§ 29. Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has held with the GMC on its disciplinary procedures against doctors in private practice since the coming into force of the Care Standards Act 2000. [137665]
§ Mr. DenhamThe Department, at ministerial and official level, has regular contact with the General Medical Council (GMC). We have recently (3 August) amended the Medical Act 1983 to give the GMC powers to deal quickly and more effectively with doctors whose fitness to practice comes into question, and are working closely with them to introduce revalidation of doctors.
These achievements are part of our overall package of reforms to protect patients from incompetent doctors, and the regulation, for the first time, of private doctors under the Care Standards Act is a further step in providing patients with proper safeguards. To ensure that we are putting in place a proper robust system of regulation for private doctors discussions have been held, and are continuing, with the GMC among others. We see the regulation of private doctors as ensuring that patients can have confidence that any information they get about the service being provided is accurate, that there are proper quality assurance systems in place and if the patient is unhappy about the treatment provided they will have access to a formal and effective complaints procedure. Where the National Care Standards Commission has concerns about the quality of care being delivered by a private doctor it will be able to withdraw registration to prevent the doctor from practising in those premises and inform the GMC.
Of course, the GMC has an important role in the development of all the standards to which independent healthcare providers will be regulated, and are therefore part of the External Consultation Group which we have established to help the Department in developing these standards.