Responding to concerns: investigation, remediation and targeted support
In a minority of cases, responsible officers may become aware of concerns or difficulties in relation to a doctor’s practice. These concerns may come to light through appraisal or clinical governance processes and may relate to one or more issues around conduct, performance or health.
For a small number of individuals who may struggle to meet the requirements of revalidation, it will be important for responsible officers to have appropriate and effective routes for support in place.
The approach for responding to concerns and supporting those doctors who find themselves in difficulty through the revalidation process will be important, so that assurance can be given to doctors, in different parts of the NHS, that they can expect consistent and equitable support.
Supporting doctors to provide safer healthcare
The RST has produced Supporting Doctors to Provide Safer Healthcare (version 2, March 2013) to help responsible officers understand and enact their statutory duty to respond effectively to concerns about a doctor’s practice.
This document is aimed at designated bodies, responsible officers and other personnel involved in responding to concerns.
It provides a generic framework and lists the essential components of an organisational policy to support a consistent, equitable and fair process.
Supporting Doctors to Provide Safer Healthcare (version 2, March 2013) replaces version 1 published in March 2012. Version 2 has been updated to include discussion of work carried out in this area during 2012-13.
Supporting Doctors to Provide Safer Healthcare (version 2, March 2013)
The following documents have been produced to be read alongside the publication above:
Responding to Concerns: Gauging the level of concern
This model for establishing the level of concern has been provided with the help of NHS Leicester City and national stakeholders.
The following documents have been produced to be read alongside the publication above:
Responding to Concerns: Person specification for case investigators
Responding to Concerns: Data collection
Responding to Concerns: Case study 1: Secondary care - surgical
Responding to Concerns: Case study 2: Secondary care - medical
Responding to Concerns: Case study 3: Primary care
Responding to Concerns: Case study 4: Primary care
Further information
Tackling Concerns Locally
(Department of Health, 2009)
Maintaining high professional standards in the modern NHS
(Department of Health, 2005)
Remediation report
(Department of Health, 2009)
Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety
(General Medical Council, 2012)