You may check a doctor's GMC registration status at http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/register/employing_a_doctor.asp
You should not rely on a locum agency to check a doctor's registration status for you. If a doctor has previously been employed elsewhere in the UK, you still need to check their registration details, as their registration status may have changed since they were last employed. The due date of an Annual Retention Fee or an Annual Registration Certificate are not evidence that a doctor is currently registered.
Before employing any doctor to work in your surgery you must check:
o That the doctor to be employed is on an English PCT's Performers List.
o That the doctor has the necessary medical defence cover.
o 2 clinical references*
o You should always check that a doctor is registered with the GMC as part of your pre-employment checks. Since April 2006 doctors appointed as GPs should in addition be on the GMC's GP Register
(* These must relate to a recent post that was held for at least 3 months without a significant break. If this is not possible a full explanation and alternative references must be followed up.
If a locum is required to work immediately the doctor may be engaged for a single period of up to 14 days while references are followed up and for an additional 7 days if the referee is ill, on holiday or otherwise temporarily unavailable.
If the doctor is employed on more than one occasion in a three month period the employing doctor may rely on the references provided on the first occasion, provided they are not more than 12 months old.)
Further information on the NHS regulations relating to the employment of doctors in your practice is available at;
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2004/20040291.htm#57c
Please note:
A failure to carry out all of the necessary checks may put patients at risk and consequently places your practice at medico legal risk.
You also risk disciplinary action for breaching the terms of your contract and your professional obligations as a doctor registered with the GMC.
Essential Criteria for GP work
The regulations specify that 'the contractor shall take reasonable care to satisfy itself that the person in question is both suitably qualified and competent to discharge the duties for which he is to be employed or engaged.'
It is, therefore, useful to establish a list of essential criteria to assure yourself that applicants are capable of performing the job required. These should include
o good knowledge of current medical practice
o adequate knowledge of how the NHS works in practice
o adequate working knowledge of your practice IT system
o adequate command of medical and colloquial English
Application of these criteria to all applicants would not be discriminatory and you owe a duty of care to your patients to ensure that any doctor working in your practice is competent to do the job.
I hope this helps clarify your obligations and will help you avoid unnecessary problems.
recent reminder sent out by Wiltshire PCT:
EMPLOYMENT CHECKS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
- There have been recent cases of healthcare professionals working whilst suspended
- As employers you have a responsibility to carry out the necessary checks
Following some national, high profile cases of healthcare professionals working within the NHS while subject to suspensions from the relevant Performers List, or under investigation by or suspended from their respective national regulatory bodies, I need to remind you that as employers either direct (as in salaried employee) or temporary (as in Locum/Bank cover) or if taking on a partner or performer, you are responsible for ensuring the person you are ‘employing’ is fit to practice.
This means that your pre employment checks must be robust, you will have ensured that you have taken up references, checked with the respective regulatory body (GMC, GDC, GOC, RCN or other) checked they are on a relevant Performers List and checked that there is not an active Professional Alert issued for them. In the case of GP’s you should also ask when they had their last appraisal, this should be no longer that 15 months ago.
The references taken should be current or very recent and at least one should be a written clinical reference.
Registration with the appropriate professional body can normally be checked via the organisations web site, or by a phone call to the organisation. You should have asked for their registration number as part of your application process.
The relevant Medical Performers List - this will only apply to GP’s, Dentist and Optometrists other healthcare professional do not have to be on a Performers List. This check is a bit more difficult as there is not a central register; you should ask them which PCT’s Medical Performers List they are on. The contact telephone numbers are below.
There is a register of the active Professional Alerts kept by the local performers lists for all healthcare professionals. If you phone the relevant performers lists one of the team will be able to tell you if there is an active Professional Alert for this person. They will only be able to confirm there is an active alert and the contact details at the PCT that originally issued the alert, we do not hold details on why the alert was issued. It will be the responsibility of the contractors to contact the PCT in question and find out themselves. The contractor must then make the decision about whether they wish to proceed with considering the employment of that healthcare professional.
The responsibility for the decision to ‘employ’ is the contractors and PCT staff cannot give advice about this, nor should they be asked to do so. If as ‘employers’ you require further advice on any of the above issues it is advisable to contact the LMC, your relevant legal advisors or regulatory body. Medical Defence Unions also usually offer employment advice.
Performers lists contact details:
Hampshire & Isle of Wight PPSA 01962 853361
Covers Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth & IOW lists
Dorset FHSA 01202 893000
Covers Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole lists
Wiltshire PCT 01380 733813/733760
Covers Wiltshire and Swindon lists
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