MPS welcomes insights on exclusion from duties during Trust disciplinaries

Commenting on the Insights Paper from NHSR’s Practitioner Performance Advice service on exclusion trends during NHS Trust disciplinary investigations in England –

Dr Rob Hendry, Medical Director at Medical Protection Society (MPS), said:

“We welcome this Insights Paper and NHS Resolution’s proactive approach in sharing data and learnings around exclusions from duties. In our experience of supporting doctors through disciplinaries, this is key area where we see disproportionate action and inconsistency across Trusts. 

“Exclusion from duties while a disciplinary is underway can be a uniquely isolating experience – it can impact on mental wellbeing, and the end result can be a demotivated and deskilled doctor who faces an uncertain future in the profession, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. It can also affect the continuity of patient care.

“It is particularly worrying that some doctors - including those from an ethnic minority, those who trained overseas and SAS doctors - are more likely to be excluded from duties during a disciplinary investigation. Continued action is needed within the NHS to ensure discrimination and bias are not factors that can initiate a disciplinary, or influence a decision on exclusion from duties.

“Disciplinaries must be conducted fairly - right from the outset - and we will continue to call on Trusts to make improvements and adhere to the Maintaining High Professional Standards (MHPS) framework.”

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