The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence is an independent statutory body covering all of the United Kingdom. It is answerable to the Westminster parliament.  It was established by parliament in 2003 to ensure consistency and good practice in healthcare regulation.

CHRE was initially called the Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals (CRHP). However, its name was changed to reflect its role and purpose and avoid possible confusion with bodies of a similar name. The original name is sometimes used for legal purposes.