DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 20 March 2009
Measurements to
improve the regulation and governance of healthcare professionals,
providing greater reassurances for the public and professionals,
were today set out in two reports published today by the
Department of Health.
The Tackling Concerns Nationally and Tackling Concerns Locally
reports are part of the wider Government reforms on professional
regulation to raise professional standards and ensure patient
safety. These two reports are the result of external working
groups taking forward the implementation of the reforms announced
in the White Paper - Trust, Assurance, Safety: the Regulation of
Health Professionals in the 21st Century - over the last 18 months.
Tackling Concerns Nationally (TCN) makes recommendations on
professional regulation and assuring patient safety at a national
level. It sets out recommendations for the establishment of the
Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator (OHPA) which will
look at cases brought forward assessing fitness to practise for
healthcare professionals.
This separate body would be independent from existing
professional regulators, the Government and the healthcare
profession to ensure absolute fairness and transparency. The board
will initially take on cases concerning doctors and will expand to
other professions. A consultation has also been launched today
which sets out proposals for the principles and governance of this
new body.
Tackling Concerns Locally (TCL) sets out recommendations and
principles of best practice to strengthen local NHS arrangements
for identifying poor performance among healthcare workers and
taking effective action. Local implementation will be supported by
more detailed operational guidance and by regulations which the
Department of Health will introduce later this year, after
consultation with interested parties.
Health Minister, Ben Bradshaw said:
"Our overriding priority is to ensure that patients and the
public are protected. The recommendations outlined in Tackling
Concerns Nationally and Tackling Concerns Locally will put in
place the best systems, both locally and nationally, to identify
and address concerns about individual professional conduct and competence.
"These reports go a long way to further ensure healthcare
standards in the NHS are high, and to reassure both public and
professionals that the systems and processes put the safety of
patients at their heart, while being fair to staff."
Professor Jenny Simpson OBE, Chief Executive of the British
Association of Medical Managers and chair of the overarching
Tackling Concerns Locally working group said:
"Every patient, professional and healthcare organisation has
the right to expect that robust systems are in place ensuring
that colleagues delivering care are up to date and fit to practice.
"I am delighted to see the launch of this important
document. It details a range of practical measures, specifically
designed to bridge any gaps between structures and processes
within local organisations and national -level regulatory mechanisms."
Both Tackling Concerns reports are a critical component of the
Government's drive to improve NHS services, as set out in the
2008 Next Stage Review, High Quality Care for All. As part of the
professional standards programme, the Department of Health is
looking at how to implement the recommendations in Tackling
Concerns to help deliver the high quality workforce needed to
ensure the safe, respectful and effective care that patients expect.
Notes to Editors:
1. The Tackling Concerns Nationally and Tackling Concerns Locally
reports can be found at: Tackling Concerns Nationally:
establishing the Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator (report)
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_096502
Tackling Concerns Locally: report of the Working Group
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_096492
2. The White Paper, Trust, Assurance, Safety: the Regulation of
Health Professionals in the 21st Century was published in February
2007 and set out a programme of reform to the United
Kingdom's system for the regulation of health professionals:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_065946
3. Lord Darzi's report, High quality care for all: NHS Next
Stage Review was published in June 2008: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_085825
4. Sir Ian Kennedy, Chair of the Healthcare Commission, chaired
the Tackling Concerns Nationally working group. Professor Jenny
Simpson OBE, Chief Executive of the British Association of Medical
Managers chaired the overarching Tackling Concerns Locally working group.
5. Lady Justice Smith's fifth report of the Shipman Inquiry
recommended a clearer separation of adjudication from the General
Medical Council's other functions. The Office of the Health
Professions Adjudicator (OHPA) addresses this recommendation.
6. TCN considers the process of transition to the new body of
adjudication cases from the General Medical Council and the
General Optical Council and, potentially, other regulators. GMC
will continue to investigate complaints and decide whether to
refer the matter to a fitness to practise panel run by the new
adjudicator OHPA.
7. The consultation on the principles and governance of the OHPA
will last for three months and can be viewed at: The Office of the
Health Professions Adjudicator Regulations 2009: a paper for consultation
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_096498
8. The OHPA is expected to be fully operational in 2011, and the
Appointments Commission will shortly be conducting a recruitment
exercise for the Chair and non-executive director. Details about
applying for the chair of OHPA can be found at: http://www.appointments.org.uk/
9. The TCL report is based on the work of six sub-groups, each
looking at specific areas of improvement and reform:
* GMC
Affiliates
* Responsible Officers
* Performers List
*
Raising Concerns and Information Management
* Clinical
Governance
* Death certification
The reports of the Clinical Governance, Information Management,
and Performers List sub-groups are also being published today
alongside the TCL and TCN reports.
10. For more information contact the Department of Health Press
Office on: 0207 210 5221.