§ Alistair BurtTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government takes to encourage and finance the continuing professional development and education of consultants and GPs. [35205]
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§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 11 February 2002]: The General Medical Council places a duty on all doctors to keep their knowledge and skills up to date throughout their working lives. National health service budgets include provision for investment in continuing professional development for all NHS staff groups. For general practitioners this takes the form of a postgraduate education allowance of up to £2,700 which is payable annually to general medical service GPs undertaking accredited training to further their continuing professional development (CPD). A similar allowance is payable to personal medical service GPs through their contractual arrangements.
We are also taking steps to encourage and formalise participation in CPD through the introduction of appraisal systems for NHS doctors. A new system of appraisal for GPs is to be introduced this year. An appraisal system for hospital consultants was introduced from April 2001. Both systems are professionally driven and led. GP appraisal will be organised and funded by primary care trusts but the appraisals themselves will be undertaken by suitably trained GPs. Consultant appraisal is organised and funded by the NHS employer but the appraisals themselves will be undertaken by suitably trained doctors. The objective of appraisal is to support the doctor concerned in identifying his/her personal and professional development needs and providing a personal development plan to address them which will in turn focus the doctor's continuing professional development over the year to come.
An additional £20 million is being invested in 2001–02 to support and encourage the development of all health professionals, including consultants and GPs, with more to come in the next couple of years—a further £30 million has been agreed for CPD activity in 2002–03.