Regulation of healthcare professionals

Tackling Concerns Locally

Plans to further reform the regulation of healthcare professionals were set out in the publication of the Tackling Concerns Locally report in March this year. MPS understood that there would be further consultation in the spring as a number of the reforms will be implemented through secondary legislation next year. Unfortunately we are still waiting for the promised consultations.

The reforms are of particular interest to MPS members as they propose fundamental changes to the current systems in place; areas of concern for MPS relate to the proposed provisions for information handling and the review of the performers list system.

• Information handling
  
  The proposals include radical new plans to collect and share a range of potentially sensitive data about healthcare professionals on a national database. This is an area of concern for MPS as it is proposed that information relating to performance, conduct and health should be available to local healthcare organisations; certain levels of this information will also be available to patients and the general public.
  
  Included in the proposals are plans to collect and share details of clinical negligence claims against health professionals and “soft” information. “Soft” information is defined in the report as an informal expression of concern (oral or written) about a healthcare professional. Although MPS accepts that collating and sharing relevant information is important for the protection of patients, we are concerned that the proposals contain limited safeguards to protect healthcare professionals from being unfairly labelled as potential risks to patients. 
  
  
• Performers list system
  
  The performers list system was established in 1999 and enables a PCT to ensure that healthcare professionals providing services to NHS patients are suitable. A number of recommendations to improve the operation of the system have been proposed by the working group; these include establishing a central agency to manage administration and the development of detailed national guidance to promote consistency. MPS welcomes a number of the reforms to the performers list system, but remains concerned that the proposals will not adequately address the current inconsistent application of the requirements in different parts of the country, and that staff training will not be adequately resourced.

MPS broadly welcomes the series of reforms outlined in the Tackling Concerns Locally report, which will strengthen local arrangements for identifying and resolving problems at an early stage. MPS will be urging the Department of Health to review certain aspects of the proposed measures to better meet the stated objectives and to engage the confidence of healthcare professionals at the outset.