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All doctors face annual competence tests to protect patients' lives
Last updated at 00:35am on 24.07.08
Sir Liam Donaldson has outlined plans to test doctors annually, with trials expected to start within two years
Doctors are to undergo tough annual reviews to force out poor performers.
All NHS trusts will have to appraise their doctors every year to ensure they are fit to offer safe care.
Those judged to be 'unable to remedy significant shortfalls in their standards to practise' could be struck off the medical register.
Patients' opinions will also be part of the appraisal.
They will be asked if they have any concerns, such as if a doctor does not explain things properly or does not listen, whether they feel involved in decisions about their treatment and whether they are treated with dignity and respect.
The changes are being brought in following blistering criticism of the medical profession during the 2004 inquiry into how Dr Harold Shipman was able to murder more than 200 patients over 23 years without being detected.
It concluded that the General Medical Council, the doctors' regulatory body, had been more concerned with looking after doctors' interests than with protecting patients.
But doctors' leaders warned last night that the new rules would not have caught Shipman.
Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the British Medical Association, said: 'We hope Harold Shipman was a one-off terrible person.
'He was a criminal, he wasn't necessarily a badly-performing doctor in the sense of his clinical practice, but he was a murderer. We are not really devising a system purely to pick up murderers, we are trying to do a system that for the majority of doctors helps them to improve their practice.'
The checks could prevent a situation whereby Dr Harold Shipman was allowed to escape unchecked, despite murdering at least 215 patients
The changes were outlined in a report by chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson, who said the 'current NHS appraisal is patchy and not fit for relicensing across the country as a whole'.
His plan is that the annual appraisals will feed into five-yearly reassessments of whether doctors should remain on the register.
The annual reviews will also cover their prescribing habits and personal issues which might affect the quality of their work, such as drug or alcohol abuse.
Doctors will be tested on whether they are up to date with medical advances, and feedback from colleagues will also be taken into account.
Sir Liam said: 'I'm confident that this process, agreed with doctors' representatives, will help raise standards of medical practice and improve the quality of the patient experience.'
But doctors' leaders said there was a danger the plans could lead to doctors spending less time with patients or being less likely to carry out risky procedures.
Dr Meldrum said: 'It has to be proportionate. We cannot have doctors spending hours and days on end both preparing for and undergoing this. Equally, patients want to be reassured and doctors want to reassure patients that they are keeping up to date.'
Reader views (6)
This may be the funniest thing I have ever heard. How do they propose to do this. Why don't they just ask each patient in the UK what they think of their doctor. This must be someone's idea of a good joke. Any politician that wishes to keep his job will have enough sense to leave Doctors alone.
- Geoge, London UK
Sounds a good idea but everything depends on how well it is carried out - as well as current SATS testing? Perhaps they'll contract ETS to do it.....
- M Wood, somerset uk
Its a pity we don't have the same rules for politicians. Cant see many of them passing a competency test
- Frank, London
They should face Offsted type inspection where someone sits in on their consultations for a set period of time. Major negligence or malpractice is in the vast majority, I'm sure, however bad treatment from a GP the minute you walk into their office is rife! In my experience, they are often dismissive, bored or downright rude. That's not what I or any other contributor pays their wages for. Too often they forget they are providing a service and look down upon their patients with scorn.
- Kitty, London
A good idea. Should be extended to cover all politicians, government workers, council members and workers.
- Frank, England.
Its about time the medical profession did something for the patients and stopped protecting its own. It appears to be near impossible to have an incompetent doctor struck off. Good move, as far as I'm concerned.
- Steve, London
