Welcome to the website of the Genetic Counsellor Registration Advisory Board (GCRAB)

The GCRAB has been setting and monitoring standards for genetic counsellor practice since 2002.

There are now more than 300 genetic counsellors Registered. The GCRAB assesses standards through a competency based portfolio at masters level. Genetic counsellors traditionally work in Regional genetic service but increasingly are expanding into mainstream services and private practice.

The purpose of the GCRAB is to establish, maintain and improve standards of practice in genetic counselling to assure public safety in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

• It seeks to achieve this through accepting responsibility in three primary areas:
  Setting and monitoring standards for entry to the profession.
• Establishing and maintaining open and transparent systems of professional accreditation.
• Maintaining and improving standards of professional practice, to protect and promote the professional reputation for the benefit of the profession and public alike.

The vision of the GCRAB is “ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions”.

In 2019 the GCRAB register was transferred to the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS). A
GCRB Board Member sits on the AHCS Healthcare Science Registration Council and Genetic Counsellors who have met the GCRAB assessment criteria are now included in the AHCS public register of Practitioners accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.

Accreditation means that the AHCS has met the Authority’s demanding standards in respect of
governance, setting standards, education and training, managing the register, providing information and complaints handling. For more details about PSA accredited registers click here.

For further details about the AHCS click here.

Some Genetic Counsellors choose to take a different route for registration and instead are registered through the Health & Care Professionals Council (HCPC). This includes Scientist Training Programme (STP) trained Genetic Counsellors and those who apply for STP Equivalence. For further details
about the HCPC click here.

For further information on a Registered Genetic Counsellor (RGC), check the  REGISTER . The
Register also includes those RGCs who currently have mentor status.

To view the GCRB Code of Conduct click here

The GCRB calendar of events can be viewed below.