§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks are undertaken to ensure that NHS employed consultants who also work in private practice are able properly to account for their time. [121455]
§ Ms StuartAny National Health Service consultant who does private work is expected to devote substantially the whole of their professional time to their NHS work. It is for employers and employees to agree the balance between private and NHS work. Their responsibilities for the clinical care of their NHS patients must come first. It is for NHS management locally to ensure that all consultants are fulfilling their contractual commitments, and to take action if these are not being met in individual cases.
A whole time consultant is permitted to have private practice earnings of up to 10 per cent. of their gross NHS salary. If asked by their employer, they must provide fully audited accounts showing their gross income from private practice. If their private practice income exceeds 10 per cent. of their NHS salary in two consecutive years, they have the option of a maximum part-time contract, which means that the consultant foregoes one eleventh of whole time salary, in return for the removal of the restrictions on private practice earnings. However, whether on a whole time or maximum part time contract, there is a clear contractual obligation to devote substantially the whole of their professional time to their NHS duties.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks are undertaken on the expense claims submitted by consultants working for the NHS. [121456]
§ Mr. DenhamThe monitoring of expense claims submitted by consultants is a matter for individual employing bodies.