Hallcross Medical Services Limited

Professional Qualifications & Registration Policy for New & Existing Staff

Last Review Date Approving Body
Date of Approval
Date of Implementation Next Review Date
Review Responsibility / February 2017
Hallcross Medical Services Limited Board
February 2012
February 2012
February 2018
Hallcross Medical Services Limited Company Secretary
Version / 1.2

Introduction

This policy is intended primarily for the recruitment of Health Professionals who require registration with an appropriate body in order to practise.

The NHS Employment Check Standards apply to all NHS Organisations and Providers and covers the following topics:

  1. Verification of identity checks
  2. Right to work checks
  3. Professional registration and qualification checks
  4. Employment history and reference checks
  5. Criminal record checks
  6. Occupational health checks

(Full details on each of these are to be found at:

The Company Policy detailed below is compliant with these standards.

HMSL will carry out all checks with due regard to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

The checks will be limited to those checks essential to the prudent recruitment process.

HMSL will record the outcome of the pre-employment checks and retain the information in a secure manner.

Purpose

The purpose of undertaking pre-employment qualification checks is to ensure that a prospective employee isrecognised by the appropriate regulatory body and that they have the right qualifications to carry out the role applied for.

Advising prospective employees of the requirement to undertake registration and qualification checks.

The company will make it clear to all relevant prospective employees that:

‘appointment to any positionis conditional on a satisfactory registration, licence and qualification checks, and that anyinformation disclosed on the application form will be checked’.

Any offer of employment made by the company to a prospective employee, whether conditional or absolute, will incorporate a clear statement to the effect that:

‘any offer of appointment may be withdrawn if they knowingly withhold information, or provide false or misleading information, and that employment may be terminated should any subsequent information come to light once they have been appointed’.

Registration, licence and qualification checks will only be carried out with the express consent of the health professional candidate.

Ensuring employees maintain registration throughout their employment

In addition, contracts of relevant employees will contain the clause that:

“Failureonyourparttomaintainthefollowingwillresultindismissal:

  1. MaintainfullGMCregistration (SuspensionorerasurefromtheRegister, andtheimpositionofconditionsuponregistrationwillberegardedasfailurestomaintainfullGMCregistrationforthepurposesofthiscontact).

ii.MaintainmembershipofarecognisedmedicaldefenceorganisationapprovedbytheCompanyandcommensuratewithyourprofessionaldutiesthroughouttheperiodofyouremploymentintheeventthatyouopt-outofthegrouppolicy. “

Policy

HMSL will make the following checks on relevant candidates prior to appointment:

  • That the applicant is registered to carry out the proposed role
  • Whether the registration is subject to any current restrictions that might affect the duties proposed
  • If the applicant has investigations against them about their fitness to practise that the regulatory body has a duty to disclose.

Where possible, HMSL will check original documentation. In the event that this is not available, alternative methods of verification will be considered based on the importance and relevance to the qualification to the overall role.

Details of undertaking and the outcome of these checks will be recorded on the candidate’s Job Application Form and documents subsequently stored in their Personnel File.

There are 3 key regulatory bodies relevant to general practice for disclosing fitness to practise information: The General Medical Council (GMC); The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC); The Health Professions Council (HPC)

The General Medical Council (GMC)

The GMC can confirm a doctor’s:

  • Full name;
/
  • Sex;

  • GMC reference number;
/
  • Current registration status;

  • Dates of registration (provisional, full, specialist or limited);
/
  • Primary medical qualification;

  • Licence to practise;
/
  • Specialist qualifications;

  • Current registered address;
/
  • Due date for annual retention fee.

HMSL will check both the individual’s GMC registration status and whether they hold a licence to practise prior to engaging them to undertake any form of medical practice in the UK in one of the following ways:

  • By going onto the GMC’s online register (the List of Medical Practitioners) at

and entering the individual’s GMC reference number. This will state either that they are registered ‘with a licence to practise’ or that they are ‘registered without a licence to practice’;

  • By filling in the enquiry form at
  • By phoning the contact centre on 0161 923 6602;
  • By email, including the doctor’s name and GMC reference number, the employer’s name,

Trust and contact number, sent to ;

  • By writing to the General Medical Council, 3 Hardman Street, Manchester, M3 3AW;
  • By using ESR to verify a doctor’s GMC status.

Further information about registration requirements and the introduction of revalidation from

2013 can be found on the GMC website at

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

HMSL will contact the NMC to provide the following registration status information on registered nurses:

  • Removed
  • Restored
  • Conditions of practice
  • Cautioned
  • Suspended
  • Lapsed
  • Effective.

As it will not indicate if someone is under investigation, HMSL will make contact withthe NMC’s “Fitness to Practise” Department to obtain this information:

Via e-mail to or by telephoning: 0207 462 5801 / 5811

HMSL will contact the NMC to confirm registration status in one of the following ways:

  • Online at
  • Through the automated registration confirmation hotline (available 24 hours a day, seven Days a week), which generates a written report at the end;
  • By writing for confirmation to: Nursing and Midwifery Council, 23 Portland Place, London, W1B 1PZ;
  • By telephoning / emailing one of the following: orTel: 0207 333 9333.

The Health Professions Council (HPC)

The following health professionals are regulated by the HPC:

  • Arts therapists
  • Biomedical scientists
  • Chiropodists
  • Podiatrists
  • Clinical scientists
  • Dieticians
  • Occupational therapists
  • Operating department practitioners
  • Orthoptists
  • Paramedics
  • Physiotherapists
  • Prosthetists
  • Orthotists
  • Radiographers and
  • Speech and language therapists.

HMSL will check registration status using the website: or alternatively use one of the following options:

  • By phone on 0845 300 4472 or 0207 840 9802;
  • By emailing ;
  • By writing to the HPC, Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road, London, SE11 4BU;
  • By contacting the Fitness to Practise team on 0207 840 9814.

Alert Notices

An alert notice is a way of notifying NHS bodies, or other organisations providing services toNHS bodies, about registered health professionals whose performance or conduct could pose asignificant risk of harm to patients, staff or the public.

HMSL will liaise with the Practice Manager in order to check the alert notice files prior to recruiting an individual.

If an individual is subject to an alert notice then the Practice Manager will also check whether they are suitable to be employed into the position being offered.

Qualifications

If a qualification is essential for the position, HMSL will:

  • Request original certificates and take copies
  • Check that the details on certificates match those the prospective employee provides as part of their application
  • Contact the awarding body directly, where possible, to confirm the applicant’s attendance, course details and grade awarded.

In the event that a prospective employee has gained their qualifications overseas, HMSL will check that this qualification exists, that it is equivalent to the stated UK qualification and that the prospective employee does, in fact, hold the qualification.

These checks will be carried out directly with the awarding institution, where possible. Where this is not possible, HMSL will seek advice from the relevant country’s UK Embassy, Consulate or High Commission.

Withdrawal of a provisional offer of appointment

It is company policy that the appointment should not be taken up until all relevant checks have been completed satisfactorily.However, if there is an urgent need to employ someone quickly, the offer of appointment will be provisional and conditional on the satisfactory outcome of these checks.

The conditions of a provisional offer of appointment will be made clear to the employee, in writing.

Doubts on authenticity of information

In the event that the checking procedure returns information that contradicts the details provided by the applicant and therefore raises concerns, HMSL will:

  • Proceed in a sensitive manner – there is often a reasonable explanation for apparentinconsistencies;
  • Attempt to address the concerns directly with the candidate.

In exceptional circumstances, where checks reveal substantial misdirection, HMSL will consider reporting the concerns to the local police.

Notifying the CQC of incidents reported to, or investigated by the Police

HMSL is required to notify the CQC without delay of incidents reported to, or investigated by the Police.

There is a dedicated Notification form for this type of incident. The form is contained in the Outcome 20 document “Notification of Other Incidents – Outcome 20 Composite Statements and Forms”

The Practice Manager is responsible for notifying the CQC without delay if there is an occurrence of this type of incident.

Renewing Registration and Licence to Practice by existing Healthcare Professionals

For existing Healthcare Professionalswho are required to remain registered and hold a licence to practise with their Professional Body, it is their responsibility to manage their own registration and membership renewal, regardless of whether HMSL has undertaken payment of premiums or subscriptions.

If at any time registration is not renewed on time, the health professional will not be allowed to practice and may face disciplinary action as a result of their failure to ensure that correct registration and licence to practise has been kept up to date.

General Medical Council (GMC)

HMSL Business Manager will maintain a list of all GMC registration numbers on staff assurance file, segregated by GP name and also a list of renewal dates for each GP.

The original renewal Registration Certificate and Licence to Practise confirmation will be required to be provided to Jenny Wyllie, HMSL Business Manager who will copy them and file the copies in the employee’s personnel file, returning the originals to the Healthcare Professional.

The above procedure will apply equally to Clinical Directors, Salaried GPs and Locum staff.

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