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NHS managers still failing to test competence of EU doctors NHS managers still failing to test competence of EU doctors
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NHS managers are failing to test EU doctors on their competence and ability to speak English of despite repeated government demands they do so, a survey suggests.NHS managers are failing to test EU doctors on their competence and ability to speak English of despite repeated government demands they do so, a survey suggests.
Nearly three years after the Guardian began exposing flaws in checks on GPs trained abroad, many primary care trusts (PCTs) in England cannot provide figures on whether such doctors have been tested.Nearly three years after the Guardian began exposing flaws in checks on GPs trained abroad, many primary care trusts (PCTs) in England cannot provide figures on whether such doctors have been tested.
Replies to freedom of information requests from health newspaper Pulse indicate some bodies commissioning local health services have not sharpened checks.Replies to freedom of information requests from health newspaper Pulse indicate some bodies commissioning local health services have not sharpened checks.
A leading member of the British Medical Association's GP committee called the position extremely worrying and said trusts, which will be abolished next year under the coalition's health changes, might be failing in their responsibilities because of the imminent shake-up. The body representing managers warned the issue must not "slip through the net". A leading member of the British Medical Association's GP committee called the position extremely worrying and said trusts, which will be abolished next year under the coalition's health changes, might be failing in their responsibilities because of the imminent shakeup. The body representing managers warned the issue must not "slip through the net".
Concerns over standards of EU doctors were first raised after May 2009, when the Guardian reported that Daniel Ubani, a doctor from Germany, had accidentally killed 70-year-old patient David Gray on his first UK out-of-hours shift in Cambridgeshire the previous year.Concerns over standards of EU doctors were first raised after May 2009, when the Guardian reported that Daniel Ubani, a doctor from Germany, had accidentally killed 70-year-old patient David Gray on his first UK out-of-hours shift in Cambridgeshire the previous year.
In September 2009, it revealed how Ubani had failed in his first attempt to work in Britain but joined the so-called "performers list" of a trust with less stringent checks and thus got a ticket to work anywhere in the country.In September 2009, it revealed how Ubani had failed in his first attempt to work in Britain but joined the so-called "performers list" of a trust with less stringent checks and thus got a ticket to work anywhere in the country.
The General Medical Council (GMC), doctors' professional regulator, called for pan-EU rules on free movement of labour to be changed as a result of the case but maintains recent European commission proposals, which might not take effect until 2017, still leave patients at potential risk because the GMC will still have to register EU doctors without being apply the same tests it uses for doctors from elsewhere in the world.The General Medical Council (GMC), doctors' professional regulator, called for pan-EU rules on free movement of labour to be changed as a result of the case but maintains recent European commission proposals, which might not take effect until 2017, still leave patients at potential risk because the GMC will still have to register EU doctors without being apply the same tests it uses for doctors from elsewhere in the world.
The, health secretary, Andrew Lansley, has, however, introduced new rules requiring NHS managers to check EU doctors' fitness for particular jobs in an attempt to prevent "another Ubani". The, health secretary, Andrew Lansley, has, however, introduced rules requiring NHS managers to check EU doctors' fitness for particular jobs in an attempt to prevent "another Ubani".
In October 2010, Pulse published figures from trusts suggesting that 23% of EU doctors in the NHS had had their competence checked and 17% tested for language skills.In October 2010, Pulse published figures from trusts suggesting that 23% of EU doctors in the NHS had had their competence checked and 17% tested for language skills.
Its latest survey, which produced figures from 51 trusts, found just 25, or 4%, of EU doctors untested in 2010 had undergone checks since then. None failed the latest checks, but one GP was expelled from the performers list for refusing to take part in a subsequent appraisal.Its latest survey, which produced figures from 51 trusts, found just 25, or 4%, of EU doctors untested in 2010 had undergone checks since then. None failed the latest checks, but one GP was expelled from the performers list for refusing to take part in a subsequent appraisal.
Some 46 trusts said they could not provide data on whether doctors had been checked, suggesting the true scale of the problem could be greater.Some 46 trusts said they could not provide data on whether doctors had been checked, suggesting the true scale of the problem could be greater.
Chaand Nagpaul, a negotiator for the BMA's GP committee and a GP in Stanmore, Middlesex, told the paper: "It is extremely worrying if PCTs are not implementing performance tests, on the back of the adverse events in recent years. It does worry me that in this massive reorganisation of the NHS, PCTs have struggled to carry out their statutory functions."Chaand Nagpaul, a negotiator for the BMA's GP committee and a GP in Stanmore, Middlesex, told the paper: "It is extremely worrying if PCTs are not implementing performance tests, on the back of the adverse events in recent years. It does worry me that in this massive reorganisation of the NHS, PCTs have struggled to carry out their statutory functions."
The NHS Confederation, representing service managers, said: "We cannot stress enough how important it is for patients that the NHS gets this right … PCTs need to scrutinise their current arrangements and ensure they have robust mechanisms in place to scrutinise the quality care foreign EU doctors provide to local NHS services. The NHS commissioning structure is currently undergoing significant change and we cannot afford for this issue to slip through the net."The NHS Confederation, representing service managers, said: "We cannot stress enough how important it is for patients that the NHS gets this right … PCTs need to scrutinise their current arrangements and ensure they have robust mechanisms in place to scrutinise the quality care foreign EU doctors provide to local NHS services. The NHS commissioning structure is currently undergoing significant change and we cannot afford for this issue to slip through the net."
Richard Hoey, editor of Pulse, said: "It's astonishing just how impervious primary care trusts have been to demands from ministers and the GMC to get their houses in order. The numbers we're talking about are not huge – each PCT will have about 15 doctors trained elsewhere in the EU on its performers list – so it really shouldn't be beyond their wit or capacity to get these checks done."Richard Hoey, editor of Pulse, said: "It's astonishing just how impervious primary care trusts have been to demands from ministers and the GMC to get their houses in order. The numbers we're talking about are not huge – each PCT will have about 15 doctors trained elsewhere in the EU on its performers list – so it really shouldn't be beyond their wit or capacity to get these checks done."