Life sciences credentialing register receives accreditation: a step forward for patient safety

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care has approved the addition of a credentialing register for the Life Science Industry to the existing Accredited Register run by the Academy for Healthcare Science.

This register is the first of its kind and sets national standards for healthcare professionals working in the life sciences industry, providing reassurance to the NHS. Under the Accredited Registers programme, practitioners on the register will be able to display the Accredited Register quality mark, a sign that they belong to a register which meets the Professional Standards Authority’s robust standards.

Professor Sue Hill OBE, Chief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics at NHS England, said: ‘We welcome the approval of this landmark credentialing register. This is a great example of collaboration between industry, professional bodies and the NHS that benefits patients, industry and the public.’

Andrew Davies, Chair of the new LSI Registration Council, said: ‘The Registration Council is delighted that the Authority has awarded accreditation to the credentialing register, and we look forward to continuing to work with colleagues across the Life Science industry. This is a significant step for the industry and underlines our commitment to continuous improvement and to patient and public confidentiality and protection.’

Harry Cayton, Chief Executive of the Professional Standards Authority said: ‘We are very pleased to see this development of a new Life Science Industry register under the auspices of the Academy for Healthcare Science. Bringing additional practitioners into a broad framework of assurance is good for patients, service users and the public and is the best way to promote quality. The programme offers a new, standardised layer of protection and gives those working in the Life Science Industry the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to good practice.’

Accreditation does not imply that the Authority has assessed the merits of individuals on the register. This remains the responsibility of the Academy for Healthcare Science. Accreditation means that the Academy for Healthcare Science’s register meets the Professional Standards Authority’s high standards in areas including governance, standard-setting, education and training, management of the register, complaints handling and risk management.

Accredited Registers encompass a growing range of occupations and organisations and the Professional Standards Authority may accredit more than one register in any particular occupation. Further information about Accredited Registers is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk/what-we-do/accredited-registers

ENDS