PSA deems health regulation 'unfit for future'

Debate on regulation has been welcomed by the General Optical Council after a report by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) found the regulatory framework for health and social care needed ‘radical change’.

A PSA report called Rethinking Regulation found the current framework was ‘out of date, over-complicated and too expensive’.

It called for redesign of regulation in order to deal with pressure on the health and care sector, pointing out that current expectations were distracting professionals.

Harry Cayton, chief executive of the PSA, said: ‘Piecemeal adjustments to health and care regulation have, over time, made the system cumbersome, ineffective and expensive. Every part of our health and care system is changing in order to meet future needs. If patients are to benefit, regulation must undergo radical change too.