Joint Statement from the Department of Health and General Medical Council to address Recommendation One of the Independent Neurology Inquiry Report
Date published:
The Department of Health and the General Medical Council (GMC) have today published a joint statement in fulfilment of Recommendation One of the Independent Neurology Inquiry (INI) Report.
The joint statement explains that medical appraisal and revalidation are an integral part of the governance system within the wider organisational governance arrangements of individual Health and Social Care organisations, which collectively add to the robustness of the system.
In the statement, the Department and the GMC outline the purpose and process relating to whole practice appraisal for individual medical staff working in Northern Ireland. Both appraisal and revalidation are undertaken within the processes laid down by doctors’ employing organisations, where regular whole practice medical appraisal contributes to a doctor’s revalidation with the GMC.
In addressing Recommendation One of the INI, the joint statement provides clarification relating to the appraisal and revalidation of doctors, as well as the other mechanisms which help to ensure patient safety.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “I welcome the publication of the joint statement from my Department and the General Medical Council (GMC). This statement reflects the Department’s and the GMC’s fulfilment of Recommendation One of the Independent Neurology Inquiry (INI), and our continuing joint efforts to support the delivery of interrelated commitments and actions which fall within the INI Implementation Programme.
“My Department continues to oversee the INI Implementation Programme and continues to work with stakeholders to take forward each of the INI recommendations, and I would like to acknowledge the progress already made. This includes the continued commitment by my Department to work in partnership with the GMC on areas of mutual interest to ensure the successful delivery of the INI Implementation Programme.”
Charlie Massey, Chief Executive and Registrar of the GMC, said: “We will work closely with the Department of Health to help ensure that medical appraisal and revalidation are fully embedded into local governance systems and are better understood by patients and the public.
‘We are committed to playing our part in supporting the INI Implementation Programme and to work with others in taking forward the INI report recommendations.”
The joint statement is available on the Department of Health’s website and the GMC website, and further information on the INI Implementation Programme is available at Independent Neurology Inquiry (INI) | Department of Health
Notes to editors:
- The Independent Neurology Inquiry was established by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health in May 2018. This was as part of a series of actions taken in response to the recall of neurology patients by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. The Inquiry Panel's report can be found on the Independent Neurology Inquiry website.
- The Independent Neurology Inquiry Implementation Plan is available on the Department of Health’s website Independent Neurology Inquiry (INI) - Implementation and Action Plans | Department of Health
- Recommendation One of the INI report stated:
The NI Department of Health and the GMC should issue a joint public statement for the benefit of public and patients making clear the extent to which they consider whether the processes of medical appraisal and revalidation, currently extant, are sufficient to ensure that aberrant practice will be identified. If those processes are in themselves inadequate, the statement should specify what mechanisms should be put in place to achieve this necessary objective. - For media enquiries please contact the DoH Press Office by email pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk.
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