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Doctors facing annual assessments Doctors facing 'five-year MOTs'
(30 minutes later)
All doctors in the UK face annual assessments which could see licences removed from poor performers. The government has set out more details on how it will be introducing five-yearly MOTs for doctors.
The proposals mean GPs, hospital consultants and private practitioners would have to renew their licences every five years. The government committed itself to introducing a system of relicensing the UK's 150,000 doctors last year.
The plans will be outlined by the Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson. GPs and consultants will also face testing to see if they can continue in their specialities.
He will call for senior doctors to assess others who are practising in their area, to make sure they are not putting their patients at risk. England's chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson said the system will be drawn up and piloted over the next 18 months will roll-out starting in 2009.
But in principle we support the idea that doctors should be looking to improve themselves Dr Hamish MeldrumBritish Medical Assocation The changes have been dubbed the biggest shake-up in doctor regulation in 150 years.
The annual assessments will examine prescribing habits, adequate assessment of a patient's condition and any personal issues which might affect their work such as drug or alcohol abuse. But in principle we support the idea that doctors should be looking to improve themselves Dr Hamish MeldrumBritish Medical Association
Patients will also be asked for their feedback as part of the doctors' assessment process. Critics have been calling for a better system for years, pointing out pilots can face 100 assessments over their career while doctors effectively have none.
The report, Medical Revalidation: Principle and Next Steps, will also suggest measures to ensure that doctors are keeping up to date with medical advances. The campaign gathered momentum after the Harold Shipman murders.
class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYMedicine advances at a rapid rate and unfortunately some doctors do notMaggie Jones, Cheltenham class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5146&edition=1&ttl=20080723094433">Send us your comments The GP murdered more than 200 people over a period of 23 years with the inquiry into the case raising concerns about doctor regulation.
It is expected to say that regular assessment would raise standards among the 150,000 doctors practising in the UK, rather than being a method for discipline. There will be two strands to the new system called revalidation. Relicensing will apply to all doctors and will be based on a strengthened annual appraisal process.
The assessments - known as revalidation - were first proposed by the General Medical Council as far back as 1998 as a way to win back the trust of the British public after a series of medical scandals. Meanwhile, recertification will only be imposed on the most senior doctors. Details of how this is to be done have yet to be determined, but it is suggested simulators could be used to test their competency.
Sir Liam will build on proposals set out in a goverment White Paper published last year.
Paperwork fears
Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the British Medical Association, said almost all doctors already went through an annual appraisal, which examined their continuing education, and prescribing habits.Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the British Medical Association, said almost all doctors already went through an annual appraisal, which examined their continuing education, and prescribing habits.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programmeFROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
He said the new system would take this a stage further, but while it was important to demonstrate to patients that doctors were keeping up to date, it was also vital that the assessments did not become too burdensome.He said the new system would take this a stage further, but while it was important to demonstrate to patients that doctors were keeping up to date, it was also vital that the assessments did not become too burdensome.
He said: "We are anxious to see that any system is proportionate, that it does not take doctors unduly away from their patients, and that it is fair to doctors.He said: "We are anxious to see that any system is proportionate, that it does not take doctors unduly away from their patients, and that it is fair to doctors.
"But in principle we support the idea that doctors should be looking to improve themselves.""But in principle we support the idea that doctors should be looking to improve themselves."
However, Dr Martyn Lobley, a GP in London, warned it was not straightforward to assess a doctor's capabilities, as often the job was to tell people they were not ill.However, Dr Martyn Lobley, a GP in London, warned it was not straightforward to assess a doctor's capabilities, as often the job was to tell people they were not ill.
"That is what this appraisal system really can't pick up on," he said."That is what this appraisal system really can't pick up on," he said.
Claire Rayner, president of the Patients Association, said: "I'm delighted.Claire Rayner, president of the Patients Association, said: "I'm delighted.
"It's a complicated business, medicine, to say the least, and it is much too easy to say: 'All you have to do is get your qualification, shove up your plates, and get on with the job'.""It's a complicated business, medicine, to say the least, and it is much too easy to say: 'All you have to do is get your qualification, shove up your plates, and get on with the job'."