What happened
On September 17, 2026, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, the ten health regulators it oversees (including the GPhC), and the Accredited Registers Collaborative published a joint statement of intent to collaborate on 'safe, effective and responsible use of AI in health and social care', welcoming recommendations from the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare (published September 10, 2026) — including Recommendation 32 on AI regulatory guidance.
Why it matters
This is the first time UK health regulators have formally committed to a convergent approach to AI use in regulated professions, in response to rising AI-related fitness-to-practise concerns (up roughly one-third year-on-year, with a sharp increase in AI-generated complaints). It foreshadows harmonised professional standards for AI use by clinicians and other registered health professionals.
Action needed
Health and social care organisations and AI vendors serving UK regulated professions should track the cross-regulator guidance work, and align AI use and disclosure practices with emerging professional standards, particularly around accountability for AI-assisted clinical decisions.