Scotland needs tighter controls on locum doctors, audit shows

Robust reporting arrangements are needed in Scotland to ensure that poorly performing locum doctors are identified and action taken to reduce potential risks to the safety of patients, a new report says.

A report from Audit Scotland is critical of the lack of formal arrangements for pre-employment checks, induction, supervision, and performance management of locum doctors, which could allow bogus or poorly performing doctors to continue working.

Spending on locum doctors in Scottish hospitals almost doubled from 1996 to 2008, with the greatest demand occurring in rural areas, where numbers of vacancies are …