Professional codes
- Good medical practice (2024) – the medical profession’s rules of behaviour, drawn up by the General Medical Council (GMC).
- Standards for the dental team (2013) – the dental profession’s conduct rules kept under revision by the General Dental Council (GDC).
- Standards for pharmacy professionals and registered pharmacies – published by General Pharmaceutical Council (GPC).
- Code of ethics and standards – a statement of principles drawn up by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
General guidance for the NHS
- A practical guide for responding to concerns about medical practice – this guide provides generic, practical advice for responsible officers in all designated bodies in England to address a potential concern about a doctor’s practice.
- Learning lessons to improve our people practices – Dido Harding’s letter of 23 May 2019 to NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts chairs and chief executives following an independent review into the case of a nurse, who took his own life after a flawed disciplinary process.
- Respect and resolution policy – NHS Wales’ policy which is aimed at securing constructive and lasting solutions to workplace disagreements, conflicts and complaints.
Employed dentists and doctors
England, Northern Ireland and Wales
- Maintaining High Professional Standards in the Modern NHS (England) – guidance on processes to use where there are concerns involving health, conduct or capability for dentists and doctors not covered by performers list regulations.
- Maintaining High Professional Standards in the modern HPS (NI) – 2005 guidance on processes to use where there are concerns involving conduct, clinical performance and health of dental and medical employees.
- GMC Revalidation – help and guidance – GMC core guides to help practitioners understand the revalidation process.
- GMC Standards and ethics guidance for doctors – Professional standards for doctors, physician associates and anaesthesia associates. Materials and resources that show how the standards can be applied in a range of circumstances.
- Upholding professional standards in Wales (2015) – sets out the approach for addressing concerns about capability, performance and conduct for all doctors and dentists employed by Local Health Boards or other NHS organisations in Wales.
Doctors in primary care
England
- The National Health Service (Personal Medical Services Agreements) Regulations 2004 SI 2004 No 627 – sets out, for England, the framework for personal medical services agreements.
- The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2004 SI 2004 No 291 – sets out, for England, the framework for general medical services contracts.
- GMS Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE) 2005 onwards – covering changes made to the GMS Statement of Financial Entitlements since it was published in April 2005.
- The National Health Service (Performers Lists) (England) Regulations 2013 – establish and regulate the NHS performers lists and set out how practitioners are admitted, monitored, suspended or removed from those lists.
- The National Health Service (Performers Lists) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 – change from removal to suspension following interim regulatory suspension and exclusion of protected cautions and convictions from disclosure requirements.
- Performer list policies and procedures – NHS England information page and linked documents relating to the Performers Lists.
Northern Ireland
- Statutory Rule 2004 No. 140 The Health and Personal Social Services (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) – sets out the framework for General Medical Services contracts in Northern Ireland.
- Statutory Rule 2004 No. 149 The Health and Personal Social Services (Primary Medical Services Performers Lists) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 – sets out the framework for Primary Medical Services performers lists in Northern Ireland.
- Statutory Rule 2008 No. 434 The Health and Personal Social Services (Primary Medical Services Performers Lists)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 – amends the Primary Medical Services Performers Lists Regulations, with the main provision being to introduce a specific regime for ‘emergency registered practitioners’, allowing suitably registered doctors to be included on the performers list quickly in exceptional circumstances.
- The Health and Social Services Board Medical Services Directions (Northern Ireland) 2005 – rules governing the provision of primary medical services by Health and Social Services Boards, as distinct from HSSB commissioning or contracting.
- Alternative Provider Medical Services Directions (Northern Ireland) 2005 – minimum standards and requirements for PCT contracts with non-NHS bodies for provision of primary medical services.
Wales
- The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Wales) Regulations 2004 No 478 (W.48) – sets out, for Wales, the framework for general medical services contracts.
- The National Health Service (Performers Lists) (Wales) Regulations 2026 – consolidated set of regulations providing for the management of performers lists for practitioners covering primary medical services and primary dental services.
Dentists in primary care
England
- The National Health Service (General Dental Service Contracts) Regulations 2005 – sets out, for England, the framework for general dental services contracts.
- The National Health Service (Personal Dental Services Agreements) Regulations 2005 – terms on which dentists in primary care in England provide services to the NHS.
- Primary Care Trust Dental Services Directions 2012 – rules governing the provision of primary dental services as distinct from commissioning or contracting.
Northern Ireland
- The performance of dentists in primary care is managed under Statutory Rule 1993 No. 326 Health and Personal Social Services General Dental Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) as amended.
- Statutory Rule 1996 No.137 Health and Personal Social Services (Disciplinary Procedures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) – may also be cited in Northern Ireland cases.
Wales
- The National Health Service (General Dental Services Contracts) (Wales) Regulations 2006. No. 490 (W.59) – sets out, for Wales, the framework for general dental services contracts.
- The National Health Service (Personal Dental Services Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2006. No 489 (W.58) – sets out, for Wales, the framework for personal dental services agreements.
- The National Health Service (Performers Lists) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2006. No 945 (W94) – main provisions including requiring Local Health Boards to maintain performers lists for primary dental care, strengthens the general performers list framework, and introduce national disqualification.
- Getting the Balance Right in Wales – Supporting quality and safety for dental registrants as part of an assurance process (English) – guidance (English language version) setting out a framework for managing concerns about the performance of dental registrants. It is aimed primarily at Health Boards.
- Getting the Balance Right in Wales – Supporting quality and safety for dental registrants as part of an assurance process (Welsh) – guidance (Welsh language version) setting out a framework for managing concerns about the performance of dental registrants. It is aimed primarily at Health Boards.
- The National Health Service (Personal Dental Services Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2006 sets out, for Wales, the framework for personal dental services agreements.
Pharmacists
England
- The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 – principle terms on which community pharmacies work in England.
- The Pharmacy Order 2010 – arrangements for the professional regulation of pharmacists in England, Wales and Scotland.
- National Health Service Act 2006 – Pharmacy list management process.
Northern Ireland
- The Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 – sets out the powers of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, the regulatory and professional body for pharmacists in Northern Ireland.
- The Pharmaceutical Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 SI 2671 N.I.18 – covers supply of drugs, medicines and appliances prescribed by categories of nurses, midwives or health visitors.
Wales
- The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2005 No. 1013 (W.67) – the terms on which pharmacies work with primary care trusts in Wales.
Optometrists
Wales
- The National Health Service (Ophthalmic Services) (Wales) Regulations 2023 – arrangements in relation to primary ophthalmic services under the NHS in Wales.
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