Department of Health and Social Care
Central Government
Action Planned
DHSC highlights recommendations from a 2013 working group to strengthen quality assurance of locum doctors, including strengthened GMC appraisal guidance, pre-employment standards, audit guides, and guidance for Trusts. DHSC continues to welcome progress against these recommendations. (AI summary)
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From the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP
• Secretary of State for Health Department of Health Richmond House 79 Whitehall London SIVIA 2NS
Mrs Catherine Mason HM Coroner for Leicester City and South Leicestershire The Town Hall Town Hall Square Leicester LEI 9BG J(1.J 1,,.,-, • f,/'-.t.J~A > Thank you for your letter about the death ofLalitaben Patel. Your report advised that, Mrs Patel died from post-operative problems following an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy surge1y by a locum doctor at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. I am pleased to note that your concerns about the recruiting and management practices at the Trust have now been addressed. However, your report raised wider concerns about the practice for appointing locum doctors elsewhere. The issue of quality assurance of locum doctors working in secondary care is clearly important. In November 2013, a high level Secondaiy Care Locum Doctor Working Group ( established by the Health Minister ) made a series ofrecommendations to strengthen existing atTangements and these were welcomed by the Government. They include: " Strengthening General Medical Council appraisal guidance for doctors particularly the need to report on any locum work undertaken. " Strengthening guidance to responsible officers (ROs) to ensure they check with doctors that locum work has been recorded. " NHS Employers Pre-Employment Standards being strengthened to include a seventh standard - covering the need for an employer to be provided with information about an individual locum's RO, dates of revalidation, and appraisal; and that the employer should check an individual is not only fit for practice but purpose.
• NHS Employers publishing a standard audit guide for pre-employment locum checks, providing greater confidence in audits and checks.
• Strengthening guidance for Trusts, emphasising the desirability of using framework locum agencies, with a section included on best practice when using non-framework agencies.
• NHS Employers issuing guidance to Trusts suggesting the development of a set of core measurements on locum usage, which will give boards visibility oflocum usage and quality assurance processes.
• Providing guidance to T1usts on best practice with regards to quality assurance controls, which sets out minimum requirements. I continue to welcome progress against these recommendations. I hope that this infonnation has been helpful and I thank you for bringing the circumstances ofMrs Patel's death to my attention. JEREMYHUNT
• Secretary of State for Health Department of Health Richmond House 79 Whitehall London SIVIA 2NS
Mrs Catherine Mason HM Coroner for Leicester City and South Leicestershire The Town Hall Town Hall Square Leicester LEI 9BG J(1.J 1,,.,-, • f,/'-.t.J~A > Thank you for your letter about the death ofLalitaben Patel. Your report advised that, Mrs Patel died from post-operative problems following an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy surge1y by a locum doctor at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. I am pleased to note that your concerns about the recruiting and management practices at the Trust have now been addressed. However, your report raised wider concerns about the practice for appointing locum doctors elsewhere. The issue of quality assurance of locum doctors working in secondary care is clearly important. In November 2013, a high level Secondaiy Care Locum Doctor Working Group ( established by the Health Minister ) made a series ofrecommendations to strengthen existing atTangements and these were welcomed by the Government. They include: " Strengthening General Medical Council appraisal guidance for doctors particularly the need to report on any locum work undertaken. " Strengthening guidance to responsible officers (ROs) to ensure they check with doctors that locum work has been recorded. " NHS Employers Pre-Employment Standards being strengthened to include a seventh standard - covering the need for an employer to be provided with information about an individual locum's RO, dates of revalidation, and appraisal; and that the employer should check an individual is not only fit for practice but purpose.
• NHS Employers publishing a standard audit guide for pre-employment locum checks, providing greater confidence in audits and checks.
• Strengthening guidance for Trusts, emphasising the desirability of using framework locum agencies, with a section included on best practice when using non-framework agencies.
• NHS Employers issuing guidance to Trusts suggesting the development of a set of core measurements on locum usage, which will give boards visibility oflocum usage and quality assurance processes.
• Providing guidance to T1usts on best practice with regards to quality assurance controls, which sets out minimum requirements. I continue to welcome progress against these recommendations. I hope that this infonnation has been helpful and I thank you for bringing the circumstances ofMrs Patel's death to my attention. JEREMYHUNT