§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to issue guidance on changes to disciplinary procedures for hospital and community medical and dental staff.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyA circular containing guidance on new and revised disciplinary procedures for hospital doctors and dentists, and for community doctors, has been published today. This follows negotiations with the professions on the basis of recommendations from a. joint working party. A copy of the circular, HC(90)(9), is: being placed in the Library.
The circular amends the procedure for holding inquiries into doctors' alleged serious professional misconduct or incompetence—the HM(61)112 procedure—as well as the right of appeal against dismissal. Improvements include setting time limits to help reduce the cost and delay of these procedures.
Two new procedures are being introduced: professional review machinery, a peer group approach for reviewing the conduct of hospital consultants said to have failed repeatedly to honour their contractual commitments, and an intermediate procedure, which deals with allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence which are sufficiently serious to warrant disciplinary action but are unlikely to lead to dismissal.
281WThese changes should result in a more comprehensive disciplinary framework for medical and dental staff and should make it easier for health authorities to take appropriate action where necessary.