Review Of NHS Staff Disciplinary Procedures

EDM number 473 in 2016-17, proposed by Norman Lamb on 15/09/2016.
Categorised under the topics of Health services and Health staff and professions.

That this House believes that the current staff disciplinary procedures in the NHS are flawed, outdated and require substantial reform; notes that while the disciplinary and capability procedures for doctors and dentists are set out in the national Maintaining High Professional Standards framework, procedures for all other NHS staff can be drawn up by individual employers; further believes that this disparity of treatment between the healthcare professions cannot be justified; further notes, with concern, that many staff are denied a fair disciplinary procedure, in particular BME staff and whistleblowers, who are often suspended, dismissed or otherwise treated unfairly after speaking out against wrongdoing or malpractice for the sake of patient safety; notes that fair and robust disciplinary processes are essential to safeguard staff wellbeing and patient safety in the NHS, and that the flaws in the current system result in distress to NHS staff, wastage of taxpayers' money and miscarriages of justice; welcomes the Secretary of State for Health's acknowledgment in the House on 9 March 2016 that a culture change in the NHS must also extend to trust disciplinary procedures; and therefore calls on the Government to initiate a review of staff disciplinary policies and procedures to address these concerns, and issue recommendations for reform.

This motion has been signed by a total of 25 MPs.