Health Act 1999

60 [F1 Regulation of health professions [F2 and social care] workers etc.] U.K.

(1) Her Majesty may by Order in Council make provision—

(a) modifying the regulation of any profession to which subsection (2) applies, so far as appears to Her to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of securing or improving the regulation of the profession or the services which the profession provides or to which it contributes,

(b) regulating any other profession which appears to Her to be concerned (wholly or partly) with the physical or mental health of individuals and to require regulation in pursuance of this section.

[F3 (bza) deregulating a profession regulated by an enactment to which subsection (2) applies if the profession does not appear to Her to require regulation for the protection of the public,]

F4 (ba) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F4 (bb) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F5 (bc) regulating social care workers in England who appear to Her to require regulation in pursuance of this section,

(bd) modifying the regulation of social care workers in England, so far as appears to Her to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of securing or improving their regulation or the services which they provide or to which they contribute,]

[F6 (be) deregulating any social care workers in England who do not appear to Her to require regulation for the protection of the public,]

[F7 (c) modifying the functions, powers or duties of [F8 the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care],

(d) modifying the list of regulatory bodies (in section 25(3) of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002) in relation to which that [F9 Authority] performs its functions,

(e) modifying, as respects any such regulatory body, the range of functions of that body in relation to which the [F9 Authority] performs its functions.]

[F10 (ea) modifying the functions, powers or duties of the Health and Care Professions Council that relate to the education and training of persons who are or wish to become approved mental health professionals,]

F11 (f) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F12 (2) The professions referred to in subsection (1)(a) and (bza) are the professions regulated by any of the following—

(a) the Medical Act 1983;

(b) the Dentists Act 1984;

(c) the Opticians Act 1989;

(d) the Osteopaths Act 1993;

(e) the Chiropractors Act 1994;

(f) the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001;

(g) the Health Professions Order 2001;

(h) the Pharmacy Order 2010 and the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976;

(i) an Order in Council under this section.]

[F13 (2ZZA) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) the reference to a profession is to be treated as including any group of workers, whether or not they are generally regarded as a profession (and references in this Part to a profession are to be read accordingly).]

F14 (2ZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F15 (2ZB) In subsection (1)(bc) [F16 , (bd) and (be)], “social care workers in England” means persons who are engaged in social care work in England.

(2ZC) For that purpose, “social care work in England” means work (other than social work in England) that is of any of the following descriptions—

(a) employment at a children's home, care home or residential family centre in England,

(b) management of a home or centre of a kind mentioned in paragraph (a),

(c) employment for the purposes of a domiciliary care agency, fostering agency, voluntary adoption agency or adoption support agency, in so far as the agency provides services to persons in England,

(d) management of an agency of a kind mentioned in paragraph (c),

(e) work for the purposes of the social services functions of a local authority whose area is in England,

(f) the provision in England of services similar to services which may or must be provided by a local authority in the exercise of its social services functions,

(g) the provision of personal care for persons in England,

(h) employment (in an undertaking other than an establishment or agency) which consists of or includes supplying, or providing services for the purpose of supplying, persons to provide personal care for persons in England,

(i) management of an undertaking of the kind mentioned in paragraph (h),

(j) employment in connection with the discharge of functions of the Secretary of State under section 80 of the Children Act 1989 (inspection of children's homes),

(k) employment as a member of staff of the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills who inspects premises under—

(i) section 87 of the Children Act 1989 (welfare of children accommodated in independent schools and colleges),

(ii) section 31 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (inspections by persons authorised by registration authority), or

(iii) section 139 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (inspection by Chief Inspector),

(l) employment as a member of staff of the Care Quality Commission who, under Part 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, inspects premises used for or in connection with the provision of social care (within the meaning of that Part),

(m) management of staff mentioned in paragraph (k) or (l),

(n) employment at a day centre in England.

F17 (o) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

[F18 (2ZD) An expression used in subsection (2ZC) and in section 55 of the Care Standards Act 2000 has the same meaning in that subsection as it has in that section.]

[F19 (2ZEA) In subsection (2ZC) “social work in England” means social work which is required in connection with any health, education or social services provided in England.]

[F20 (2ZF) In this section, “approved mental health professional” has the meaning given in section 114 of the Mental Health Act 1983.]

[F21 (2A) Her Majesty may also by Order in Council make provision relating to, or connected with, the functions of the relevant regulatory body in relation to—

(a) the registration of premises under Part 4 of the Medicines Act 1968 (pharmacies),

(b) the regulation of the use of premises for the purposes of a retail pharmacy business, within the meaning of the Medicines Act 1968,

(c) compliance with the provisions of that Act [F22 or the Human Medicines Regulations 2012],

(d) compliance with the provisions of the Poisons Act 1972 or the Poisons (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 by persons admitted to practice and persons carrying on a retail pharmacy business, and

(e) the grant of authorisations under section 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (authorisation of directed surveillance).

(2B) In subsection (2A) “the relevant regulatory body” means the body (or main body) responsible for the regulation of the professions referred to in subsection (2)(aa).]

(3) The Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960 and the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1997 are to cease to have effect.

(4) Schedule 3 (which makes further provision about Orders under this section) is to have effect.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 60 title substituted (1.8.2012) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 209(10), 306(4) (with s. 230(6)); S.I. 2012/1319, art. 2(4)

F2 Words in s. 60 heading substituted (2.12.2019) by Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16), ss. 61(2)(f), 70(2); S.I. 2019/1436, reg. 2(n)

F3 S. 60(1)(bza) inserted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), ss. 168(2)(a), 186(6); S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)

F4 S. 60(1)(ba)(bb) omitted (2.12.2019) by virtue of Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16), ss. 61(2)(a), 70(2); S.I. 2019/1436, reg. 2(n)

F5 S. 60(1)(bc)(bd) inserted (1.8.2012) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 209(3), 306(4) (with s. 230(6)); S.I. 2012/1319, art. 2(4)

F6 S. 60(1)(be) inserted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), ss. 168(2)(b), 186(6); S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)

F7 S. 60(1)(c)-(e) inserted (1.4.2003) by National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 (c. 17), s. 26(9); S.I. 2002/2202, art. 2(3)(b)

F8 Words in s. 60(1)(c) substituted (1.12.2012) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 15 para. 60(a); S.I. 2012/2657, art. 2(3)

F9 Words in s. 60(1)(d)(e) substituted (1.12.2012) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 15 para. 60(b); S.I. 2012/2657, art. 2(3)

F10 S. 60(1)(ea) inserted (1.8.2012) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 210, 306(4) (with s. 230(6)); S.I. 2012/1319, art. 2(4)

F11 S. 60(1)(f) omitted (1.7.2012) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 15 para. 72(2); S.I. 2012/1319, art. 2(3)

F12 S. 60(2) substituted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), ss. 168(2)(c), 186(6); S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)

F13 S. 60(2ZZA) inserted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), ss. 168(2)(d), 186(6); S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)

F14 S. 60(2ZA) omitted (2.12.2019) by virtue of Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16), ss. 61(2)(c), 70(2); S.I. 2019/1436, reg. 2(n)

F15 S. 60(2ZB)(2ZC) inserted (1.8.2012) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 209(6), 306(4) (with s. 230(6)); S.I. 2012/1319, art. 2(4)

F16 Words in s. 60(2ZB) substituted (1.7.2022) by Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), ss. 168(2)(e), 186(6); S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)

F17 S. 60(2ZC)(o) omitted (2.12.2019) by virtue of Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16), ss. 61(2)(d), 70(2); S.I. 2019/1436, reg. 2(n)

F18 S. 60(2ZD) inserted (1.8.2012) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 209(7), 306(4) (with s. 230(6)); S.I. 2012/1319, art. 2(4)

F19 S. 60(2ZEA) substituted for s. 60(2ZE) (2.12.2019) by Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16), ss. 61(2)(e), 70(2); S.I. 2019/1436, reg. 2(n)

F20 S. 60(2ZF) inserted (1.8.2012) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 209(9), 306(4) (with s. 230(6)); S.I. 2012/1319, art. 2(4)

F21 S. 60(2A)(2B) inserted (1.1.2009) by Health and Social Care Act 2008 (c. 14), ss. 111, 170(3), Sch. 8 para. 1(4); S.I. 2008/3244, art. 3(a)(c)(i)

F22 Words in s. 60(2A)(c) inserted (14.8.2012) by The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1916), reg. 1(2), Sch. 34 para. 43 (with Sch. 32)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 60(2) excluded (2.12.2019) by Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16), ss. 63(2), 70(2); S.I. 2019/1436, reg. 2(p)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 60 wholly in force at 1.8.2004; s. 60 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 67(1); s. 60(3) in force for certain purposes at 1.7.1999, see s. 67(3); s. 60(1)(2)(4) in force at 15.3.2000 by S.I. 2000/779, art. 2(1) (subject to art. 2(2)); s. 60(3) in force for certain further purposes at 11.5.2001 by S.I. 2001/1985, art. 2(2); s. 60(3) in force for certain further purposes at 1.4.2002 by S.I. 2002/1167, arts. 2-5; s. 60(3) in force for certain further purposes at 9.7.2003 by S.I. 2003/1689. {art. 2}; s. 60(3) in force so far as not already in force at 1.8.2004 by S.I. 2004/1859, art. 3