Regulation of Health and Social Care Professionals Consultation

(1) which qualifications are approved qualifications for the purposes of pre
registration and post-registration qualifications;
(2) the approval of education institutions, courses, programmes and/or
environments leading to an award of such qualifications and the
withdrawal of approval;
(3) rights of appeals to an individual or a panel against the decision of the
regulator to refuse or withdraw approval from an institution or
course/programme;
(4) the quality assurance, monitoring and review of institutions, courses,
programmes and/or environments; and
(5) the appointment of visitors and establishment of a system of inspection of
all relevant education institutions.
6.40 The regulators would be given broad powers to establish further rules on how
these matters are implemented.
6.41 The statute would also require the regulators to establish and maintain a
published list of approved institutions and/or courses and programmes, and
publish information on any decisions regarding approvals.
6.42 As discussed in Part 12, the statute would also place duties on education
institutions to cooperate with the regulator in relation to its education function
(including for the purposes of quality assurance and inspection). This would
enable the regulators formally to require certain information and require the
institutions to give reasons in writing if they decide not to comply. Such a refusal
(depending on the reasons given) could lead to the regulator considering refusing
or withdrawing approval from the relevant course or programme; but we do not
think it is necessary to include this as a statement in the legislation.
6.43 In addition, we propose that the statute should include a specific requirement on
education institutions to pass on to the regulator in question information about
student fitness to practise sanctions, including warnings, conditions,
undertakings, suspension from the course/programme and expulsion. 32 This
reflects the conclusions of the inquiry of the Council for Healthcare Regulatory
Excellence into student fitness to practise, which argued that it is in the interests
of public protection to share an individual student’s fitness to practise sanctions
with a regulator. 33
6.44 In addition, the regulators would be given powers but would not be required to
issue rules on other matters, including but not limited to:
32 In most cases education providers for courses leading to a professional qualification
investigate and take action where there are concerns about a student’s fitness to practise.
See, for example, Sheffield Hallam University, Student Fitness to Practise Regulations
(2011). Some of the regulators issue guidance for education providers.
33 Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, Student Fitness to Practise: Should the
Regulators Receive Every Outcome? (2010).
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