DBS referrals: list of Professional Bodies
Updated 17 September 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-referrals-list-of-professional-and-competent-bodies/professional-bodies
A ‘professional body’ is a professional regulatory body named in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (SVGA) 2006 or the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order (SVGO) 2007.
Professional bodies may be either a keeper of a professional register or a supervisory authority, typically an inspecting body. Some professional bodies are also ‘competent bodies’ under the above legislation. The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) must use competent body ‘findings of fact’ as facts in barring decision-making processes.
1. Keepers of Registers
Section 41(7) SVGA 2006
Section 43(7) SVGO 2007
- General Teaching Council for Wales (GTC W)
- General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTC NI)
- Social Care Wales
- Social Work England (SWE)
- Northern Ireland Social Care Council
- General Medical Council (GMC)
- General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
- General Dental Council GDC)
- General Optical Council (GOC)
- General Osteopathic Council (GOsC)
- General Chiropractic Council (GCC)
- Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) regulates 15 health professions - arts therapists, biomedical scientists, chiropodists / podiatrists, clinical scientists, dietitians, hearing aid dispensers, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, paramedics, physiotherapists, practitioner psychologists, prosthetists / orthotists, radiographers and speech and language therapists
2. Supervisory Authorities
Section 45(7) SVGA 2006
Section 47(7) SVGO 2007
- Care Quality Commission
- Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)
- Secretary of State for Education (in relation to inspection of Independent Schools) (DfE)
- Ofsted (HM Chief Inspector of Schools in England)
- Office of the Public Guardian
- Charity Commission for England and Wales
- Welsh Government Ministers / Welsh Assembly
- Estyn (HM Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales)
- Care and Inspectorate Wales (CIW)
- Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW)
- NI Education & Training Inspectorate
- Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) (NI)
- Charity Commission for Northern Ireland