Darzi rules out statutory regulation for managers
- Published: 30 June 2008 16:56
- Author: Daloni Carlisle
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- Last Updated: 02 July 2008 16:54
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Lord Darzi has ruled out developing a regulatory body equivalent to the General Medical Council for managers.
Instead, senior managers could face a test of their suitability for future employment.
The report says that while the overwhelming majority of managers meet high standards, some senior leaders' behaviour lets down their staff, their organisation and the public.
But rather than statutory regulation, it says there should be an enhanced code of conduct and consultation on how best to prevent poorly performing leaders from moving on to other NHS organisations.
"Darzi gives the thumbs up to leadership development with a proposal to identify the top 250 leaders in the NHS"
It says: "We do not believe a full-blown system of statutory regulation - akin to a General Medical Council - would be proportionate at this time."
The Department of Health will consider recruitment procedures and more formal assessment of "assuring suitability for future employment".
Darzi gave the thumbs up to leadership development with a proposal to identify the top 250 leaders in the health service and to give them close personal support, mentoring and career management.
He wants to set up a leadership council, to be chaired by the NHS chief executive, to oversee all leadership matters. It will have its own budget and be able to commission development programmes.
The award-winning management trainee scheme is to stay, along with the Breaking Through and Gateway schemes that encourage black and ethnic minority managers and those who are not from NHS backgrounds respectively.
These will be supplemented by a new clinical management for quality course to develop clinical managers' skills and the extension of the clinical excellence awards scheme to clinical managers, to offer financial incentives for doctors to move into management.
For more breaking news on the Darzi review as it emerges, visit the news section on hsj.co.uk. For full coverage, read this week's HSJ and NHS 60 supplement.
