The Professional Standards Team in the NHS England Medical Directorate provides strategic leadership and operational oversight on behalf of the National Medical Director in relation to NHS England’s statutory functions in respect of doctors, dentists, ophthalmic practitioners and pharmacists.

These functions are derived principally from the responsible office regulations and the performers lists regulations that are statutory instruments that NHS England has responsibility for. They provide a platform for the professional standards team to provide clinical and managerial leadership for clinical professionals to achieve high professional standards and importantly provide a framework to enable action to be taken to protect patients and member of public when necessary. The team is also central to working with key stakeholders where patients have come to harm to ensure that lessons are learnt, good practice is developed, shared, and embedded in future clinical practice.