Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on how many occasions have NHS Trusts received concerns about alleged unfitness to practice of trust directors since the Fit and Proper Persons Regulations came into force; how many of those concerns led to an (a) internal and (b) independent investigation.

NHS Improvement, which supports foundation trusts and National Health Service trusts to give patients consistently safe, high quality, compassionate care within local health systems that are financially sustainable, has provided the following response.

NHS Improvement has not published any guidance about the Fit and Proper Persons Requirement and neither does it centrally collect any data in relation to the number of Fit and Proper Persons Requirement concerns raised.

NHS Improvement has a specific responsibility in relation to the appointment of Chairs and Non-Executive Directors of the 80 NHS trusts: it will check before a Chair or Non-Executive Director is appointed to make sure they are fit for their role. NHS Improvement is not aware of any cases relating to the Chairs or Non-Executive Directors of NHS trusts where it has been necessary, after appointment, to conduct a Fit and Proper Persons Requirement investigation.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which is responsible for checking that providers are meeting the Fit and Proper Persons requirement, has provided the following response.

Since the Fit and Proper Persons Regulations came into force, NHS trusts have received, from the CQC, concerns about alleged unfitness to practice of trust directors on 37 occasions.

Of those concerns received, seven led to a formal internal investigation that the CQC is aware. 15 led to an external investigation that the CQC is aware.