Healthcare Professions: Regulation

Baroness Pitkeathley Excerpts

Tuesday 10th June 2014 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

Yes, my Lords, we are working with the GMC to develop secondary legislation that will strengthen and protect the separation of the GMC’s investigation and adjudication functions by establishing the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in statute, as well as modernising the adjudication procedures, and to address a number of lacunas in the legislative framework. We are seeking to have the Section 60 order on the GMC’s fitness-to-practise processes in place before the general election.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, I declare an interest—

[Lord Walton of Detchant (CB)]

My Lords, I declare an interest—

[Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Con)]

My Lords, there are many with an interest but it is the turn of the Opposition.

[Baroness Pitkeathley]

I declare an interest as chair of the Professional Standards Authority. The authority has already done preparatory work for the Department of Health on which changes to Section 60 orders would be in the interests of public protection and cost-effectiveness. Can the Minister say that the Government will take account of this work and the views of the regulators as they consider their next steps?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, yes, I can give that assurance. In fact, there is a range of Section 60 orders that are at various stages of development, which we hope to introduce over the coming months.