Regulation of Health and Social Care Professionals Consultation

oute to UK registration. 30 The General Pharmaceutical Council also accredits
those courses that are part of its Overseas Pharmacists’ Assessment Programme
that award a postgraduate diploma following a conversion course for non-EEA
qualified pharmacists, as well as some masters courses delivered in part
overseas. 31 For instance, Cardiff University runs an MPharm degree course in
collaboration with Taylor’s University College in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Additionally, most regulators are involved in European initiatives such as the
Health Professionals Crossing Borders scheme, which involves competence
assurance and an assessment of the educational standards of different countries.
13.31 The regulators identify several advantages in being able to accredit courses
which are delivered outside the borders of the UK. First, it can help the regulators
perform their obligations under EU law described above because it allows
regulators to be sure of the provenance of qualifications awarded from certain
institutions. This reduces the need for regulators to perform a full investigation
into the nature of the qualifications of those applying to enter the relevant
register. Secondly, accrediting international courses is indicative of the generally
positive reputation of UK health and social care regulation. We understand that
some regulators are asked to accredit courses because to have approval from a
UK-based regulator is considered a badge of honour in other countries. Thirdly,
some UK universities are involved in running courses overseas and so it is useful
for the regulators to be able to supervise how these are delivered.
13.32 On the other hand, the need for the regulators to accredit courses overseas may
not arise by choice but when education institutions open branches overseas
which provide UK qualifications. 32 In such cases there may be practical difficulties
in the requirement on the regulators to quality assure these institutions and
courses.
Provisional view
13.33 In our view all the regulators should be given the ability to accredit overseas
courses or institutions which they can use if they wish to do so. We therefore
provisionally propose that the regulators should be given an express power to
approve and accredit overseas education institutions and courses and issue rules
and guidance for the purpose of such activity. It would be left to the regulators
whether or not they wish to undertake this task, and if so how they go about
accrediting and quality assuring courses and institutions abroad.
13.34 We welcome views on the practical difficulties which arise as a result of the
requirement to quality assure UK qualifications which are awarded by institutions
based overseas.
30 General Optical Council, Celebrating 50 Years of Optical Regulation (2008), p 8.
31 See http://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/approval-courses/accreditation-andrecognition-reports
(last visted 15 February 2012).
32
For example, Newcastle University has opened a medical school in Malaysia to provide UK
medical qualifications.
230