06.06.14
DH ‘still plans’ to legislate on healthcare regulation
The Department of Health still plans to legislate on professional healthcare regulation but when “Parliamentary time allows”, NHE has been told.
Following the omission of the Law Commission’s proposed bill from the Queen’s Speech this week, regulators expressed their disappointment.
But a DH spokesperson told NHE: “Following the Francis Inquiry, we need to make sure that our professional regulation system is fit for the future. We are committed to legislate on this important and complex issue when Parliamentary time allows.
“In the meantime, we are already using secondary legislation to make any urgent changes necessary to make sure that patients can continue to be confident that they are receiving safe care.”
The Department added that it is putting forward a number of section 60 orders – a provision under the new Bill which would be somewhat restricted – which are currently going through the Parliamentary process and are at different stages.
It added that one order will amend the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 to give the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) powers to carry-out its Fitness-to-Practise and registration functions more effectively.
A General Medical Council (GMC) order is expected to strengthen and protect the separation of the GMC's investigation and adjudication function by establishing the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) in statute, while modernising the adjudication procedures and addressing a number of gaps in the legislative framework.
However, both the GMC and NMC feel that an opportunity was missed to “future-proof medical regulation and better protect patients”.
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