PSM updates
Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme
From 1 April 2025, the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme became a legal requirement, as part of the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020.
The Act aims to modernise and improve the disclosure system in Scotland, by focusing on safeguarding children and protected adults, while acknowledging the need for people with previous convictions to move on from them and contribute to society.
From 1 April 2026, the lifetime PVG scheme membership will end. This will be replaced with a 5-year membership, which must be renewed every 5 years. Current PVG members are not required to renew their membership at present.
From 1 April 2025:
- PVG membership will become a legal requirement for all regulated roles with children and protected adults.
- Disclosure and PVG records will be renamed, for example Enhanced disclosure will become Level 2 disclosure.
- The Scheme Membership Statement (for self-employed staff undertaking a regulated role) will be renamed as Confirmation of PVG Scheme Membership.
- An Employer must notify Disclosure Scotland when a member stops undertaking a regulated role with them.
- Members of the PVG scheme must inform Disclosure Scotland, within 3 months when their personal details change.
- New applicants will be required to provide consent for their disclosure information to be shared with the accredited body that countersigned their application. Prior to 1 April 2025, the applicant and countersigning body received the results of the PVG application at the same time. This change gives the applicant control of their personal information.
The Protecting Vulnerable Groups pages within the PSM have been updated to reflect these changes.
Ethical Practice topic update
The Ethical Practice topic has been reviewed and updated in line with current legislation, policy documents and guidance. Details of the updates or amendments to the various subtopics within Ethical Practice are summarised below.
Data Protection
Updated to align with changes to the Data Protection Act (2018) and (UK) General Data Protection Regulations ((UK) GDPR). Specific pages that have been amended are: Data sharing, Individual rights, Data protection by design and default, and International transfer of data.
Cyber security
New section on Cyber security added that covers data backups, passwords, mobile devices, malware, phishing and procedures for dealing with a cyberattack.
Confidentially and disclosure of information
Updated to align with the Data Protection Act (2018) and the (UK) General Data Protection Regulations (UK) GDPR)).
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
No changes to the advice in this subtopic, but sources of information and links to external websites have been updated.
Child protection
Comprehensive update to better align with recent policy and guidance documents from Scottish Government and the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry.
Note: the PSM does not provide a Child Protection Policy template as each policy is unique to the regional health board.
Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme
Updated in line with changes to disclosure services and PVG scheme memberships from 1 April 2025 as outlined above.
Consent
No changes to the advice in this subtopic, but sources of information and links to external websites have been updated.
In addition:
Sources of information and external links have been updated throughout the topic.
All templates, checklists, policies and procedure documents have been reformatted to meet accessibility requirements. Some have also been amended in line with the updates made to this topic.