§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that doctors who have been struck off the medical register abroad are not employed by NHS trusts and private hospitals in the UK. [89527]
§ Mr. DenhamThe National Health Service issued guidance "The Management of Health, Safety and Welfare Issues for NHS Staff' to all NHS employers in April 1998. This emphasised the need to ensure that references are thoroughly checked and career histories explored when recruiting staff. Private employers would be expected to carry out appropriate checks before recruiting medical staff. The National Health Service Executive is working on a proposed change to application forms for medical staff to include a declaration that a doctor has not been subject to disciplinary action by appropriate regulatory bodies anywhere in the world.