The Professional Standards Authority has published its annual performance review of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. We review each of the statutory health and social care regulators each year to assess whether they are meeting our Standards of Good Regulation. The PSNI’s register covers 2,470 pharmacists practising in Northern Ireland.
We are pleased to report that the PSNI has met all of the Standards of Good Regulation for the second year running and has maintained the improvement in its performance we noted last year. More information about how we reached our decision is set out in our annual review of performance - PSNI2016/17 or you can read a summary in our snapshot.
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
Contact:
Christine Braithwaite, Director Standards and Policy
E: Christine.Braithwaite@professionalstandards.org.uk
Reception: 020 7389 8030
Notes to the Editor
- The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care oversees nine statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK.
- We assess their performance and report to Parliament. We also conduct audits and investigations and can appeal fitness to practise cases to the courts if we consider that sanctions are insufficient to protect the public and it is in the public interest.
- The Standards of Good Regulation are designed to ensure that the regulators are protecting the public but also promoting confidence in health and care professionals and themselves. The Standards cover the regulators’ four core functions: setting and promoting guidance and standards for the profession; setting standards for and quality assuring the provision of education and training; maintaining a register of professionals; and taking action where a professional’s fitness to practise may be impaired.
- We also set standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for health and social care occupations and accredit those that meet them.
- We share good practice and knowledge, conduct research and introduce new ideas to our sector. We monitor policy developments in the UK and 2 internationally and provide advice on issues relating to professional standards in health and social care.
- We do this to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of users of health and social care services and the public. We are an independent body, accountable to the UK Parliament.
- Our values are at the heart of who we are and what we do. We are committed to being impartial, fair, accessible and consistent in the application of our values.
- The Pharmaceutical Society for Northern Ireland (the PSNI) regulates pharmacists in Northern Ireland. Its work includes: ensuring high standards of education and training for pharmacists; maintaining a register of pharmacists (‘registrants’) and a register of students in pre-registration training; setting standards of conduct, ethics and performance for registrants; setting standards of continuing professional development to ensure registrants maintain their ability to practise safely and effectively; and taking action to restrict or remove from practice registrants who are not considered fit to practise. As at 30 September 2017 the PSNI register comprised 2,470 pharmacists. The annual fee for registrants is £398. The PSNI is also responsible for the registration of pharmacy premises in Northern Ireland and sets standards for pharmacy premises (with 548 premises registered at 30 September 2017); the responsibility for inspection and enforcement lies with the Department of Health Northern Ireland.
- More information about our work and the approach we take is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk