§ Lord Clement-Jonesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they are taking to support the continuing initiatives of the British Medical Association, the General Medical Council and the Royal Medical Colleges to improve the self-regulation of the medical profession. [HL145]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hayman)The Government have made it clear in their consultation documentA First Class Service—Quality in the new NHS that they wish to work in partnership with the medical profession, the National Health Service and patient interests in rebuilding public confidence in the quality of care provided in the NHS. The document, copies of which are available in the Library, welcomed the work already done by the profession and regulatory bodies.
We have already started discussions on how the process of making the law responsive to the changing needs of the professions can be made and we will be discussing the proposals for revalidation, which are being considered by the General Medical Council, in the new year.