Medical and Dental Recruitment

Honorary and Observer Request Form

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GENERAL INFORMATION RELATING TO VISITING DOCTORS AND DENTISTS:
Visiting qualified doctors and dentists who are not contracted to NHS Lothian must hold either an Honorary or Observer contract, please see the three options below. Contracts can be issued up to a maximum of 3 years, with the option to extend.
To begin the administrative process, the attached Request Form should be completed by the relevant department and returned to Medical and Dental Recruitment (MDR) along with a copy of the visitors CV.
In order to satisfy the checking process, MDR requires 6 weeks’ notice - failure to allow enough time may result in the contract being delayed.
Requirements –
  • Visitors are responsible to the supervising consultant, who must be an NHS Lothian employee.
  • The Clinical Director or Associate Medical Director must authorise the visit.
  • All visiting doctors and dentists must satisfy necessary pre-employment checks.
  • Some Non EU Visitors are required to hold an appropriate visa, e.g. Business Visitors Visa, which allows them to right to work in the UK and hold a contract.
  • Passports and visas must be verified by MDR or the relevant department before the visitor can commence the placement.
Request Form and CV must be returned to –
  • ; or
  • Medical and Dental Recruitment, 1st Floor Pentland House, 47 Robb’s Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY
The supervising consultant will be notified by MDR when the recruitment process is complete, do not allow the individual to commence work without this confirmation.
HONORARY CONTRACT:
Required for visitors who will have direct patient contact, including processing patient information.
Honorary visitors can operate unsupervised.
Essential pre-employment checks –
  • GMC or GDC registered with a license to practice.
  • Clear GMC or GDC record: undertakings or proceedings, previous or current, must be declared.
  • Currently employed as a doctor and the substantive employer supports the honorary position (excluding Staffbank/Agency workers).
  • Occupational Health clearance - including Exposure Prone Procedures, if applicable (minimum 1 week to process).
  • Disclosure Scotland Protection of Vulnerable Groups clearance (minimum 3 weeks to process).
  • Non-UK visitors must provide a Local Police Check.

OBSERVER CONTRACT:
Required for visitors who are to observe clinical work, therefore will not have direct patient contact or be responsible for patient care or service delivery.
Observing visitors must be supervised at all times by the supervising consultant.
Essential pre-employment checks –
  • Qualified doctor or dentist – can be non GMC or GDC registered
  • Occupational Health clearance (minimum 1 week to process).

THEATRE OBSERVER CONTRACT:
Required for visitors who are to observe theatre procedures. Please read the above ‘Observer Contract’ information and requirements, as they also apply here.
In addition, Theatre Observers:
  • Must be scrubbed and may be invited to place hands inside a patient cavity in order to follow the procedure being carried out.
  • Are not authorised to carry out surgical procedures.
  • Are considered to be a Heath Care Worker and therefore subject to compliance with NHS Lothian’s Blood Borne Virus and Immunisation Policies.
Essential pre-employment checks –
  • As above .under ‘Observer Contract’, including Occupational Health Exposure Prone Procedures clearance (minimum 1-2 weeks to process).

REQUEST FORM TO BE COMPLETED BY THE DEPARTMENT -
Having read the information provided, please select which contract is required:
Honorary (Direct patient contact)
Please confirm if this Honorary involves EPP work: Yes No [go to HR Online for further info]
Observer (No patient contact)
Theatre Observer (No patient contact, but required to observe in theatre)
Visitor’s Information:
Forename: / Surname:
Address:
Email Address: / Telephone:
A copy of the Visitor’s CV has been obtained and will be sent with this form:
IF HONORARY, Current Employer Information –
Board Name:
Email Address: / Telephone:
Attending Department Information:
Department:
Hospital/Base:
Start Date: / End Date:
Reason for Visit:
IF HONORARY, information relating to GMC/GDC undertakings or proceedings must be submitted with this form:
Has your visitor been subject to any GMC/GDC undertakings or proceedings: / Yes / No
Department Contact/Secretary [if not the supervising consultant]:
Forename: / Surname:
Email Address: / Telephone:
Supervising Consultant [must be an NHS Lothian employee]:
I can confirm that I will act as supervisor and be responsible for the above named visitor during this contract.
I will ensure that all necessary checks are complete prior to commencement.
If Honorary, I am aware that this visitor has the relevant qualifications and they have a substantive employer.
Where an Observer contract is issued, I will ensure that an observer does not have direct patient contact.
Forename: / Surname:
Email Address: / Telephone:
Signature:
Electronic or Email
Date:
Do not allow the visitor to commence without confirmation from Medical Recruitment.
If the checks are not returned 2 weeks prior to starting, you will be asked to contact the visitor.
Authorised by the CD or AMD [must be an NHS Lothian employee]:
Forename: / Surname:
Signature:
Electronic or Email
Date:

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An up-to-date Request Form and further information is available on HR Online.

Enquiries should be emailed to

Last updated: November 2015