Professional regulation
Following publication in February 2007 of the Chief Medical Officer for England's white paper, 'Trust, Assurance and Safety – the Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century', the government is legislating to make fundamental changes to the way in which the UK medical profession is regulated. These changes in the UK-wide Health and Social Care Bill currently progressing in the Westminster parliament, are far reaching which, taken together, would add up to the effective loss of professionally-led medical regulation.
This is one of the most important issues facing the profession at the moment and the BMA will continue to fight for the future of professionally-led regulation.
The BMA is doing all that it can to mitigate the effect of the proposals on the medical profession. We are meeting ministers and Department of Health officials, have representatives on the Department of Health working groups charged with implementing the CMO’s recommendations and are lobbying politicians.
BMA statement of principles on revalidation
The set of principles which the BMA would like to see used to develop revalidation policy in the months ahead.Response to the draft report of the Tackling Concerns Nationally Working Group, July 2008
The draft report of the Tackling Concerns Nationally Working Group includes recommendations for the new adjudication body 'Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator' (OHPA), such as the appointment and roles of the members of the Executive Board and the Panels.Response to consultation document 'Medical Profession (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008', June 2008
The Medical Profession (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008, includes the transfer of the statutory powers of the GMC Education Committee to the GMC’s Council, amendments to the Medical Act which to enable the GMC to begin work around revalidation and an amendment to the 2003 Order to reinstate the GMC’s previous power to allow late entry onto the Specialist Register in certain circumstances.Response to consultation document 'General Medical Council (Constitution) Order 2008', June 2008
The General Medical Council (Constitution) Order 2008, includes changes in the composition of the GMC, terms of office for GMC members and standing orders in respect of the education and training of members.Response to consultation document, 'Proposed changes to the Indicative Sanctions Guidance for Fitness to Practise Panels'
BMA response to the GMC's consultation document on 'Proposed changes to the Indicative Sanctions Guidance for Fitness to Practise Panels'. Our response is split into two sections. Firstly, general comments on the proposed changes and secondly, comments on specific sections of the Indicative Sanctions Guidance itself.Health and Social Care Bill - Information sharing, April 2008
This briefing paper, prepared for the Lords' stages of the Health and Social Care Bill (April 2008), outlines the BMA's concerns on the sharing of information about doctors in circumstances where it is considered that the doctor may constitute a threat to the health and safety of patients.Health and Social Care Bill - Proof, committee stage, April 2008
This briefing paper prepared for the Lords' stages of the Health and Social Care Bill (April 2008) details doctors’ strong reservations about the change to the standard of proof in fitness to practise cases. It outlines the safeguards necessary to protect patients and the public interest while being fair to doctorsHealth and Social Care Bill - Responsible officer brief, House of Lords, April 2008
This briefing paper prepared for the Lords' stages of the Health and Social Care Bill (April 2008) details the BMA's position on the responsibilities and functions of Responsble Officers, a new role proposed in the bill.Response to the consultation document, 'Entry to registers', April 2008
The BMA's detailed response to the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence consultation document covers issues such as the definition of good character and information on entry to the registerResponse to the consultation document, 'Protocols for investigation and referrals to regulatory bodies', April 2008
The BMA's detailed response to the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence consultation document covers issues such as common protocols for investigation and guidance for employers on referring cases to the regulatory bodies.Response to the consultation document, 'Translating "Good Medical Practice" into a framework for appraisal and assessment', March 2008
The BMA's detailed response to the General Medical Council's consultation document is split into three sections. Firstly, general comments on the proposals. Secondly, specific comments on aspects of the proposals. Thirdly, comments on the framework itself.Response to 'Harmonising fitness to practise sanctions across regulators', February 2008
The BMA's detailed response to the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence consultation document, covering issues such as common sanctions; erasure, removal and striking off and restoration.Response to the consultation document, 'Healthcare and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008', February 2008
The BMA's detailed response to the Department of Health for England’s consultation document, covering such issues as the importance of public protection and co-operation and co-ordination between professional regulators and key stakeholders.Health and Social Care Bill - Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator (OHPA), January 2008
Full details of the BMA's concerns on changes to the creation of the new Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator (OHPA) can be found in this Parliamentary Unit's briefing paper for the bill's committee stage in the House of Commons:BMA response to the GMC's consultation document on the change to the standard of proof to be used in fitness to practise hearings, October 2007
The BMA does not believe that the proposal to change the standard of proof has proven merit, nor does the proposal command the confidence of doctors nor of this Association.The future regulation of the medical profession in the UK, 24 September 2007
A letter to doctors from Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of Council, detailing the major changes proposed by the government, and asking for the profession's support to mitigate the effects of the assault on the medical profession.Regulate us but don't punish us, say doctors - press release, 20 August 2007
"Patient safety is paramount and the BMA will continue to work closely with the GMC to ensure that the extremely small number of doctors who are unsafe are dealt with swiftly and effectively".Consultants' views needed on regulation of doctors, April 2007
This BMA briefing outlines the key issues in the White Paper, ‘Trust, Assurance and Safety – the Regulation of Health Professionals’ which will directly affect consultants. The BMA’s Consultants Committee needs your views on these proposals.Regulation of doctors, April 2007
The Government’s white paper, ‘Trust, Assurance and Safety – the Regulation of Health Professionals’, sets out a programme of reform for the regulation of health professionals. The BMA’s Consultants Committee needs your views on these proposals and ways in which we should seek to influence them.Trust, assurance and safety
This briefing paper has been produced to highlight the key recommendations in the White Paper 'Trust, Assurance and Safety – the Regulation of Health Professionals'. The Central Consultants and Specialists Committee is keen to receive feedback from consultants.BMA analysis on of the White Paper, February 2007
A synopsis and initial analysis by the BMA's Health Policy, Economics and Research Unit of the White Paper on professional regulation.The BMA's response to the Donaldson report, November 2006
The response of the BMA to 'Good doctors, safer patients', a report by Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer for England.Overview of the Chief Medical Officer's report on medical regulation 'Good Doctors, safer patients', July 2006
A special edition of CMO Update - a newsletter sent to all doctors in EnglandRegulation of health professionals, February 2007
BMA press release in response to the White Paper on regulation of health professionals, a link to the white paper, "Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century" and a commentary from the BMA