Frequently Asked Questions

It is a register that has been accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

This means that the organisation which holds the register meets demanding standards set by the PSA in a number of areas, including protecting the public, complaints handling, governance, setting standards for registrants, education and training, and managing the register. An Accredited Register differs from statutory registers held by bodies like the General Medical Council because professionals are not obliged to be on an Accredited Register in order to practise.

Practitioners on Accredited Registers work in health and social care occupations that do not have to be regulated by law. Sometimes people who are on a statutory register (one regulated by law), such as the General Medical Council, also choose to be on an Accredited Register that covers a specialist area of practice.

Practitioners on Accredited Registers have chosen to be on them to show their commitment to good practice, and that they are part of a governing body, with its own standards and procedures.

You can recognise an Accredited Register by looking out for our quality mark. Only Accredited registers can use it. You can find practitioners easily by using www.checkapractitioner.com. This allows you to search by the occupation you are looking for and will also show you the relevant Accredited Register/s for these occupations. You can then search each register individually for practitioners. You can also find Accredited Registers on the Accredited Registers Directory. 

It provides you with assurance that the organisation holding the register meets our standards. This means that they manage their register well and require practitioners on their register to meet specific standards of personal behaviour, technical competence and, where relevant, business practice.

Accredited Registers provide you with greater reassurance because if a practitioner is removed from one Accredited Register for poor practice, they cannot automatically join another. This way, you can avoid practitioners that have been ‘struck off’.

All practitioners on Accredited Registers are able and encouraged to use the quality mark.

The Authority does not hold a register, or approve individuals itself. We only accredit organisations that hold their own registers. If you want to be part of an Accredited Register, you should approach an Accredited Register that covers your profession and find out whether you meet the criteria to join the register.

Once you are registered, the Accredited Register will provide you with our quality mark and advice on how to use it.

No, it is a matter of choice. They can choose to be on an Accredited Register or not. You are also free to choose whether or not to use a practitioner on an Accredited Register.

The main purpose of the Accredited Registers programme is to protect the public and raise professional standards. The Authority sets high standards for organisations holding registers and Accredited Registers require practitioners to meet high standards of personal behaviour, technical competence and where applicable, business practice. This helps protect the public.

It does not have the power to bar people from working in the same way that statutory regulation can. However, if someone is removed from an Accredited Register, they cannot simply join another Accredited Register. If you always use www.checkapractitioner.com to check whether a practitioner is on an Accredited Register, you can reassure yourself that they are part of a body which sets high standards.

No. Having the quality mark does not mean that the Authority has either tested or accredited a particular therapy. We do not make judgements on the efficacy of treatments or therapies. This is a matter for the NHS, employers and service users. It also does not mean that one therapy is better, or more effective than another. It does mean, however, that the practitioners delivering that therapy are part of a body that works to good practice and is committed to protecting the public.

First of all, you should raise the matter with the person concerned if you feel able to do so. You can also contact the organisation that holds the register to ask for advice. If the practitioner cannot resolve your concerns or if the matter is serious, the organisation holding the accredited register can investigate. You can find the organisation by searching for it on The Accredited Registers Directory.

Yes you can. We do not consider complaints about individuals on Accredited Registers, as we expect the accredited organisation to handle these concerns. However, if you are unhappy with the way that the organisation handled your complaint or another part of its role and think it does not meet our Standards, you can share your experience with us. 

If a practitioner is removed from an Accredited Register, there will be a record of that on the register with the reason why they were removed. This record is freely available to the public and is published on the Accredited Register’s own website. You can access their register by searching for them through www.checkapractitioner.com or on The Accredited Registers Directory.

The Authority requires all organisations holding Accredited Registers to recognise and acknowledge the decision to remove a practitioner for disciplinary reasons.

We welcome applications from organisations that hold registers and are committed to protecting the public. First of all, you’ll need to make sure you meet our Standards and are ready to apply. You’ll find a self-assessment tool on Apply for the quality mark. We also encourage you to have an informal discussion with our Accreditation team about your organisation and your plans to apply.

Yes. The PSA will have to be sure that you meet all the Standards before we award accreditation and accompanying use of the quality mark. You can find out more about how we assess organisations at Apply for the quality mark.