CHRE proposes rule change procedure
Consultation (PDF 220K) has begun on a procedure to require professional
regulators to change their rules or make new rules at the instruction
of the Council
for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence.
In the first instance, the CHRE intends to ask regulators to agree to
any rule changes it thinks are necessary. If a regulator does not agree
and the CHRE believes the change is necessary to protect the public,
it plans to tell the regulator that it will issue an instruction to make
or change the rule and give it three months to respond. Other interested
parties may also be asked for their views.
If a decision to go ahead is taken, the draft instruction will be sent
to the Secretary of State for Health, who will draft a Statutory Instrument
requiring approval by both Houses of Parliament.
The CHRE’s power to require regulatory rule changes arises from
Section 27 of the National
Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002. It can only use this power in relation to rules that require
the approval of the Privy Council. In the case of the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society, this would mean all the Society’s current byelaws and
any new regulations made under the draft Charter.
Comments can be set to Peter Pinto, CHRE Consultations, Kierran Cross,
11 Strand, London WC2N 5HR (e-mail peter.pinto@chre.org.uk, fax 020 7389
8040) until 20 October. |
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Pharmaceutical Journal
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