The UKIPG was founded in 1977 to act as a Forum for the major Professional and Regulatory Bodies in the United Kingdom. There are 31 bodies in membership. They reach across the healthcare, legal, financial, scientific, engineering and construction professions. Some are statutory bodies; others regulate under the terms of their Royal Charter or are representative associations. Major areas of interest include Professional Regulation, Professional Education and Training, Continuing Professional Development, Corporate Governance, European and International Affairs, and Professional Ethics and Values.

Normally, each member body nominates two representatives to the Main Group, which meets four times a year. Meetings are hosted in turn by member bodies, normally at 4PM on the last Monday of March, June and September and an early Monday in December. Traditionally, one of the representatives has been a senior honorary officer of the body concerned, whilst the other is a senior staff member (often the Chief Executive or equivalent). However, with the trend towards smaller ‘executive boards' in professional bodies, many UKIPG member bodies delegate routine UKIPG participation to senior staff. The current Chairman of UKIPG is Jane Hern, the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

To make best use of these persons' time, issues are first addressed through Working Parties. Over recent years, there have been three standing Working Parties, dealing with:

• Professional Regulation (chaired by Steven Gould of the RICS)
• Further and Higher Education (chaired by Margaret Watson of CILIP)
• Corporate Governance (coordinated by Alison Carr of ARB, Allison Howe of NMC and Patricia Peter of ICAEW)

There is a wider community interested and involved with European and International Affairs and with Continuing Professional Development in the professions. These are served by Forums hosted by the UKIPG.

• The European and International Forum. This work is led by John Ferguson OBE, a former Registrar of the RPSGB, who also represents the UKIPG at the European level equivalent body known as CEPLIS^*, where he his currently Vice-President.

• The Inter Professional CPD Forum. The current Chairman of the Inter Professional CPD Forum is Graham Ixer of GSCC, who benefits from organisational support from Chris Senior.

From time-to-time, the UKIPG becomes involved in special projects and sets up Task Groups to take work forward. For example, during 2002, it investigated issues surrounding ‘Revalidation' and the ‘Maintenance of Professional Competence', under the leadership of Robin Wilson (then of the Engineering Council (UK)). More recently it formed a group which looked at issues around Professional Indemnity Insurance and Professional Liability Insurance.  It was also directly involved with CEPLIS in drafting and finalising a Europe-wide statement of the Common Values of the professions.  At present there are regular forums with HE and the QAA, and with NARIC.

The UKIPG Secretary is a part-time post, currently held by Peter Swindlehurst, a former staff member of the Engineering Council UK. The Engineering Council (UK) provides an office address and some services to the UKIPG, and is the normal addressee for correspondence (see Contact).