There has been much focus on the training and education of the public health workforce. For example, the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) has published a set of European Core Competencies for MPH Education, and European Competencies for Public Health Professionals. Work is underway to develop a pan -european approach to accreditation of Master’s level courses. However, there is less clarity and consistency both in Europe and internationally as to how the public health workforce is regulated, accredited and certified, and to what extent employers demand, or insist that the individuals they employ are accredited or certified as public health specialists. In a number of countries, those public health practitioners who are from a medical background are able to register as specialists in public health with their medical regulatory body, but this is far from universal. During this workshop we will: 1. Discuss the aims and objectives of accreditation and certification systems 2. Outline the current arrangements in the UK with respect to accreditation of public health specialists and practitioners 3. Explore the origins and function of the UK Public Health Register which registers public health specialists, predominantly from backgrounds other than medicine and dentistry 4. Encourage reflection on current systems of certification in different countries, and their strengths and limitations. 5. Consider ways forward for strengthening the public health workforce, including consideration of key stakeholders such as professional bodies and employers in each country.