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Regulatory ALBs

  • Last modified date:
    3 November 2009

Arm's length bodies (ALBs) that hold the health and social care system to account. They often have their own primary powers and on the whole are independent.

Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission was established by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to regulate the quality of health and social care and look after the interests of people detained under the Mental Health Act. From April 2009, it brings together the work of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, the Healthcare Commission, and the Mental Health Act Commission.

Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE)

Contributes to the development of professionally-led regulation in healthcare to enhance public protection. The council is an executive non-departmental public body, and has a UK-wide remit.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)

Executive non-departmental public body that licences and monitors in vitro fertilisation (IVF), donor insemination and human embryo research in clinics, regulates the storage of sperm, eggs and embryos.

Human Tissue Authority (HTA)

The Human Tissue Authority is responsible for implementing the Human Tissue Act. It regulates activities such as anatomical and post-mortem examinations, transplantations and the storage of human material for education, training and research.

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

Executive agency that ensures that UK medicines and devices sold or supplied for human use are of an acceptable standard of safety, quality and performance.

Monitor (Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts)

Executive non-departmental public body to authorise, monitor and regulate NHS foundation trusts.

Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board

The Board supervises postgraduate medical education and training in the UK. It is responsible for: establishing and raising standards and quality and providing arrangements to ensure this quality is maintained; improving supervision; providing managed structures and processes to ensure all interests are represented in postgraduate medical education; regulating specialist and general training. It is an executive non-departmental public body.

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