (SeAp)
    An independent charity specialising in the provision of advocacy and related services.
    Telephone: 0330 440 9000
    Website: seap.org.uk

    Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA)
    A charity for patient safety and justice which provides free and confidential advice following a medical accident. They cover both NHS and private healthcare complaint procedures and can advise on referrals to regulatory bodies or legal action.
    Phone: 0845 123 2352
    Website: www.avma.org.uk 

    Age UK
    A voluntary organisation and charity which provides signposting and information for patients (both NHS and private) and supports them navigate healthcare services.
    Website: www.patients-association.org.uk/
    Telephone: 0800 345 7115

    Samaritans
    A charity which provides emotional support to anyone in distress.
    Website: www.samaritans.org
    Telephone: 116 123

    Victim Support
    A charity which provides specialist emotional support to victims of crimes and traumatic incidents.
    Website: www.victimsupport.org.uk
    Telephone: 0808 16 89 111

    MIND
    A mental health charity that provides general and legal advice, support and advocacy services to people suffering with mental health issues, their family members, and carers. MIND also offer a dedicated support service for staff working in emergency services and their families.
    Website: www.mind.org.uk
    Telephone : 0300 123 3393
    Telephone (Emergency workers) 0300 303 5999

    Rethink mental illness
    A mental health charity that provides mental health training and advice on issues around the Mental Health Act, community care, welfare benefits, and living with a mental illness.
    Website: www.rethink.org
    Telephone : 0300 5000 927

    Board of Community Health Council in Wales
    This organisation can provide you with free, confidential help if you have a problem or complaint with NHS services in Wales.
    Phone: 02920 235 558
    Website: www.wales.nhs.uk 

    Citizens Advice
    This service helps people deal with their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice.
    Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

  • NHS Complaints Advocacy in England
    A free, independent and confidential service that can help in making complaints about a National Health Service in England.
    Phone: 0300 330 5454
    Website: http://nhscomplaintsadvocacy.org/

    Northern Ireland Patient and Client Council
    This organisation can help you make a complaint about health and social-care services in Northern Ireland.
    Phone: 0800 917 0222
    Website: www.patientclientcouncil.hscni.net

    Patient Advice and Support Service in Scotland
    This service provides free, confidential information, advice and support for anyone wanting to give feedback, make comments, raise concerns or make a complaint about treatment and care provided by the NHS in Scotland.
    Website: www.patientadvicescotland.org.uk

    Patients Association
    An independent patient charity providing patients with concerns and queries about the health and social care system.
    Website: www.patients-association.org.uk
    Telephone: 0845 345 7115 

     

  • Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service Service (ACAS)
    Acas provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law.
    Phone: 0300 123 1100
    Website: https://www.acas.org.uk

    Unison
    Offers advice and representation to staff working in the private and public sectors.
    Phone: 0800 0857 857
    Website: www.unison.org.uk

    Unite
    Offers advice and representation to workers on issues inside and outside of the workplace.
    Phone: 0207 611 2500
    Website: unitetheunion.org

  • The Law Society
    The Law Society offers a free directory for anyone looking for information about organisations or people providing legal services in England and Wales that are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

    The Law Society of Scotland
    The Law Society of Scotland offers a free directory for anyone looking for information about organisations or people providing legal services in Scotland.
    Website: lawscot.org.uk

    The Law society of Northern Ireland
    The Law Society of Northern Ireland offers a directory of legal services for anyone looking find information about organisations or people providing legal services in Northern Ireland.
    Website: www.lawsoc-ni.org

Page updated on: 29/06/2018
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