BMJ  2003;327:69 (12 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7406.69

News

Chief medical officer's report on the nation's health

Poorly performing doctors are to be dealt with more fairly

Zosia Kmietowicz

London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Some NHS trusts and primary care trusts have failed to make use of a new body set up to help deal with poorly performing doctors, says the chief medical officer in his annual report.


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As a result many doctors are on extended official suspensions or unofficial "gardening leave" (a phrase used for suspension, which is not intended to have a negative connotation), with the NHS picking up the £20m ($33m; €29m) annual tab.

The National Clinical Assessment Authority was set up in April 2001 after the Bristol inquiry into children's heart surgery highlighted the urgent need for a less threatening and more sympathetic way to deal with failing doctors. Its aim has been to deal more swiftly with poorly performing doctors and to rehabilitate rather than discipline where possible.

In its first 21 months the authority took 446 referrals. Professor Donaldson said that the service was proving a success. Out . . . [Full text of this article]


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