NHS managers who silence whistleblowers to be banned from senior health roles
Tens of thousands of clinical and non-clinical managers work in the NHS but there is currently no regulatory framework specifically for managers, as there is for doctors and nurses.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the reforms will 'slam the door in the face of unsuitable managers'.
Mr Streeting added: 'I'm determined to create a culture of honesty and openness in the NHS where whistleblowers are protected, and that demands tough enforcement.
'If you silence whistleblowers, you will never work in the NHS again.
'We've got to create the conditions where staff are free to come forward and sound the alarm when things go wrong. Protecting the reputation of the NHS should never be put before protecting patient safety.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said those who silence whistleblowers 'will never work in the NHS again' (PA)
'Most NHS leaders are doing a fantastic job, but we need to stop the revolving door that allows managers sacked for misconduct or incompetence to be quietly moved to another well-paid role in another part of the NHS.'
DHSC said a public consultation launched in November last year received more than 4,900 contributions on ways in which managers and leaders could be regulated.
The statutory barring system will be for board-level directors and their direct reports within NHS bodies.
Further legislation will set out new statutory powers for the Health and Care Professions Council to disbar NHS leaders in senior roles who have committed serious misconduct.
Separate NHS England professional standards for managers will establish a 'consistent, national set of expectations about NHS management and leadership competency and conduct', DHSC said.
Tom Kark KC, author of the Kark Review into the effectiveness of the fit and proper person test within the NHS, said: 'I am pleased that the recommendation made in my report into the application of the NHS fit and proper person test to create a power to disqualify board directors found guilty of serious misconduct is being implemented.
'Along with the ongoing implementation of my other recommendations for improving board competence, this is a positive move to strengthen management in the NHS by weeding out poor leadership.
'This is good news for whistleblowers and those looking for accountability in senior management which has long been lacking.'
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said patients expect NHS managers 'to be held to the same high standards as clinical staff, and that should include consistent regulation'.
Ms Power added: 'A clear, fair process to prevent those who commit serious misconduct from returning to senior roles will be an important step forward, and it's vital that patient involvement continues to shape proposals as further regulation is considered.'
Sam Allen, NHS national director for leadership and management, said: 'Managers will welcome this new regulatory framework, as part of the broader package of actions set out in the plan to attract, develop, and retain the best possible leaders for the NHS of today and tomorrow.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
9 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Ella Henderson shares endometriosis diagnosis in bid to ‘spread awareness'
The 29-year old, who found fame on the TV singing competition, The X Factor, in 2012, said that she was diagnosed in January after a laparoscopy revealed 'severe endometriosis' behind her uterus and scar tissue affecting her bladder and bowel. According to the NHS website, endometriosis is caused when cells similar to those in the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other parts of the body. A post shared by ELLA HENDERSON (@ellahendersonofficial) In a statement shared on her Instagram account on Wednesday, Henderson said she wants others suffering with the condition to know they are not alone. She said: 'After years of struggling with confusing and challenging health problems including stomach bloating, bowel pain and heavy periods, plus countless GP appointments leading to scans, tests and the feeling that maybe the pain was all in my head, I was officially diagnosed with endometriosis in January this year. 'My long journey to an endometriosis diagnosis is not unique. It takes on average up to nine years in the UK, which for many like me, can put an immense mental and physical toll on you. 'Living in chronic pain, not being believed, and constant misdiagnosis led to periods of depression, isolation and anxiety. If health practitioners had recognised my endometriosis symptoms sooner, I might have been spared all that.' Despite there not being a cure for endometriosis, there are treatments available that can help manage the pain including surgery which Henderson said had helped to 'significantly' reduce symptoms. She has since partnered with the charity, Endometriosis UK, to help raise awareness about the condition. She added: 'I don't want future generations of women to go through what I did. I know that my situation isn't unique, and too many women unnecessarily suffer with undiagnosed endometriosis for far too long. 'My hope is to be a voice for those still searching for answers and show those living with endometriosis that they're not alone. 'I want anyone living with this condition to feel a sense of empowerment and be enabled to take back control of their lives by knowing what is actually going on with their bodies. 'I believe it is so important that we begin to have more open conversations about menstrual health and endometriosis. 'Spreading awareness and knowledge by having wider discussions on the matter is key. 'The only way we can feel more comfortable and in control is by sharing our own experiences.' The Lincolnshire-born singer finished sixth on The X Factor where she went on to release her debut single Ghost which reached number one in the UK singles charts before releasing her debut studio album Chapter One.
Reuters
35 minutes ago
- Reuters
Slovenia state body vetoes assisted dying law, sends it back to parliament
SARAJEVO, July 23 (Reuters) - A top state body in Slovenia has vetoed new legislation to allow assisted dying, saying it raised complex philosophical, ethical and legal issues that needed to be tackled, STA news agency reported on Wednesday. Parliament last week approved a bill giving terminally-ill adults the right to end their lives if they face unbearable suffering with no expectation of improvement, echoing decisions by an increasing number of countries including Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium and some U.S. states. The legislation follows a consultative referendum last year in which 55% of voters called for such a law. But the National Council - a bipartisan regulatory body grouping senior officials who oversee social, economic and local policies - vetoed the bill in a 20-9 vote late on Tuesday, ordering that it be returned to parliament for review. Opponents on the council cited concerns that the bill could undo respect for the sanctity of life by opening the door to prematurely ending a life regardless of the circumstances. The bill specified that assisted dying could be carried out only once treatment options were exhausted, and would not be allowed in the case of unbearable suffering resulting from mental illness, STA reported earlier.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
How much resident doctors really earn as they plan to strike over NHS pay
Resident doctors will go ahead with a five-day strike this week after talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government broke down. The BMA rejected the government's offer of a 5.4 per cent pay rise this year and is calling for a 29 per cent pay rise, claiming doctors have seen a 20 per cent pay erosion in their salaries since 2008. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, described the strike action as 'completely unjustified'. He added: 'It shows a complete disdain for patients and the wider recovery of the NHS.' The BMA said the health secretary's offer did not go far enough on pay. The walkout will run from Friday, 25 July, until the following Wednesday, with further strikes threatened every month until January unless their pay demands are met. Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, are qualified doctors in their first years of training. A fifth are completing their first two foundation years, while the remainder are in core or speciality registrar training. The newly agreed salary for those on foundation training is between £38,831 and £44,439, with specialist training salaries rising to £73,992. That includes the 5.4 per cent increase awarded earlier this year, but does not include London weighting. The BMA wants pay boosted to between £47,308 and £54,274 for foundation doctors, and up to a maximum of £90,989 for residents in specialist training at the highest end, over a flexible negotiated period. The NHS Confederation estimates that every 0.1 per cent pay rise across the NHS will cost the health service an extra £125 million each year. While the pay rise being requested is only for resident doctors, who account for 75,000 of the workforce, the difference between what the BMA is requesting and what is currently paid could cost millions or even billions. How much are residents paid compared to other doctors? Resident doctors' current salary of between £38,831 and £44,439 a year is for a 40-hour week, and does not include extra pay for working more hours or night shifts, which varies significantly per person. Doctors in core or specialist training can earn £52,656 a year, going on to earn up to £73,992 a year at the highest end. The government has said that this sits at around an average of £54,300 across resident doctors of all stages of training. Meanwhile, consultants, who have specialist knowledge in a particular medical field, earn a basic salary of between £105,504 and £139,882 a year. After two years of foundation training, it generally takes around five to eight more years before doctors can become eligible for consultant roles, though the wait can be longer. Nurses start at a lower salary band, around £31,049 for a newly-qualified nurse, according to the NHS' Agenda for Change. This can go up to £54,710 for ward managers, and £96,0000 for the most senior specialist nurses. Dentists employed by the NHS start at £42,408 a year and progress to £94,000 for the most senior roles and £105,000 for dental consultants. This puts resident doctors in a similar starting range to dentists, and 22 per cent higher than nurses. How far is pay behind inflation? Inflation is central to the BMA's demands, arguing that even after the uplift, pay for resident doctors has been eroded by 20.9 per cent since 2008. With the current 5.4 per cent uplift, the BMA says doctors won't see their pay restored for 12 years, or until 2036. Instead, resident doctors are seeking a 29 per cent pay rise, which Mr Streeting has called 'completely unreasonable'. However, the BMA's figures are calculated using retail prices index (RPI) inflation, which is no longer used as a national statistic. This includes factors such as housing prices, council tax, and mortgage rates. Using the official measure of inflation, consumer prices index (CPI), the Nuffield Trust calculated that doctors' pay has fallen by a more moderate 4.7 per cent in the same period. In cash terms, excluding inflation, foundation-year resident doctors have seen a substantial pay boost in recent years. First year foundation doctors were paid just £29,384 in 2022; which means the new 5.4 per cent uplift amounts to an overall 32 per cent pay rise on that figure. While 2022 saw a four-decade-high rate of inflation, and doctors' salaries had already been falling behind, this is a more sizeable increase than seen by other public sectors. Nurses, for example, have seen starting salaries rise by just 14.8 per cent in the same period, less than half the rate of resident doctors. Doctors' pay compared to other public sectors Doctors and medical staff provide essential public services. So, how does their pay compare to police and firefighters? According to the Firefighters Union (FU), a trainee will earn around £28,265 a year, bumped up to £37,675 once they become a fully 'competent' firefighter in 1-3 years. At this point, overtime is paid at £25.80 per hour. Firefighters generally work a two-day, two-night shift pattern, with four days off in between. The highest salary for 'area manager' firefighters is at £69,283, according to the FU; not including London weighting. Meanwhile, figures from the Police Federation suggest that constables begin on £29,907 a year (without London weighting), rising to £48,000 for the highest pay band. Chief Inspectors can earn as much as £72,700 in London at the highest range. This suggests that resident doctors start at a moderately higher salary range, with more potential for upward movement. But comparing these fields of work is a challenge. Doctors must complete several years of medical school before qualifying. This saddles many doctors with debt before entering the workforce - something which is not a requirement for other emergency services, including firefighters and police. Low doctor pay compared to other countries In France, most doctors are self-employed, except for a minority who are directly employed by hospitals. Starting salaries are already expected to be around £3,400 per month, tallying at £40,800 a year. The average salary for a general practitioner is £84,000, according to data from the public health service. This can go up to as high as £350,000 for radiotherapists. In Canada, low starting salaries for doctors are around £46,000, according to national data. But average salaries sit around £122,000, with peak pay at £236,000 a year. The US has the highest salaries for doctors overall, with significant variation by state. Since private healthcare pay is unstandardised, it is hard to directly compare starting salaries. But resident doctors in the US are paid on average between £51,000 and £86,000, according to Glassdoor, with some surgeons earning upwards of £500,000 a year. It is important to note that the NHS is relatively unique because it is funded by the taxpayer. Canada has a similar system, which covers 70 per cent of healthcare spending, known as Medicare. Most doctors are paid in a fee-for-service model, not a set salary. France has a reimbursement model where patients mostly pay upfront, and may be partially or fully refunded by the state. And the US has some form of free health insurance, known as Medicaid; but this covers a shrinking fraction of the population. Ultimately, doctors are privately paid through forms of insurance, even if the state subsidises some healthcare. In this way, the UK is somewhat unique in how the taxpayer shoulders the burden of public healthcare salaries, excluding private doctors.
